[SOLVED] Screwed up gdm AND kdm...Now I can't even get into a console

custangro · 03-19-2010, 11:22 AM

Running Ubuntu 9.10...

I was messing around with gdm/kdm and now BOTH of them are screwed up...

It boots into "rescue" mode but none of the options work...not even droping into a console (the screen just goes black)

I've also tried pressing CTL+ALT+F[1-9] ...still can't get a console....

I AM, however, able to boot from the live CD and mount /dev/sda1 and...

Code:

root@livecd# chroot /mnt

Unfortunately...

Code:

root@chroot# dpkg-reconfigure gdm

Doesn't work...SO I tried using apt-get to reinstall gdm...the only problem is when I try getting the network up in the chroot enviroment I get an error saying...

Code:

root@chroot# dhclient
/proc/net/dev: No such file or directory

SO...I was wondering if apt-get had something similar to yum where I can specify the "install root" (since I CAN get a network connection via the live cd in a non-chroot environment

for example, if this was fedora/rhel/centos...I could do...

Code:

yum -y --installroot=/mnt install gdm

Is there something similar with apt-get or am I attacking this the wrong way?

-C

Moderators: PLEASE move this if it's in the wrong forum...because I need help

irmin · 03-19-2010, 11:51 AM

You can boot into runlevel 3 (every service started except gui) by specifying the runlevel number as a kernel parameter. In grub select the entry you will boot, press 'e' and append " 3" at the end, then press enter.

custangro · 03-19-2010, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irmin

You can boot into runlevel 3 (every service started except gui) by specifying the runlevel number as a kernel parameter. In grub select the entry you will boot, press 'e' and append " 3" at the end, then press enter.

Isn't, for ubuntu, runlevel 3 WITH the gui? Last time I remember Ubuntu uses messed up runlevels...in any event I'll give that a try...

-C

irmin · 03-19-2010, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by custangro

Isn't, for ubuntu, runlevel 3 WITH the gui? Last time I remember Ubuntu uses messed up runlevels...in any event I'll give that a try...

-C

Maybe. Ubuntu is a little bit strange. Nevertheless you can also specify other runlevel numbers (and single for single user mode).

custangro · 03-19-2010, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irmin

Maybe. Ubuntu is a little bit strange. Nevertheless you can also specify other runlevel numbers (and single for single user mode).

I will edit the grub menu from the chroot environment...

custangro · 03-19-2010, 01:20 PM

Okay fixed now...

I edited the /boot/grub/grub.cfg file from a livecd and set the all the timeouts to 10 (that way I can get the grub screen)

Then when the grub screen came on I added "single" to the kernel parameters

Upon boot I chose "root prompt with networking" from the menu

Then I did the following once I got into a root shell (with networking FYI...)

Code:

root@host# apt-get remove kdm
root@host# apt-get remove gdm
root@host# apt-get autoremove
root@host# apt-get install gdm

Then I rebooted and now I have my gdm back

(once I had it fixed I restored the /boot/grub/grub.cfg file)

Hopefully this helps someone out there

-C