HELP please - can't log in anymore.....I am going nuts!

heitjer · 05-10-2009, 02:28 PM

All,
Yesterday I did an 'apt-get update' and now I can't go past the log-in screen in ubuntu 8.10 anymore. It boots up and at the screen I type in my user name and my password. It goes briefly into a back screen and then comes back to the login without any error message.
Problem is similar to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyAiZj5WDHo

If I type a wrong user or wrong password I get the typical message but no message is displayed when I enter my normal user and password.

I already tried to add a user & psw in GRUP and that did not help. So I added users ad then tried to log in with the new user but the problem repeats under this new user.

From the login screen I did a CTR-ALT-F1 and got the terminal. when I try to log in as one of my users I see that I get the following:

Code:

QuadCore login:
ubuntu 8.10 QuadCore tty1

I initially thought this was a X problem and used the "xfix" from GRUB. This was bad and I had to re-establish the old backup X11.conf

When I just do a "startx" from the root termial in GRUB and I get a desktop but got the following error message:

"User Switcher has quit unexpectedly. If you reload a panel object, it will automatically be added back to the panel."

In this desktop I really can't do anything - no mouse/keyboard. So I have to reboot.

When I su to my user form the Grub root terminal and then do the "startx" I get to my desktop but no keyboad and mouse.

I tried the recovery mode and changed back to kernel 2.6.27.-7 from my current .-11 but this did not help. It has the same issues.

Code:

ls -l /dev/null

returns

Code:

crw-rw-rw- 1 root root 1,2

I have been 100% converted from Windows over the last weeks but this let me question that decision. PLEASE help me before I get the Windows Installation back disk out.....

johnsfine · 05-10-2009, 02:53 PM

I'm far from certain, but I think if it were a problem in X Windows or the display driver it would fail earlier.

It obviously isn't a problem with your password or other aspects of the log in process itself.

I assume you are using Ubuntu with the default desktop: Gnome. I expect you have a problem with Gnome itself or with something immediately started by Gnome.

Hopefully, someone with more Ubuntu expertise will answer soon, but meanwhile I'll suggest what I would do if it were my system:

Use apt-get to install KDE (sorry I don't know how. I only use Synaptic not apt directly. But it sounds like you know how). Then on the next graphical log in attempt, select switching to KDE before logging in (I think that will be in your log in GUI somewhere once KDE is installed). If that works, you have further evidence the problem is in Gnome, plus you have a working GUI to help you look around and find out what went wrong with Gnome.

heitjer · 05-10-2009, 06:34 PM

I have read so many problems with regards to log in and especially GNOME that I am now actually rethinking to change the distro or back to Windows (that would solve a lot of things that I am struggeling with right now). But I made the decision to turn my back on Windows ones and for all. So I need some advice on this please before I really go nuts.

I can not use the "install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop" as I am not on the network and it wil not use this command from the CD.

When I use a live CD I assume I can not choose to just re-install the GNOME desktop?

So I assume I have to backup all my data and then completely wipe it out?

Here is my problem with that - I installed VirtualBox and relicenced my Windows XP in there - I think I will have problems to re-licence it again after this wipe out. Is there a way to save this VirtualBox file (I read somewhere that this is one big file)....need advice.

Also - I think if I just backup my HOME folder I should have everything - right? What about the hidden folders underneath?

tommcd · 05-11-2009, 12:12 AM

I'm not sure if this will apply to you, but it would not hurt anything at this point to check this out:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...et/+bug/290509
Try booting to recovery mode and running the solution posted there:

Code:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm

and then reboot.

If that does not work, then try renaming the .gnome2 directory in your home directory:

Code:

mv /home/user_name/.gnome2 /home/user_name/.gnome2.bak

Replace user_name with your user name, and reboot. This will create a new, pristine, and hopefully working .gnome2 directory.
I'm guessing that you gnome configuration got screwed up somehow. Hopefully, one of these suggestions will fix that.

heitjer · 05-11-2009, 06:40 PM

I tried the -reconfigure but got the following message:

Code:

Reloading GNOME Display manager configuration
Changes will take effect when all x sessions have ended
invoke-rc.d: initscript gdm, action "reload" failed

So I think I grab the installation CD. I figured out last night how to make a copy of the WinXP VirtualBox vdi file. I also saved the entire HOME directory including the hidden files.

I think that should be it - right? All othere changes and programs will just be a pain to install again. When I do a clean install should I go with a partitioned harddrive? I have a 650GB and just used one partition. But this little experience has me wonder if I should have done a partition with the programs and one with the home folder.

Any suggetions on size for a split setup?

tommcd · 05-11-2009, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heitjer

When I do a clean install should I go with a partitioned harddrive? I have a 650GB and just used one partition. But this little experience has me wonder if I should have done a partition with the programs and one with the home folder.
Any suggetions on size for a split setup?

When you say "split setup" do you mean dual boot with Windows and Ubuntu?
If you want to dual boot, then install Windows first. You can use the Windows install CD to delete all the partitions. Then install Windows to a partition of whatever size you want. Leave the rest of the space unallocated.
Then boot up the Ubuntu live CD and make 3 partitions: root, swap, and home. Since you have a big drive you can make root 12-15GB. Swap can be 1GB. The rest will be home. This way uf you reinstall Ubuntu again all your data and settings will be saved in the home partition.

Ubuntu 9.04 is out now, and is very good. Since you are doing a clean install you should consider going with 9.04. It has newer apps, and will be supported longer than 8.10 since it is newer.