Login Manager
 

Choosing Login Manager from the ubuntu system menu ask for password but doesn't start. On logging out the login greeter screen goes to the circles one ( one with yellow flower down in right hand corner ) no the blubuntu screen which I have chosen. I then use synaptic to re-install gdm, log out again and then I have blubuntu, re-log in again and I can get the login manager also. If I then shutdown or restart system, back to the circles greeter and unable to start login manager. In otherwords, I have to re-install gdm everytime I shutdown system in order to get the login manager to work. Any idea on how to correct this problem? Problem occurred with last updates this week. Is there any config file where this can be corrected?

Stiil looking for some help on this subject. Tried reinstalling gdm with no luck. Also when I log out no shutdown or restart button until, again I reinstall gdm. Please can use some help on this.

Please anyone, still can't figure out this problem. Can use any help I can get!

doesn't anyone know the answer to this one?

Can you use other graphical admistration tools, like synaptic. You might also try starting the login configuration from a terminal by typing sudo gdmsetup. It might give an error saying why it's not opening for you. The text file for editing things is in /etc/X11/gdm/gdm.conf-custom, though it doesn't look like it contains much.

I guess it actually has to do with the gdmgreeter. The custom.conf file has the greeter I selected listed. Like I said if I don't restart the machine and reinstall gdm by synaptic I get the themed greeter. If I reboot the machine however, I get the circles theme. I then have to reinstall the gdm from synaptic to get my themed greeter back. Also the logout screen lacks the restart and shutdown buttons.

I want to say that the circle theme is the default without the modifications ubuntu makes, so it's somehow resetting to that I think. I'm wondering if maybe it's not able to find the other themes that are availble for some reason. If you restart without resinstalling what's in /usr/share/gdm/themes ? I'm also still wondering why the manager isn't opening when you try and start it. What happens when you type "sudo gdmsetup" into a terminal?

sudo gdmsetup says cannot access the gdm configuration file

i have exactly the same problem as rjpilla..
any solutions yet?

got it:
the gdm is being loaded too early in the boot sequence

simply change /etc/rc2.d/S13gdm to S21gdm and everything works fine!

Oh man, you are the man. I have been trying to figure this out for months. Was just getting ready to reinstall when something told me to look at my post 1 more time. I did what you said didn't work at first but that was because I had my system set for run level 5. Your answer was for run level 2. Changed back to run level 2, made your corrections and voila it worked. I am grateful to you in saving my insanity. Thank you very much!

By the way this fix also corrected the problem with the shutdown and restart buttons not showing up in the panel when logging out. So this is also a possible fix for that problem posted many times on this board. Thank you for the christmas present!

hehe, you're welcome, i'm glad it worked for you as well :)
yup, it fixed the buttons-problem for me too, and i can access the gdmsetup from the desktop again..

so, nice holidays to you!

Hmmmm, I noticed while working on one of my other computers, I cleared out the /tmp files including the hidden folders and this resulted in the above problem. Changing S13gdm to S20gdm fixed the problem but what in the /tmp folder caused this to happen?