gnome-session weirdness - was: I can't log out from gnome

[Marcin Gorycki <mgo olicom dk>]

Hi,
the problem reappeared, this time I have some more resolution:
 
1. the first time I log in to gdm after the computer is booted takes
looooots of time - like a minute. RedHat banner (it is a RH6.0 system) is
displayed almost immediately, long wait, enlightenment progress bar appears,
long wait, esd makes its ugly noise, looong wait, background appears, still
longer wait, panel appears, lots of time passes, gmc starts.
 
2. no application can connect to gnome-session: the gnome-session-capplet
does not start, I can't call save-session (it says that it cannot connect to
gnome-session)
 
3. of course I can't log out properly - the panel makes some noise, but the
log out dialog does not even appear.
 
4. After I kill gnome-session, the consecutive logins are quick.
 
I thought the problem was xscreensaver, because when I removed it, the
problem seemed to disappear, but yesterday it reappeared again.
 
The machine IS NOT on the network, no network services are running, so it is
not a network problem.
 
I was messing with my sound card (I am writing some kind of real-time audio
effect processor). Maybe it could have done something bad to my setup,
although I can't imagine what bad it could do.
 
Any suggestions ?
J. Marcin Gorycki
mgo@olicom.dk <mailto:mgo@olicom.dk>