[Solved] Failed to Start X Server

[White Phoenix]

Right now I used the live CD to boot my laptop. The problem started when the syndaemon disappeared from the processes.

I was trying to find a way to get it back. I tried a different package for my touchpad. But when I rebooted, the laptop stopped with an error message that asked if I wanted details. These are the details:

Failed to start x server

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MDM: Xserver not found: /usr/bin/X :0 -audit 0 -auth /ver/lib/mdm/:0.Xauth -nolisten tcp vt7
Error: Command could not be executed!
Please install the X server or correct MDM configuration and reboot.
MDM.mdm [2194]: WARNING: mdm_server_spawn: Xserver not found: /usr/bin/X:0 -audit 0 -auth /ver/lib/mdm/:0.Xauth -nolisten tcp vt7

When I used the live CD just before now I was able to enter the computer, but this time it gives the error:

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Unable to mount location

Failed to execute child process "usr/lib/gvfs/gvfsd-computer" (input/output error)

How do I install the Xserver or MDM? Or is there something else?

[PatH57]

Hi,


first thing first let's see your hardware and if the correct graphic card driver is used.

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inxi -Fx

[White Phoenix]

Here is the report:

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System: Host: mint Kernel: 3.2.0-23-generic x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.6.3) Desktop: N/A Distro: Linux Mint 13 Maya
Machine: System: Toshiba (portable) product: Satellite L655 version: PSK2CU-OK 101S
	Mobo: Intel model: N/A Bios: Insyde version: 2.80 date: 07/03/2012 CPU: Dual core Intel Pentium CPU P6200 (-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB flags: (1m nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 8512.32
	Clock Speeds: 1: 933.00 MHz 2: 933.00 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00: 02.0
	X.Org: 1.11.3 drivers: intel (unloaded: vesa,fbdev) Resolution: 1366x768@60.0hz
	GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ironlake Mobile GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 8.0.2 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card: Intel 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
	Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: 1.0.24
Network: Card-1: Realtek RTL8188CE 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter driver: rtl8192ce port: 3000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
	IF: wlan0 state: up mac: 20:7c:8f:52:b8:96
	Card-2: Atheros AR8152 v1.1 Fast Ethernet driver: atl1c ver: 1.0.1.0-NAPI port: 2000 bus-ID: 03:00.0
	IF: eth0 state: down mac: 60:eb:69:b7:54:c0
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1901.4GB (22% used)
	1: /dev/sda Hitachi_HTS54503 320.1GB 35C
	2: USB /dev/sdb My_Passport_0748 500.1GB 0C
	3: USB /dev/sdc WD800BB 80.0GB 0C
	4: USB /dev/sdd Jumpdrive_Secure 1.0GB 0C
	5: USB /dev/sde HD103SI 1000.2GB 0C
Partition: ID: / size: 1.9G used: 154M (9%) fs: overlayfs ID: swap-1 size: 4.08GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap
Sensors: Error: You do not have the sensors app installed.
Info: Processes: 160 Uptime: 19 min Memory: 509.5/3754.6MB RunLevel: 2 Gccsys: 4.6.3 Client: Shell inxi: 1.7.33

A sensors app is not installed.

[PatH57]

looks ok.

let's first try to uninstall and reinstall mdm, this should create a new configuration (you must be online and booted to the mint13 PC) no live session

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apt-get remove mdm

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apt-get install mdm

[White Phoenix]

The no live session may be problematical. So far I haven't been able to boot into the normal system. Though I have been able to login and access what must be the full-screen terminal. Oh wait, online too? Don't think that's going to happen.

[PatH57]

Oh wait, online too? Don't think that's going to happen

no wifi? it should still be working (if it was working before)
the commands must be entered in the terminal prompt.
and to see if wifi or ethernet works

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ping 173.194.40.104

google server

[White Phoenix]

If I can't boot up without the live cd, I can't get online unless I can enter commands from the command prompt.

[PatH57]

these are commands that you need to use at the command prompt

[White Phoenix]

Okay, I had access to Wi-Fi while in terminal mode. At first the instructions wouldn’t work.

Could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (13: Permission denied)
Unable to lock the administration directory (var/lib/dpkg/), are you root?

I tried different ways to boot normally and finally using the live CD, but that wasn’t working either. Then I was inspired to put ‘sudo’ in front of the commands and that worked.

Everything is working except the touch pad now is completely disabled. I had to get out my mouse and plug that in, like I had thought of doing before the laptop decided to go on strike.

Basically, for some reason the syndaemon disappeared. I still have the command in the start up list, but it no longer shows up in the list of processes. I checked and it is still missing.

Any thoughts? You’ve been doing great so far.

Oh yeah. Somehow I had received instructions to get the syndaemon installed in the first place. Maybe this forum or the Linux Forums. Come to think of it that was only to get syndaemon to behave and load at startup. Now it seems to be missing.

[PatH57]

sorry assumed you logged as root, yes in this case you needed sudo.

well first advise backup (we don't want to do this again)
download clonzilla burn it on a dvd and boot with it, make sure you have an external drive (usb) or a second drive inside. Then follow the steps for local backup.

In the meantime I will check what synaptic package you need for the Satellite L655

[White Phoenix]

OK I will buy a set of CDs or DVDs. I work for a department store, so I can get them at a discount. As for backup, I have a drive for backing up the main drive, but so far I’ve been unable to do the whole thing. Mint seems to have a glitch where the more that needs to be copied/moved the slower it gets until its crawling along a 1kb/sec.

Thanks for checking on the Synaptics driver. If you find one post on a different thread. A lot of people are looking for a good one. Apparently at the moment Mint does not carry any that are really any good. Even the fix for the syndaemon that I tried turned out to be only temporary since somehow the file disappeared.

The link to the new Synaptic TouchPad Driver thread is here: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 91#p900391

[toschneck]

On my Linux Mint 17.3 reinstalling the xserver fixed the problem:

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sudo apt-get install --reinstall xserver-xorg

[cartland]

On my Linux Mint 17.3 reinstalling the xserver fixed the problem:

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sudo apt-get install --reinstall xserver-xorg

Thanks. This fixed my problem too.

I booted this morning as usual and got this failure. Bizarre!

[kurzwell]

Had a problem starting up a kodi media app. When I couldn't find an answer, I rebooted and ran into this same MDM error message. Reinstalling xserver-xorg fixed it. Thanks for the solution.