Unable to launch cinnamon-session-cinnamon error

[Lilmothiit]

When I booted up my linux machine this morning, I got the following message:

unable to launch "cinnamon-session-cinnamon" X session
"cinnamon-session-cinnamon" not found; falling back to default session.

I was then taken to a black page with nothing but an arrow cursor and the ability to launch the command line via Ctrl + Alt + F2

I assumed I had just borked my computer playing around with some new programs (virtualbox) so I did a fresh install. Got it working how I wanted, installed the updates (default update settings), shut it down to make sure it was working... and got the same error message on start up.

I did update cinnamon, and install cinnamon nemo from the update options. And I also uninstalled pulseaudio, but I did that a few days ago originally and this didn't happen any other time I booted up my laptop.

I am currently running linux off of installation disk. I don't know if this will affect the inxi -Fxz command or not, but here is my system data (less than two hours) after a fresh install.

I had all my data backed up, but this is extremely annoying!

System: Host: mint Kernel: 4.10.0-38-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.6 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine: Mobo: Acer model: TRICERA_CZL v: V1.02
Bios: Insyde v: V1.02 date: 09/19/2016
CPU: Quad core AMD A4-7210 APU with AMD Radeon R3 Graphics (-MCP-) cache: 8192 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm) bmips: 14372
clock speeds: max: 1800 MHz 1: 1200 MHz 2: 1400 MHz 3: 1200 MHz
4: 1000 MHz
Graphics: Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Mullins [Radeon R3 Graphics]
bus-ID: 00:01.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1366x768@59.97hz
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on AMD MULLINS (DRM 2.49.0 / 4.10.0-38-generic, LLVM 4.0.0)
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.0.7 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card-1 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] FCH Azalia Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:14.2
Card-2 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Kabini HDMI/DP Audio
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:01.1
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-38-generic
Network: Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: 2000 bus-ID: 01:00.0
IF: enp1s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros Device 0042
driver: ath10k_pci bus-ID: 02:00.0
IF: wlp2s0 state: up speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 320.1GB (5.4% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: KINGSTON_RBUSC18 size: 256.1GB temp: 30C
ID-2: USB /dev/sdb model: USB_Flash_Drive size: 64.0GB temp: 0C
Partition: ID-1: swap-1 size: 7.48GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 51.2C mobo: N/A gpu: 54.0
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 211 Uptime: 15 min Memory: 1233.1/6936.5MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35

[acerimusdux]

There's aparently an issue with Virtualbox guest additions:

viewtopic.php?f=143&t=266478

Try:

Code: Select all

apt remove virtualbox-guest*

and if that doesn't resolve it, then:

Code: Select all

apt install --reinstall cinnamon
sudo systemctl restart mdm

[donblanco]

I know this is an old post, but had this happen just now - reinstalling cinnamon seemed to fix it. Thanks!

[krmt973]

Same the solution above worked for me. Thanks!

[lienjoubert]

I have a similar problem.
My system was busy with an update and asked me to restart, when I did - it broke!
Unable to launch "cinnamon-session-cinnamon" x-session --- ""cinnamon-session-cinnamon" not found; falling back to default session

I have Linux Mint 19 Cinnamon
I know basically nothing about Linux.
When I go Control Alt & F2, I can see all my data.
Unfortunately I can't see any disks I connect to make a backup (I also don't know how to do it )
I created a boot disk which seems to work, but then I don't see any of my data. I have an option to reinstall Linux Mint, but it tells me I will loose my data.
How do I fix this problem without loosing my data?