We get a black screen after login after upgrade to Ubuntu 8.10

OK, it's unclear to me whether this is actually driver related or something else going on with the gnome desktop. It however almost sounds like the graphics drivers are working OK, based on the fact that you can see the mouse pointer and screen changing animations (and more to the point, that you apparently see the login dialog). If this impression is correct, then the problem might therefore very well be with some gnome desktop settings brought forward from your 8.04 install and may have nothing whatever to do with video drivers or compiz.

In order to test whether this is the case, I'd suggest creating a new user (which will have a new fresh desktop profile) to see if that user's desktop works properly. If it does, then we know the problem is with your normal user's gnome desktop settings and we can figure out what to do about it. (You can also directly try to rename/disable your current gnome desktop settings related folders but I cant offhand remember which folders to move/rename - I'll check when I'm back home and can verify my suggestions.)

To add a new user, try the following. After booting, press ctrl-alt-f1, which should take you to a text mode console login screen. Log in using your normal user, then type:

sudo adduser test

Fill in the details as prompted. Then switch back to to the GUI with alt-f8 (usually, or try a few other combinations if that doesn't work, e.g. alt-ft7, alt-f9, alt-f10, etc.) Try logging in with the new test user and report back what happens.

Hi,

Thanks for the response.

Yes, the problem does appear to be underlying the drivers and compiz.

As it happens, I had already tested creating a new user (myself, this is my partners pc), adding it to the admin group and logging in.
No change, still a blank screen.

It therefore does not appear to have anything to do with the instances of gnome settings in the home folders.
Perhaps the template they are created from?

Please note that the pc worked perfectly for days after the initial upgrade fro 8.04.
It was only after apt upgraded some packages that this problem arose.

I forgot to post a link to the thread on Ubuntu Forums about this, it has the apt logs from that upgrade:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=977903

Thanks,

James

I somewhat doubt it's the template files (As far as I remember there's not any Gnome desktop template files added to a new user account although I'm not 100% certain of this.)

OK, well I'd try firstly to force the system to use the default generic config again. Go to a terminal (ctrl-alt-f1 from login screen), log in, then enter

cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Then reboot. If you still don't have any display, try forcing X to use the vesa driver. Open the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf with an editor (e.g. "sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf", and in the "Device" section, insert the line
   Driver "vesa"

Save (Ctrl-O as I recall) and exit (Ctrl-X). Reboot. You should now get a desktop with the VESA driver, which is totally generic.

Once you have some sort of desktop showing, I'd suggest you do another system update through Update manager making sure everything is up to date, then see about fixing the driver issue further. I'll post this reply on the forums thread as well.

My apologies, the "cp" command needs a sudo in front, eg:

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup

This makes a backup of the conf file, just in case.

I just want to add that after the update I have exactly the same problem and the only excess I have is the command line at startup so if one of you nice people find a way out please give a command for terminal
thanks

Well, I don't know if this is any consolation, but I'm having exactly the same problem. I would certainly appreciate any help that I can get because this experience is extremely frustrating.

I forgot to say that I was able to login after I installed the kde desktop. The problem is that I don't feel all that comfortable with kde and I'd like to go back to my dear gnome environment.

on second thought,most of us are normal users of the computer and in my case to earn a living.We should not have an answer to this sort of problem.the only answer i can come up with is:
If we are offered an upgrade which screws up our computers and ends up being a downgrade,we should as a matter of urgency be offered a further upgrade to rectify the downgrade.I just don't see how i am going to know when it arives'if' and how it must be downloaded without a desktop.Am i rude or is there a thing called accountability somewhere along the line?

luck on our side.desktop ubuntu 8.10 vanishes:
post into terminal at startup,login screen,options left bottom
corner,new session fail safe

sudo apt-get install gnome-panel.

screenshot attached shows where my problem came from

good luck

Hi,

ByteJuggler:

Tried running it with the vesa driver and fresh xorg.conf, no difference (except for a really ugly login screen ;)

okkie:

I take it you are referring to your thread here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6212396
Please post a link to the original source of the solution!
Also, have you filed a bug report yet?

I will try investigate this later today and post any results.

Thanks,

James.

OK, if you're getting a login window with the vesa driver, and you still have troubles viewing your desktop, then your problems are almost certainly not a driver problem (or at least, not only.) So, we need to figure out why gnome is not starting up properly.

Does the Gnome fail-safe session work? (If you click Session on the login screen you'll see you have several other options to control what desktop environment/window manager you use. Any additional desktop environments will also be selectable from there.)

I would almost suggest you install an alternate window manager as well, and see if you can at least get to a working desktop like that, but the Gnome fail-safe should probably work so try that first.

Okkie: You should probably post a new question in a seperate thread. Your problem may not in fact be the same as the original posters, and trying to solve 2 questions in one thread is not productive.

Please include as much information as you can, including what graphics card you have, what driver you're using (if you know), etc. Also, you may want to also try posting about your problem in the community forums: http://ubuntuforums.org/

As an aside, I don't see your screenshot?

Hi,

Follow the link I Googled to see where okkie's stuff is from (including screenshot)
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6212396

TBF his problem does sound *very* similar, inlcluding being just after an apt-get upgrade.
I just hope he comes back and posts a link to where he gone the original solution from.

I don't quite see how installing gnome-panel will help though (surely it's already installed?), but it's an avenue of investigation.
I think I'll go and find the config files in /home and manually remove that applet. See if that helps.
If it *is* the sound applet, the default configuration is just as broken so we can't just remove it and reconfigure it.

Also, if you check my apt-get logs in my forum thread, there are lots of packages with "applet" in the name being upgraded just before the fail.

Regards,

James.

.the thread in ubuntu forums is correct.If you type ' sudo apt-get
install gnome-panel ' you get the desktop back and the system gives you
the screen where you must select 'delete' . You will also have to
install nautiles.
I did not report the bug because the first time i tried to report a bug
I got the impression that I am wasting peoples time.So actually lets say
I don't know how to.Regards
> Question #51748 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/51748
>
> Status: Answered => Open
>
> RoboJ1M is still having a problem:
> Hi,
>
> ByteJuggler:
>
> Tried running it with the vesa driver and fresh xorg.conf, no difference
> (except for a really ugly login screen ;)
>
> okkie:
>
> I take it you are referring to your thread here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6212396
> Please post a link to the original source of the solution!
> Also, have you filed a bug report yet?
>
> I will try investigate this later today and post any results.
>
> Thanks,
>
> James.
>

Screenshot can be found here '
> Question #51748 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/51748
>
> ByteJuggler proposed the following answer:
> Okkie: You should probably post a new question in a seperate thread.
> Your problem may not in fact be the same as the original posters, and
> trying to solve 2 questions in one thread is not productive.
>
> Please include as much information as you can, including what graphics
> card you have, what driver you're using (if you know), etc. Also, you
> may want to also try posting about your problem in the community forums:
> http://ubuntuforums.org/
>
> As an aside, I don't see your screenshot?
>

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6212396 this is where you will
find the screenshot.My graphics card is an ATI radeon 9250 and the
driver is unknown to me and was chosen by the system.Sorry if i am
messing you around but i am also learning in the process.

> Question #51748 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/51748
>
> ByteJuggler proposed the following answer:
> Okkie: You should probably post a new question in a seperate thread.
> Your problem may not in fact be the same as the original posters, and
> trying to solve 2 questions in one thread is not productive.
>
> Please include as much information as you can, including what graphics
> card you have, what driver you're using (if you know), etc. Also, you
> may want to also try posting about your problem in the community forums:
> http://ubuntuforums.org/
>
> As an aside, I don't see your screenshot?
>

OK, important update:

Not solved, but something changed.

I tried removing gnome-panel, to see if it was causing the desktop to fail to display.

Removing it made no difference, but now, after replacing it and rebooting, instead of a brown backgroud after logging in:

I see the 8.10 abstract Ibex background!!

So something definitely changed after removing/replacing that package.

What would happen if I completely removed (purged?) the ubuntu-desktop package and then replaced it?
Would that do anything?

Regards,

James.

I suggest you try the following:
1.) Log into text terminal (ctrl-alt-f1)
2.) Install Fluxbox, with:
sudo apt-get install fluxbox
3.) Go back the X Windows alt-f8 (or whatever it is)
4.) Click "Options"
5.) Click "Select Session"
6.) Select "Fluxbox"
7.) Click "Change Session"
8.) Log in as normal. When prompted, click "just for this session"

You should log into a normal fluxbox desktop. If this works, then this confirms there's something wonky with gnome. I'd be normally tempted to suggest you try something like the following from a terminal:

mkdir oldgnome
mv .gnome* oldgnome

Then try to log in with gnome again. However I suspect this might not work as you've in effect already tried that before (by using a test user.) Still might want to try it just to confirm. (The above moves the gnome config folders into a subfolder, effectively disabling them.)

Hi,

Installed Fluxbox, that works perfectly.

I tried removing all the .gnome, gnome2, etc, folders in one of the user accounts. Made no difference.

Would posting any log files help? Which ones should I post?

Thanks,

James.

I'll try and figure out how to debug this further. In the meantime, can you also try moving/removing these folders:

.gconfd
.gconf

That *might* also be relevant.

Hi,

Yes, I deleted those folders as well. I removed all of the gnome settings folders (afaik) and it didn't make any difference.

I had a glance at syslog, kept seeing alsa and pulse mentioned, not sure if they were warnings or errors.
Now that I have fluxbox, I should be able to get them off and post them here.
Is there a gnome log file? I couldn't see one.

Thanks,

James.

OK, I'm still trying to figure out where/how/what to do to debug the Gnome startup. On that, can you also either remove or rename this folder:

.metacity

It may also affect your startup. (I realise this is likely not going to help as you already tested with a virgin test user... but mention it for completeness sake.)

As for logs, see if there's anything in:

~/.xsession-errors

Thanks.

Are you running any firewall/net filtering software/rules? (Gnome uses TCP/UDP ports so if anything interferes with this loopback traffic you'll probably have problems.)

Hi,

There are no firewalls installed locally on the machine, there is a home ADSL router in the building but that has unfettered outbound access.

~/.xsession-errors should be up later today.

Thanks,

James.

Blergh, there appears to be no way to attach a file, so here is the complete .xsession-errors file.
There appers to be mention of fluxbox at the top? I hope this isn't all the errors from where Hamish logged into fluxbox to email this file to me. :(
When is .xsession-errors flushed? Each time you change session? Each day?

Anyway, here's the file:

/etc/gdm/Xsession: Beginning session setup...
Setting IM through im-switch for locale=en_GB.
Start IM through /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/all_ALL linked to /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/default.
Unable to create /home/hamish/.dbus/session-bus
Failed to load database:/home/hamish/.fluxbox/init
Retrying with: /etc/X11/fluxbox/init
Failed to read: session.ignoreBorder
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.forcePseudoTransparency
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabPadding
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.styleOverlay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.slitlistFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.groupFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.appsFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabsAttachArea
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.modKey
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.imageDither
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.opaqueMove
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspacewarping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.desktopwheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.reversewheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.autoRaise
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.clickRaises
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.decorateTransient
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.defaultDeco
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.rootCommand
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.resizeMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowMenu
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.followModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.userFollowModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.focus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.unfocus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menu.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelayClose
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.joinStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.capStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollAction
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollReverse
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.allowRemoteActions
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.intitlebar
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabFocusModel
Setting default value
BScreen::BScreen: managing screen 0 using visual 0x21, depth 24
Failed to read: session.ignoreBorder
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.forcePseudoTransparency
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabPadding
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.styleOverlay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.slitlistFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.groupFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.appsFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabsAttachArea
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.modKey
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.imageDither
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.opaqueMove
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspacewarping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.desktopwheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.reversewheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.autoRaise
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.clickRaises
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.decorateTransient
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.defaultDeco
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.rootCommand
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.resizeMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowMenu
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.followModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.userFollowModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.focus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.unfocus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menu.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelayClose
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.joinStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.capStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollAction
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollReverse
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.allowRemoteActions
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.intitlebar
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabFocusModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.ignoreBorder
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.forcePseudoTransparency
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabPadding
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.styleOverlay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.slitlistFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.groupFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.appsFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabsAttachArea
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.modKey
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.imageDither
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.opaqueMove
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspacewarping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.desktopwheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.reversewheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.autoRaise
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.clickRaises
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.decorateTransient
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.defaultDeco
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.rootCommand
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.resizeMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowMenu
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.followModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.userFollowModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.focus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.unfocus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menu.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelayClose
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.joinStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.capStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollAction
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollReverse
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.allowRemoteActions
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.intitlebar
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabFocusModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.onhead
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.layer
Setting default value
apps file failure
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.visible
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.layer
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.onhead
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.height
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.tools
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.mode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.wheelMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.alignment
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.iconWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.iconTextPadding
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.usePixmap
Setting default value

(gnome-terminal:6666): atk-bridge-WARNING **: AT_SPI_REGISTRY was not started at session startup.

(gnome-terminal:6666): atk-bridge-WARNING **: IOR not set.

(gnome-terminal:6666): atk-bridge-WARNING **: Could not locate registry
Failed to read: session.screen0.titlebar.left
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.titlebar.right
Setting default value
apps file failure
apps file failure
apps file failure
Failed to read: session.ignoreBorder
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.forcePseudoTransparency
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabPadding
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.styleOverlay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.slitlistFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.groupFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.appsFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabsAttachArea
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.modKey
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.imageDither
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.opaqueMove
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspacewarping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.desktopwheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.reversewheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.autoRaise
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.clickRaises
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.decorateTransient
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.defaultDeco
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.rootCommand
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.resizeMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowMenu
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.followModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.userFollowModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.focus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.unfocus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menu.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelayClose
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.joinStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.capStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollAction
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollReverse
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.allowRemoteActions
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.intitlebar
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabFocusModel
Setting default value
BScreen::BScreen: managing screen 0 using visual 0x21, depth 24
Failed to read: session.ignoreBorder
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.forcePseudoTransparency
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabPadding
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.styleOverlay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.slitlistFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.groupFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.appsFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabsAttachArea
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.modKey
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.imageDither
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.opaqueMove
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspacewarping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.desktopwheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.reversewheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.autoRaise
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.clickRaises
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.decorateTransient
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.defaultDeco
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.rootCommand
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.resizeMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowMenu
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.followModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.userFollowModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.focus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.unfocus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menu.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelayClose
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.joinStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.capStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollAction
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollReverse
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.allowRemoteActions
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.intitlebar
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabFocusModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.ignoreBorder
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.forcePseudoTransparency
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabPadding
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.styleOverlay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.slitlistFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.groupFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.appsFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabsAttachArea
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.modKey
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.imageDither
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.opaqueMove
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspacewarping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.desktopwheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.reversewheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.autoRaise
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.clickRaises
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.decorateTransient
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.defaultDeco
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.rootCommand
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.resizeMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowMenu
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.followModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.userFollowModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.focus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.window.unfocus.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menu.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelay
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuDelayClose
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.lineStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.joinStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.overlay.capStyle
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollAction
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.windowScrollReverse
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.allowRemoteActions
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabs.intitlebar
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.tabFocusModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.onhead
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.layer
Setting default value
apps file failure
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.visible
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.layer
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.onhead
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.height
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.tools
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.mode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.wheelMode
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.alignment
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.iconWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.iconTextPadding
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.iconbar.usePixmap
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.titlebar.left
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.titlebar.right
Setting default value
apps file failure
apps file failure
apps file failure

(gnome-terminal:6943): atk-bridge-WARNING **: AT_SPI_REGISTRY was not started at session startup.

(gnome-terminal:6943): atk-bridge-WARNING **: IOR not set.

(gnome-terminal:6943): atk-bridge-WARNING **: Could not locate registry

(gnome-terminal:6967): atk-bridge-WARNING **: AT_SPI_REGISTRY was not started at session startup.

(gnome-terminal:6967): atk-bridge-WARNING **: IOR not set.

(gnome-terminal:6967): atk-bridge-WARNING **: Could not locate registry
apps file failure
apps file failure
apps file failure
apps file failure

I'm not a 100% sure when the .xsession-errors is flushed, but I think at the start of every session. Which is confirmed by fluxbox being mentioned at the top of the file you've posted.

I think you need to be a bit more devious about getting the log. Try the following:
1.) Try to log into gnome to the blank desktop.
2.) Press ctrl-alt-f1 to go to a text terminal/console
3.) Log in, and make a copy of the log:
cp .xsession-errors xsession-errors-saved.txt
4.) Log out, press ctrl-f7 (or f8 or whatever) to go back to X windows.
5.) Press ctrl-alt-backspace to kill X
6.) Change the session and login with fluxbox.
7.) Open the saved logfile with your favourite text editor. Post here. Job done.

Also, I've figured out another way for you to debug what's happening. Try the following:
1.) Log into fluxbox
2.) Create (or edit if it exists) the file ~/.xsession
3.) In it put a single line, with the following on it:
xterm
4.) Log out.
5.) On login screen, Click "Options"
5.) Click "Select Session"
6.) Click "Run XClient script" (which tells X to run the .xsession file we've just created.)
7.) Log in again. You should see a single xterm terminal start up in the left top corner of the desktop.
8.) Right, at this point no desktop/window manager has started yet, but you have a prompt from which you can now manually run them and observe/capture the output.
9.) In the Xterm, type:
gnome-session
10.) You'll see the startup messages. Check for obvious problems. If you'd like to capture all the output directly into a file you can do:
gnome-session 2>&1 >gnome-session-log.txt

Please poste that logfile (or the salient bits) back here, thanks.

Note pressing ctrl-c in the xterm window will terminate the gnome-session removing the running desktop manager. Typing "exit" in the xerm should terminate it taking you back to the login screen.

Errata: In the first set of instructions in my previous post (related to getting the .xsession-errors), no.4 should read "Alt-f7" or "Alt-f8" not "Ctrl-f7"

Hi,

Here is the new .xsession-errors file.

Regards,

James.

/etc/gdm/Xsession: Beginning session setup...
Setting IM through im-switch for locale=en_GB.
Start IM through /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/all_ALL linked to /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/default.
x-session-manager[5792]: WARNING: No required applications specified
Checking for Xgl: not present.
Detected PCI ID for VGA:
Checking for texture_from_pixmap: present.
Checking for non power of two support: present.
Checking for Composite extension: present.
NVIDIA: could not open the device file /dev/nvidiactl (Permission denied).
NVIDIA: Direct rendering failed; attempting indirect rendering.
Comparing resolution (1024x768) to maximum 3D texture size (4096): Passed.
Checking for Software Rasterizer: Not present.
Checking for nVidia: present.
Checking for FBConfig: NVIDIA: could not open the device file /dev/nvidiactl (Permission denied).
NVIDIA: Direct rendering failed; attempting indirect rendering.
present.
Checking for Xgl: not present.
NVIDIA: could not open the device file /dev/nvidiactl (Permission denied).
NVIDIA: Direct rendering failed; attempting indirect rendering.
/usr/bin/compiz.real (video) - Warn: No 8 bit GLX pixmap format, disabling YV12 image format
Starting gtk-window-decorator
x-session-manager[5792]: WARNING: Application 'gnome-wm.desktop' failed to register before timeout
x-session-manager[5792]: WARNING: Application 'libcanberra-login-sound.desktop' failed to register before timeout
No value set for `/desktop/gnome/applications/at/visual/exec'
Failure: Module initalization failed

Tracker version 0.6.6 Copyright (c) 2005-2007 by Jamie McCracken (<email address hidden>)

This program is free software and comes without any warranty.
It is licensed under version 2 or later of the General Public License which can be viewed at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt

Initialising tracker...
starting HAL detection for ac adaptors...none found

** (nm-applet:6074): WARNING **: No connections defined
evolution-alarm-notify-Message: Setting timeout for 21629 1228780800 1228759171
evolution-alarm-notify-Message: Tue Dec 9 00:00:00 2008

evolution-alarm-notify-Message: Mon Dec 8 17:59:31 2008

Throttle level is 0
  PID TTY TIME CMD
 5957 ? 00:00:00 pulseaudio

Hi,

Here is the output from gnome-session 2>&1 (What's that all about BTW, wouldn't gnome-session > file work?)

Unfortunately, this is considerable less than what was output to the console when I type the command.
However, it did appear to mostly be the same as .xsession-errors.

Regards,

James.

Checking for Xgl: not present.
Detected PCI ID for VGA:
Checking for texture_from_pixmap: present.
Checking for non power of two support: present.
Checking for Composite extension: present.
Comparing resolution (1024x768) to maximum 3D texture size (4096): Passed.
Checking for Software Rasterizer: Not present.
Checking for nVidia: present.
Checking for FBConfig: present.
Checking for Xgl: not present.

Tracker version 0.6.6 Copyright (c) 2005-2007 by Jamie McCracken (<email address hidden>)

This program is free software and comes without any warranty.
It is licensed under version 2 or later of the General Public License which can be viewed at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt

Initialising tracker...
starting HAL detection for ac adaptors...none found
Throttle level is 0

I still have to try and pick through the logs to try and suggest some remedial action, but to answer your question about the 2>&1:
When you issue a command you can redirect standard output to a file like you mention:

command >output.txt

However, in addition to standard output, programs have another output stream called "standard error". Some programs will print error output to "standard error" instead of standard output. Now, by default, both standard error and standard output go to the screen. But, if you redirect standard output, that does nothing for "standard error", so you'll end up with some output going into the redirection, and any remaining output that the program wrote to standard error will then still go to the screen, which is often not what you want. Now, to explicitly redirect stderr as well as stdout, you can do:

command 2>error.txt >output.txt

This puts all output from output stream 2 (stderr) into error.txt, and all standard output (going to stdout) to output.txt. This works but is sometimes less than helpful if lines in both relate to each other. You can also redirect one stream into another, so you can redirect say, "stderr" into stdout, and then finally redirect the whole lot to one file. To redirect a stream to another you use the & notation, e.g.

command 2>&1 >alloutput.txt

The "2>&1" says to redirect stream 2 into stream 1, that's redirecting output from stderr to stdout, and then finally it says to redirect everything going to stdout (which now includes stderr) to the file called alloutput.txt.

So, that's why I told you to use the last form shown above, to ensure I get *all* output by gnome-session, including errors and nominal log output. I'll try to come up with a suggestion to fix the problem. (Probaby be along the lines of reconfiguring using dpg-reconfigure or reinstalling certain key Gnome desktop packages, and perhaps checking some permissions.)

Ah, thanks for that.
Like DOS standard out and error out then.

x-session-manager[5792]: WARNING: Application 'gnome-wm.desktop' failed to register before timeout
x-session-manager[5792]: WARNING: Application 'libcanberra-login-sound.desktop' failed to register before timeout

I'm guessing that gnome-wm.desktop is the window manager?

I suppose the wm could be not loading because of the libcanberra thing (one times out waitng for the other)

What's libcanberra-login-sound.desktop and how would I go about disabling/removing that?

Thanks,

James.

Hey sorry for only replying now - I've been away for a couple of days and been rather busy (so haven't had time to give to Launchpad issues). I have however not forgotten about this and would like resolve this, in case anyone else ever runs into a similar issue with the desktop startup. In any case I'm agreeing with your diagnosis as likely close to correct. As to how to fix this properly, I'm not sure but in the short term I'd suggest doing a search in Synaptic and removing anything with "libcanberra" in the name (or use "dpkg --list | grep libcanberra" and "sudo apt-get purge <name>" for each package to remove from command line). (Make a list of removed packages so you can reinstall if needed.) Another slightly less harsh fix might be to blacklist the sound driver (to try to eliminate the sound subsystem like that, wihout neccesariliy uninstalling it.) Thanks for your patience in resolving what must be a very frustrating situation to be in.

From: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libcanberra/+bug/276072

Subject: canberra-gtk-play delays login and does not work well with g-p-m

"Everything is fine when disableing libcanberra-login-sound.desktop via gnome-session-properties"

On out machine, it takes a while for the login sound to play.
I shall try disabling it with this "gnome-session-properties"

There is apparently a patch (from Mandriva)

The patch mentions "libcanberra-0.9"

The current version of libcanberra0 in the intrepid repository is 0.6
Jaunty uses 0.10

Does this mean that it's fixed in jaunty? Or only maybe in Jaunty?
Can't find a changelog on the libcanberra site, the source doesn't have one either.

Will report back with results of gnome-session-properties tests.

Thanks,

James.

This question was expired because it remained in the 'Open' state without activity for the last 15 days.

Hi,

Well, hope you all had a merry christmas and new years and the like.
Now all that jollity is out the way I can get back to fixing this machine.

Results from the gnome-session-properties test:

Hamish started a gnome session with xterm, started g-s-p and un-ticked anything related to libcanberra.
Apparently this has had no effect.

Didn't get anymore done over the holiday.
I'll take a look at it myself next week and try uninstalling libcanberra.

Thanks,

James.

This question was expired because it remained in the 'Open' state without activity for the last 15 days.

Bump.

James, My apologies for only replying now again. Been away and since being back at work been very busy. Anyway, I'll have another go at solving this. (That said, if this problem is very obsure it might be more time effective to effectively reinstall and migrate than trying to find out exactly what's wrong. It's relatively easy to save the list of currently installed packages in such a way that you can automatically reinstall them on a fresh installation. And since most settings are kept in your home folder, things should look pretty much the same after moving it onto a new installation. I do this relatively frequently on my test box, having /home and /var on seperate partitions make reinstalling without losing things pretty easy.)

What was the outcome of your libcanberra uninstalling attempts?

Hi Walter,

I know this forum has different purposes, but would mind telling me how you do what you said in your messages? ("save the list of currently installed packages in such a way that you can automatically reinstall them on a fresh installation")

Or, if it would be too long for you to do that, can you point to some on-line documentation where this is explained? I've consulted a couple of ubuntu manuals and I am not able to find this information.

Thanks in advance.

Josep M. Fontana

Hi Walter,

I know this forum has different purposes, but would mind telling me how you do what you said in your messages? ("save the list of currently installed packages in such a way that you can automatically reinstall them on a fresh installation")

Or, if it would be too long for you to do that, can you point to some on-line documentation where this is explained? I've consulted a couple of ubuntu manuals and I am not able to find this information.

Thanks in advance.

Josep M. Fontana

Oops. I don't know why my message was posted two times. Sorry about that.

Josep M.

Hi Walter,

Thanks for getting back, we're *this* close to just blatting it (girlfriend really wants to go back to the LTS release I think)
Expecially as VirtualBox now has DirectX support (no more USB HDD dual booting for Sims 2)

However, it would still be nice to at least figure out what's gone wrong (and save me all the trouble of rebuilding, we *don't* have seperate /home and /var partitions)

Anyway, here's what we tried:

Uninstalling libcanberra-gnome:

dependencies removed: ubuntu-desktop

Result: no effect.

Uninstalling libcanberra0:

dependencies removed: Lots and lots and lots

Result: Chickened out, decided to do it on a day when I have enough time to fix the PC if I completely trash it (Including making backups of user data first)

So, not very far.

Regards,

James.

@Joseph: No problem. Basically, go read this first: http://strongdynamic.blogspot.com/2008/11/ubuntu-backup-tip-save-your-package.html

So basically what you do is, download that script and run it to produce a list of what's installed. Then when you reinstall you basically feed that list back into dpkg and tell apt to upgrade/install what's been selected. That's the gist of it.

To be more detailed:
1.) Create a folder in your home folder called "bin", e.g. from a terminal enter:
mkdir ~/bin
2.) Download and save that script into ~/bin.
3.) Make it executable. You can do this using the GUI, or by entering:
chmod u+x ~/bin/dpkg-origins
4.) Run the script and capture the output by entering (The ~/Desktop/installed.txt places the output on your desktop in a file called "installed.txt")
dpkg-origins >~/Desktop/installed.txt
5.) Copy that file somewhere safe. That's it really.

On a new system, basically you do:
cat installed.txt | sudo dpkg --set-selections && apt-get -u dselect-upgrade

Then also view the file, restore any third party repositories and uncommend packages from them, and rerun the above command to install them too. Then install any packages directly installed from deb's that you might've had.

As an aside, you can get a similar effect with just dpkg as well (e.g. first "dpkg --get-selections > selections.txt" and then later "dpkg --set-selections < selections.txt" followed by "apt-get -u dselect-upgrade"), but the dpkg-origins makes it easier as it automatically records your third party repositories and so on.

Thank you, Walter!