Error launching gnome apps as root: "Failed to contact configuration server"

[Colin Brace <cwb lim nl>]

I am getting an error message launching gnome programs as root or 
launching programs which require root access, such as the hardware browser:

 An error occurred while loading or saving configuration
 information for gnome-network-preferences. Some of your
 configuration settings may not work properly.

A second dialog box gives additional information:

 Failed to contact configuration server; some possible causes
 are that you need to enable TCP/IP networking for ORBit, or you have
 stale NFS locks due to a system crash.
 See http://www.gnome.org/projects/gconf/ for information.
 (Details -  1: IOR file '/tmp/gconfd-root/lock/ior' not opened 
successfully,
 no gconfd located: Input/output error 2: IOR file 
'/tmp/gconfd-root/lock/ior'
 not opened successfully, no gconfd located: Input/output error)

I took a look at the gnome.org page, but didn't find a clear answer. 
Likewise, Google didn't return any helpful any information. The problem 
developed after I used the Fedora installer upgrade my system from Core 
2 to Core 4. Anyone have any idea what is going on?

Thanks.