Why does gconf-edit not work to change the GDM icon?

Question

So I have done some googling and experimenting to change the GDM icon (Ubuntu 10.04) and have found the following ways:

1. UbuntTweak
2. Replace /usr/share/icons/LoginIcons/apps/64/computer.svg with your own svg
3. Change the gconf config setting /apps/gdm/simple-greeter/logo_icon_name to be the name of your icon in the theme. Then copy that file to the icon theme path: /usr/share/icons/LoginIcons/apps/64/.

I have gotten #1 and #2 to work. I am not sure how UbuntuTweak is actually doing it's magic (but would love to know). I do not like #2 as it seems messy and what not.

I can not get #3 to work. I have found post after post that says it should. I have tried editing the gconf DB in multiple ways:

1. gksu gconf-editor
2. gksu -u gdm gconf-editor
3. sudo -u gdm gconftool-2 --set --type string /apps/gdm/simple-greeter/logo_icon_name MYICONFILE
4. sudo gconftool-2 --set --type string /apps/gdm/simple-greeter/logo_icon_name MYICONFILE

And while all of those methods show that the value has been edited NONE of them actually change the icon (did a service gdm restart to check).

Given that:

1. The official docs state that this should work
2. By replacing the computer.svg file it does work (so I know I am copying my file to the correct path)

I am completly confused as to why this doesn't work. I know I must be missing something obvious.

Answer 1

update-icon-caches /usr/share/icons/LoginIcons/apps/64/

or wherever your icon is placed

Answer 2

According to the official GDM Doc for GDM 2.32, the Gconf value edition only works if the user "gdm" has a $HOME directory to write and read theses parameters :

http://library.gnome.org/admin/gdm/2.32/gdm.html#greeterconfiguration