Thread: Help, I'm locked out of my laptop!

hello, have older (vintage 2006) ibm thinkpad laptop runs ubuntu 9.04. encrypted hard disk when installed os. yesterday, thought time change password on system, hadn't done before. thought did correctly, i'm no longer sure.

in first place, when rebooted machine today, it's old password gets me past login, not new. next, dialog box disturbing message:

"could not update iceauthority file /home/john/.iceauthority"

, after clicking past box, one:

"there problem configuration server. (/usr/lib/libgconf2-4/gconf-sanity-check-2 exited status 256)"

after passing dialog, one:

"nautilus not create following required folders: /home/john/desktop, /home/john/.nautilus. before running nautilus, please create these folders, or set permissions such nautilus can create them."

don't have close dialog fourth message, lengthier dialog box asking me whether want generate custom encryption passphrase. i've tried re-enter original passphrase, thinking doing might reconnect me files. doesn't help. after clicking through these last 2 dialog boxes, i'm left blank, ubuntu orange desktop screen, no menu bars.

machine has not crashed completely. if push , hold power button, can bring shutdown/hibernate/restart/suspend window.

right, happened here? , i'm on road, can repair without ubuntu installation cd?

many advice!

why 9.04 in fist plase, re-install that's still supported, i'd go 10.04 lts @ end of name, 11.04 if can live unity (and can live laptop). if not maby give lubuntu shot on old think pad sure run fast ever has. maby login terminal @ boot , trying root reset everything, sorry cant of more actual problem, relay worth fixing?

Forum The Ubuntu Forum Community Ubuntu Specialised Support Security [ubuntu] Help, I'm locked out of my laptop!

Ubuntu