[SOLVED] gnome wont start when I log in

[Bobbo]

Hello!

I have run into a little problem with my Linux Mint 8, getting gnome-session to start after login (or startup, as I don't have the login active it just boots and logs in automatically) All I get is an xterm window and I have to start gnome-session manually.

This is what I have done to mess it all up:

First, I added nautilus-elementary rep. to the package manager. After awhile I decided I wanted to go back to the nautilus that comes with Linux Mint 8 (that I'm currently using)

1. I removed the ppa from package manager (http://ppa.launchpad.net/am-monkeyd/nau ... ppa/ubuntu)
2. I did update and checked if the update manager would tell me to install an update for nautilus. It did not.
2.5. I killed Nautilus
3. I opened Mint Software Manager (the one with the little star icon, not package manager) and unchecked Nautilus and clicked the "remove" button
4. Right after removing it, I installed Nautilus right away using the same Mint Software Manager (it happened really just seconds after removing so didn't do anything at all in between)
5. Everything seemed to be working, I was back with the good old default non-patched or modified Nautilus that comes with Linux Mint 8

Then I went rebooting to windows 7 for my daily dose of OS agony. After booting back to Linux Mint 8 I get only Xorg with an xterm window where I have to start gnome-session manually to get things going.

I'm sure there's a pretty simple solution to this also pretty simple problem. Something must have happened when I first removed Nautilus and installed it again. Probably some .xinit-file-something but I cant find any at all so dunno if one is in use to begin with.

Where should I start to solve this problem?

Regards

Bobbo

[Txnca]

You are only getting the xterm window? When your login comes up do you have the task bar across the bottom with the three drop boxes?

I am having the same issue on my desktop. When it comes to the login screen I have only two options to log in with, xterm and WIndow Maker. The Gnome desktop isn't shown in the drop down boxes anymore and neither is the simple Gnome although that isn't what it is called. I am tired so can't remember what it is.

What are you typing to get into your Gnome GUI? I have tried to get into it but with no success. I have been able to log into Window Maker and use xterm, in both of the kernels that I have installed which are both the Main MInt 8 x64 edition.

I also added the Nautilus package but it never worked so I was removing it thinking I had done something wrong and was going to reload it, which I think I did do. But then I couldn't get back into my Gnome desktop. My post on this is here; http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=45847

I haven't done much on it over the past few days, been having an issue with the sound on my laptop which I finally got fixed today. Also having an issue with heat on my desktop. It seems to be running about 30C over what it should be running. Right now at idle it is sitting at 57C which is way high for just idle. Figure I need to do a clean out and might need to get a new CPU fan. The one I have is still the original one which has done fairly well for the past couple of years. Anyway, I will be reading this post with interest to see if you have better luck getting it fixed than I have so far!

Steve

[pompom]

Welcome to Linux Mint!

A zen moment requires a healthy dose of mind-expanding drugs, in love as in life. With Linux, if at first you don't succeed, stop trying. Discovering Linux is more about discovering a great community than about technical mumbo-jumbo. If you don't have access to your desktop but otherwise everything works, resetting gnome can be reduced to "one-liner." Login into your account (becoming root with sudo won't help here).

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CTRL+ALT+F1 (to get into the terminal)
rm -rf .gnome .gnome2 .gconf .gconfd .metacity
CTRL+ALT+F7 (to get back into the GUI)

Once you login again into your account, gnome will start as if you logged in for the first time, and everything else will have that factory look and feel.

Cheers,

pompom

[vincent]

Note that pompom's command will delete any configuration you've made to your desktop, appearance settings all that...you might first want to cut and paste those directories elsewhere as a backup, or at least rename them (what I like to do is to append .old to config files that I want regenerated).

[Bobbo]

Thank you everyone for your advices!

"What are you typing to get into your Gnome GUI? I have tried to get into it but with no success. I have been able to log into Window Maker and use xterm, in both of the kernels that I have installed which are both the Main MInt 8 x64 edition."

I type gnome-session at the xterm window. I only get the xterm window no task bar just a desktop with a "working" mouse cursor and the xterm window with no borders or anything as if there was no window manager running but something basic.


I did as you suggested Pompom but it did not solve my problem. Gnome still refuse to start when I log in, and now there's another problem. I have to manually start metacity as well This is very strange indeed, I might have removed something essential when I tried to reinstall nautilus I think.

[pompom]

Hi,

To get gnome working again, you will need to resolve package dependency problems. The simplest way is to run

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sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Afterwards, you should be working good as new. In the future if you need to check for package problems

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sudo apt-get -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes 'dist-upgrade'

Be forewarned you are going to get a lot of debugging output, so the best course is to go back to the distribution.

Cheers,

pompom

[Bobbo]

Hi,

To get gnome working again, you will need to resolve package dependency problems. The simplest way is to run

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Afterwards, you should be working good as new. In the future if you need to check for package problems

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes 'dist-upgrade'

Be forewarned you are going to get a lot of debugging output, so the best course is to go back to the distribution.

Cheers,

pompom

Thank you Pompom I will try this right away!

EDIT:

Ok now I feel really stupid because it still does not work However that command you sugested did upgrade my kernel, which is nice. Always wondered how to get those held-back packages so cheers

I tried deleting those folders again, and rerun the update and dist-upgrade but still the same problem I must have really messed things up, but I believe there must be a more simple solution than just reinstalling Mint. Gonna poke around abit more to see if I can find something while eagerly waiting for your next suggestion

Regards

Bobbo

EDIT2:

Ok, I solved the problem.. somewhat ugly but.. I did apt-get install gnome-session ubuntu-desktop
Now gnome starts up and metacity too (atleast after replacing this compiz thing it will I hope) and it solved my problem however.. it did install ALOT of packages.. 500mb or so.. I cant possibly have removed that many packages.. also.. things seem abit more.. ubuntish now.. atleast I have the mint menu still but there's alot more stuff here now.. ubuntu software center and what not.

Anyway, I suppose problem solved.. Thanks everyone for your input!

best regards

Bobbo

EDIT3:

just added [SOLVED] to the topic line time to go play more with linux!