[OT] Failure to boot .... This could happen to you.

[Ed Greshko]

This was a bizarre coincidence but given the "lesson" I thought I'd offer it up.

I had not updated this one system for a while so I ran "yum update".  Noticed that the list of updates included a kernel update and x11-drivers.  Upon rebooting the system stopped/hung at "Starting GNOME display manager". 

Everything had been running perfectly fine prior to the update.  So, of course, I assumed an update was to blame.

It took a bit of time, but I finally tracked down the problem to the DVI cable which had been chewed on by one of my cats.  (Doing dental impressions now to find the culprit.)  Replaced cable, all is well.  Need to wrap my cables in chain mail.  :-)

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The only thing worse than a poorly asked question is a cryptic answer.