Gnome won't start after user login

pietruszewski · 07-04-2008, 11:20 AM

I'm running Debian Lenny on an AMD64 desktop - just now I did an apt-get upgrade and apt-get dist-upgrade, and now I can't log in with my user account.

When I enter my name and password my screen goes black and shortly returns to my gdm login screen. Although logging in as root is not a problem.

I do, however, run a lot more on my user account such as compiz-fusion and AWN, but those applications were working before I restarted. Any ideas what could be the issue?

ciden · 07-04-2008, 11:31 AM

Permissions thing I think. From login screen press Ctrl+Alt+F1 to get a console login.
Login as a normal user and type

Code:

# startx

See if GUI starts or not.

pietruszewski · 07-05-2008, 12:38 PM

When I try 'startx' as a normal user I get:

Code:

Fatal Server Error:
Server is already active on display0

I am also unsure of the command to stop x

ciden · 07-06-2008, 02:14 AM

I am no expert but I too had a similar problem.
Try what I did.

as root

Code:

# pkill -u root gdm

Note however that as you run Gnome, i suppose login is managed by gnome display manager(gdm).

U may check if you are running gdm by

Code:

# ps -e | grep gdm

logout root
and console login as normal user.
So startx again.

This is not exactly a solution, but should hopefully allow u to use GUI as normal user
until u get a solution to this problem
BTW I think it may either be permissions problem or due to the upgrade, the user config files aren't working. I use KDE so dont know much about gnome config files.
If you are aware, try backing up the config files (probably a directory named '.gnome') elsewhere (or rename by appending '.tmp')
and try again.

pietruszewski · 07-07-2008, 11:21 AM

As user, I can still log in to kde, enlightenment, xfce.
just not gnome.

When I used 'startx' the same thing happened as in gdm, except the command line displayed an error message. It would be hard to type it out word for word, but it involved a GLX error and it suggested I reinstall my drivers.

I'm going to try just that!

reddazz · 07-08-2008, 02:56 PM

Without specific details of the error message, it will be difficult to help, so post the bits that you think maybe help someone to help you.

pietruszewski · 07-09-2008, 12:46 PM

I'm sorry, here it is:

Code:

NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the GLX module; please check in your X 
log file that the GLX module has been loaded in your X server, and that 
the module is the Nvidia GLX module. If you continue to encounter 
problems, Please try reinstalling the NVIDIA driver.

then....

Code:

Fatal Server Error:
 Caught signal 11. Server aborting.

xinit: connection to x server lost.

waiting for x server to shutdown.

pietruszewski · 07-20-2008, 12:24 AM

I finally fixed this issue by just downloading and installing the latest version of the Nvidia driver.
Everything works like a charm now

.

ciden · 07-20-2008, 01:28 AM

Congrats.

hope u learned a lot from this experience.

heinblöd · 07-20-2008, 03:16 PM

Even a new installation of your old driver would have done it.
There are things (fglrx+Nvidia prop. driver , Virtualbox etc etc)
which need to recompile their kernel modules after the kernel changed.
So best thing is to > change back to vesa or sim. driver > install your updates > reinstall video driver