Proper way to restart a crashed cinnamon?

DaveJones · Post by **DaveJones** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:20 pm

Hi all,

I've experienced cinnamon crash maybe 2-3 times in around a year (which is pretty great stability-wise) and it happened to me today. Basically, all the cinnamon window widgets disappeared and I was left with chrome-less terminals, browser windows etc. I could also not switch to my terminal so I was stuck with the browser being focused.

I had to do Alt+Ctrl+F1 to get a shell and then I restarted mdm (tried just typing "cinnamon" but it complained about X11 not being available since I was in a shell). After the restart, all my apps closed and I lost some data inside of a text editor.

What's the proper way to restart cinnamon after it crashes?

Also, here's the crash log if anyone can decipher it.

Thanks so much for any tips/advice!

Code: Select all

Aug 18 18:03:45 dave systemd-coredump[28989]: Process 923 (cinnamon) of user 1000 dumped core.
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 923:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a608ca965 n/a (libcjs.so.0)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a614496f7 g_object_ref (libgobject-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a61db6730 clutter_actor_destroy (libclutter-1.0.so.0)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a5b85a1c8 ffi_call_unix64 (libffi.so.6)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a5b859c2a ffi_call (libffi.so.6)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a608c124f n/a (libcjs.so.0)
                                                     #6  0x00007f5a608c2c39 n/a (libcjs.so.0)
                                                     #7  0x00007f5a4c01bf85 n/a (n/a)
                                                     #8  0x000000a2040e89a0 n/a (n/a)
                                                     #9  0x00007f5a4c019f95 n/a (n/a)
                                                     #10 0x000000a1fcd22730 n/a (n/a)
                                                     #11 0x00007f5a62c15f54 n/a (ld-linux-x86-64.so.2)
                                                     #12 0x000000a1fc3cc9d0 n/a (n/a)
                                                     #13 0x00007f5a4c00e637 n/a (n/a)
                                                     #14 0x000000a215db5df0 n/a (n/a)
                                                     #15 0x00007f5a4c00e811 n/a (n/a)
                                                     #16 0x00007f5a5890fd53 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #17 0x00007f5a589170f3 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #18 0x00007f5a58824a0c n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #19 0x00007f5a58824c24 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #20 0x00007f5a58b298eb n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #21 0x00007f5a58824cd8 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #22 0x00007f5a58825845 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #23 0x00007f5a58af1ee7 _Z20JS_CallFunctionValueP9JSContextN2JS6HandleIP8JSObjectEENS2_INS1_5ValueEEERKNS1_16HandleValueArrayENS1_13MutableHandleIS6_EE (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #24 0x00007f5a608e50b8 gjs_call_function_value (libcjs.so.0)
                                                     #25 0x00007f5a608bc4d9 gjs_closure_invoke (libcjs.so.0)
                                                     #26 0x00007f5a608d6d00 n/a (libcjs.so.0)
                                                     #27 0x00007f5a61444ead g_closure_invoke (libgobject-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #28 0x00007f5a61460ecc n/a (libgobject-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #29 0x00007f5a6116c8c5 g_main_context_dispatch (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #30 0x00007f5a6116cc88 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #31 0x00007f5a6116cfa2 g_main_loop_run (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #32 0x00007f5a6256f69c meta_run (libmuffin.so.0)
                                                     #33 0x000000a1f7eb6785 n/a (cinnamon)
                                                     #34 0x00007f5a60b7e4ca __libc_start_main (libc.so.6)
                                                     #35 0x000000a1f7eb688a n/a (cinnamon)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 926:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60c41e9d poll (libc.so.6)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a6116cc09 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a6116cd1c g_main_context_iteration (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a479b755d n/a (libdconfsettings.so)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a61193ae5 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #6  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 927:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60f111ad pthread_cond_wait@@GLIBC_2.3.2 (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a52d28e39 PR_WaitCondVar (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a587fd811 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a52d2eae3 n/a (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 928:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60f111ad pthread_cond_wait@@GLIBC_2.3.2 (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a52d28e39 PR_WaitCondVar (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a587fd811 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a52d2eae3 n/a (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 925:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60c41e9d poll (libc.so.6)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a6116cc09 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a6116cfa2 g_main_loop_run (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a61754546 n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a61193ae5 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #6  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 929:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60f111ad pthread_cond_wait@@GLIBC_2.3.2 (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a52d28e39 PR_WaitCondVar (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a587fd811 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a52d2eae3 n/a (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 924:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60c41e9d poll (libc.so.6)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a6116cc09 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a6116cd1c g_main_context_iteration (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a6116cd61 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a61193ae5 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #6  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 930:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60f111ad pthread_cond_wait@@GLIBC_2.3.2 (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a52d28e39 PR_WaitCondVar (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a587fd811 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a52d2eae3 n/a (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 931:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60f111ad pthread_cond_wait@@GLIBC_2.3.2 (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a52d28e39 PR_WaitCondVar (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a587fd811 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a52d2eae3 n/a (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 932:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60f111ad pthread_cond_wait@@GLIBC_2.3.2 (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a52d28e39 PR_WaitCondVar (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a587fd811 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a52d2eae3 n/a (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 933:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60f111ad pthread_cond_wait@@GLIBC_2.3.2 (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a52d28e39 PR_WaitCondVar (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a587fd811 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a52d2eae3 n/a (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
                                                     
                                                     Stack trace of thread 934:
                                                     #0  0x00007f5a60f111ad pthread_cond_wait@@GLIBC_2.3.2 (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #1  0x00007f5a52d28e39 PR_WaitCondVar (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #2  0x00007f5a587fd811 n/a (libmozjs-38.so)
                                                     #3  0x00007f5a52d2eae3 n/a (libnspr4.so)
                                                     #4  0x00007f5a60f0b049 start_thread (libpthread.so.0)
                                                     #5  0x00007f5a60c4bf0f __clone (libc.so.6)
-- Subject: Process 923 (cinnamon) dumped core

MintBean · Post by **MintBean** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:36 pm

Ctrl+Alt+Esc restarts Cinnamon.

DaveJones · Post by **DaveJones** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:59 pm

Thank you! I wrote that down and will try it if happens again.

MintBean · Post by **MintBean** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 7:02 pm

No worries. In System Settings->Keyboard there is a 'shortcuts' tab that lists all the keyboard shortcuts.

DaveJones · Post by **DaveJones** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 7:29 pm

MintBean wrote:No worries. In System Settings->Keyboard there is a 'shortcuts' tab that lists all the keyboard shortcuts.

Found it! Neat. I also learned other handy shortcuts (quick way to lock the screen). Thanks.

One thing though... I'm not 100% sure that shortcut (Ctrl+Alt+Esc) will work if the Cinnamon process doesn't exist (i.e. it's crashed). I'd presume something involving X11 would be the only thing that would work. I have too many things open at the moment but I wonder if killing cinnamon from the terminal and then doing the Ctrl+Alt+Esc would actually bring it back... my money's that it wouldn't.

MintBean · Post by **MintBean** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 8:59 pm

You may well be right. Alternatively, this was some advice I dug up on the net.

pressing Alt+F2, type r, and press Enter,

Ctrl+Alt+Backspace (restart Xorg),

in TTY use command: sudo service mdm restart

If you install Mint 18.2 or upgraded to 18.2 and followed the instructions to replace mdm with lightdm, then presumably you have to replace mdm with lightdm in the last line.

DaveJones · Post by **DaveJones** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 11:14 pm

MintBean wrote:You may well be right. Alternatively, this was some advice I dug up on the net.

pressing Alt+F2, type r, and press Enter,

Ctrl+Alt+Backspace (restart Xorg),

in TTY use command: sudo service mdm restart
If you install Mint 18.2 or upgraded to 18.2 and followed the instructions to replace mdm with lightdm, then presumably you have to replace mdm with lightdm in the last line.

Alt+F2 was the first thing I tried. That doesn't work when Cinnamon process doesn't exist. I didn't want to restart Xorg because that would drop me down to command line and would just kill every program I have running.

The last line is exactly what I did! The downside is that it too will kill all your running applications and they won't shut down gracefully (it's the equivalent of kill -9).

I have no idea how to bring back Cinnamon without killing all the running applications.

PS: I haven't upgraded to LightDM because MDM works fine for me and LightDM doesn't even have autologin...

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Sat Aug 19, 2017 1:25 am

Frozen Mint 17.3 Cinnamon

This happens very rarely on my system , but yesterday I was umounting a backup drive after backups were clearly finished ,
and everything froze.
No keyboard or mouse , and no way to grab a terminal .

CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE had no effect , so I did a search on a different machine and found this -
an oft quoted "magic spell " ( sorry - I couldn't resist the pun

)

Hold down ALT + SysRq ( PrintScreen ) and slowly type out R E I S U B ( tricky , unless you have 3 hands )

This also had no effect at all , although it works on a normally running system .

This site explains what each of those letters does
http://blog.kember.net/articles/reisub- ... x-restart/

I hate crashing out with the power button but in this case I had no alternative .

Does anyone know of one ?

DaveJones · Post by **DaveJones** » Sat Aug 19, 2017 11:44 pm

REISUB should almost always work. Even when my graphics card drivers locked up my machine, REISUB worked. But if it doesn't, nothing else will work and only a hard reset will bring it back.

Need to kill Xorg is also rare nowadays.

mattmint · Post by **mattmint** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 3:05 am

MintBean wrote: ⤴Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:36 pm Ctrl+Alt+Esc restarts Cinnamon.

Nice, thanks much. Alt F2 didn't work when Cinnamon was hung, but that did the trick nicely.

Post by **karlchen** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 6:00 am

mattmint wrote: ⤴Sun Jun 03, 2018 3:05 amNice, thanks much. Alt F2 didn't work when Cinnamon was hung, but that did the trick nicely.

It does not work because you have to press <Ctrl><Alt><F2>.
This will take you from the GUI to the pseudo console monitor tty2.
HTH, Karl

Post by **JosephM** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 1:21 pm

karlchen wrote: ⤴Sun Jun 03, 2018 6:00 am
mattmint wrote: ⤴Sun Jun 03, 2018 3:05 amNice, thanks much. Alt F2 didn't work when Cinnamon was hung, but that did the trick nicely.
It does not work because you have to press <Ctrl><Alt><F2>.
This will take you from the GUI to the pseudo console monitor tty2.
HTH, Karl

Alt+f2 and Ctrl+Alt+f2 are two different things. Alt+f2 opens the run dialog in Cinnamon.

Post by **karlchen** » Mon Jun 04, 2018 4:59 am

Hi, JosephM.
Guess you are right; and I had misunderstood mattmint's intention.

He had tried to bring up the "Run ..."-dialogue and had had no intention of switching to console monitor tty2.
Regards,
Karl

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