I was setting up git with a ssh key passphrase on Ubuntu 12.04 via the terminal with the assistance of Help.GitHub: "You can run ssh-agent automatically when you open bash by adding the following to your ~/.profile or ~/.bashrc file" I added the ~/.bashrc file:
SSH_ENV="$HOME/.ssh/environment"
# start the ssh-agent
function start_agent {
echo "Initializing new SSH agent..."
# spawn ssh-agent
ssh-agent | sed 's/^echo/#echo/' > "$SSH_ENV"
echo succeeded
chmod 600 "$SSH_ENV"
. "$SSH_ENV" > /dev/null
ssh-add
}
# test for identities
function test_identities {
# test whether standard identities have been added to the agent already
ssh-add -l | grep "The agent has no identities" > /dev/null
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
ssh-add
# $SSH_AUTH_SOCK broken so we start a new proper agent
if [ $? -eq 2 ];then
start_agent
fi
fi
}
# check for running ssh-agent with proper $SSH_AGENT_PID
if [ -n "$SSH_AGENT_PID" ]; then
ps -ef | grep "$SSH_AGENT_PID" | grep ssh-agent > /dev/null
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
test_identities
fi
# if $SSH_AGENT_PID is not properly set, we might be able to load one from
# $SSH_ENV
else
if [ -f "$SSH_ENV" ]; then
. "$SSH_ENV" > /dev/null
fi
ps -ef | grep "$SSH_AGENT_PID" | grep -v grep | grep ssh-agent > /dev/null
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
test_identities
else
start_agent
fi
fi
A little later I restarted my computer. Now, whenever I attempt to log on (i.e. enter my password and press enter at the login screen) as the sole user (as opposed to guest) the screen goes black and a pop-up appears asking me for my /.ssh/rsa_id passphrase.
When I enter the passphrase I entered for GitHub, Ubuntu throws me back to the login screen, square one. The only way I know how else to login functionally is as a guest.
What has happened and what can I do to fix this?