Can no longer log in after most recent update

[Knightshousegames]

So last night I was updating my laptop, and during the update the entire system locked up and crashed and I had to restart it, and ever since, I can get to the greeter screen, and type in my password, but once I hit enter, nothing happens. I can still move the mouse around, and click on different options, but it won’t go to desktop anymore for some reason

I can still log into the system via TTY, but I can’t figure out how to get to the desktop. The update crashed white updating Ceph-libs, and I thought it had to do with that, but then I read around on the forums and found that has just been removed anyway, so I went in and uninstalled that, no change. No other updates showed up after checking that either.

I use LightDM-Webkit2-Greeter if that effects anything.

[megavolt]

@Knightshousegames

I can still log into the system via TTY, but I can’t figure out how to get to the desktop.

To skip lightdm, you can also start xfce4 with (when you reached the multi-user target):

startx xfce4
# or
startx /usr/bin/xfce4-session

@Knightshousegames

and type in my password, but once I hit enter, nothing happens.

I guess something happens to the X files in your home folder… maybe try to create a new account and login with that.

However… if the update process is not completed, you can expect weird issues. So continue it.

It could also happen that some system files are now corrupted. Check your disk with fsck and maybe reinstall lightdm.

You can also check the packages:

LANG=C sudo pacman -Qkk | grep -v "0 altered files"

Btw… I switched from gdm to lightdm, since I heard that many people complain about it, but I have no issues… anyway… these packages are installed:

$ pamac list | grep lightdm
lightdm                                  1:1.32.0-4                    extra      1,2 MB
lightdm-gtk-greeter                      1:2.0.8-3                     extra      327,9 kB
lightdm-gtk-greeter-settings             1.2.2-7                       community  959,3 kB
lightdm-settings                         1.5.9-1                       community  462,0 kB
lightdm-slick-greeter                    1.5.9-1                       community  1,8 MB
lightdm-webkit2-greeter-manjaro-dark     1.3.2-1                       community  2,9 MB

[Knightshousegames]

OK, so I tried the first command you posted, and got a strange result, an error mostly. Thankfully, the second command has me back onto the desktop.

I actually completed the update process while I was in the TTY earlier, and it didn’t seem to help. Checking in Pamac now, it says the system is up to date.

So uhh, how exactly do I check my disk with fsck? I’ve never had to do that before, and it sounds a wee bit intimidating

Also, I ran that package check…is it a bad thing if it returns like…a lot of stuff?

I checked in Pamac and it looks like I have all the files you listed for LightDM, so on that front hopefully I am good

[megavolt]

@Knightshousegames

So uhh, how exactly do I check my disk with fsck? I’ve never had to do that before, and it sounds a wee bit intimidating

Since it is the system partition, you have to boot Manjaro Installation Disk and run this on the terminal:

Check which device it is:

lsblk --fs

if it is ext4 for example, then check it like that:

fsck.ext4 -y -c -f /dev/device

@Knightshousegames

Also, I ran that package check…is it a bad thing if it returns like…a lot of stuff?

Yeah it is normal. It just checks of files has been changed since installation. you can also narrow it down to specific ones:

LANG=C sudo pacman -Qkk $(pacman -Qqs lightdm) 

@Knightshousegames

OK, so I tried the first command you posted, and got a strange result, an error mostly. Thankfully, the second command has me back onto the desktop.

Great… then the issue is only lightdm… maybe reinstall it:

pamac reinstall $(pamac list -iq | grep lightdm)

[bettafish15]

got the same problem. I don’t think it’s due to corruption of files or anything. I used timeshift and everything back to normal. maybe I should try to update again to see if the problem persists

[bettafish15]

Still got the same problem , I have to use timeshift for the second time

[Knightshousegames]

I tried reinstalling all the LightDM stuff, restarted, no dice.

So this is what I got from that package check with just looking for LightDM

light-locker: 293 total files, 0 altered files
backup file: lightdm: /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf (Modification time mismatch)
backup file: lightdm: /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf (Size mismatch)
backup file: lightdm: /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf (MD5 checksum mismatch)
backup file: lightdm: /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf (SHA256 checksum mismatch)
lightdm: 388 total files, 0 altered files
backup file: lightdm-gtk-greeter: /etc/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf (Modification time mismatch)
backup file: lightdm-gtk-greeter: /etc/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf (Size mismatch)
backup file: lightdm-gtk-greeter: /etc/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf (MD5 checksum mismatch)
backup file: lightdm-gtk-greeter: /etc/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf (SHA256 checksum mismatch)
lightdm-gtk-greeter: 257 total files, 0 altered files
lightdm-gtk-greeter-settings: 154 total files, 0 altered files
lightdm-webkit-theme-litarvan-git: 49 total files, 0 altered files
backup file: lightdm-webkit2-greeter: /etc/lightdm/lightdm-webkit2-greeter.conf (Modification time mismatch)
backup file: lightdm-webkit2-greeter: /etc/lightdm/lightdm-webkit2-greeter.conf (Size mismatch)
backup file: lightdm-webkit2-greeter: /etc/lightdm/lightdm-webkit2-greeter.conf (MD5 checksum mismatch)
backup file: lightdm-webkit2-greeter: /etc/lightdm/lightdm-webkit2-greeter.conf (SHA256 checksum mismatch)
lightdm-webkit2-greeter: 363 total files, 0 altered files

Gotta be honest, no idea what I would be looking for here

[megavolt]

@Knightshousegames

Gotta be honest, no idea what I would be looking for here

Nothing weird here… configs change normally after installation.

What would be interesting is debugging it:

sudo systemctl edit --full lightdm.service

then edit there:

ExecStart=/usr/bin/lightdm

ExecStart=/usr/bin/lightdm --debug

and save it.

Run then:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

After that restart the displaymanager:

sudo systemctl restart display-manager

That will kill your current session.

Then try to login… it will fail of course. But now you will have more information in the log

Switch to another TTY, login there and stop it:

sudo systemctl stop display-manager

Start xfce4 again:

startx /usr/bin/xfce4-session

Now look at the log:

journalctl --boot 0 --unit lightdm.service --no-pager

Please post the output here as code.

[bogdancovaciu]

See

[Stable Update] 2022-10-05 - Kernels, Systemd, AMDVLK, Deepin, Pamac, QEMU, Thunderbird, Firefox, 0 A.D., Gradience, Linux Firmware, WINE, GNOME, Pipewire

Ah, okay. So, the workaround for others: Ctrl-Alt-F2 to a terminal. Login. sudo nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf Comment out the line with greeter-session=lightdm-webkit2-greeter Create a new line with greeter-session=lightdm-gtk-greeter Save your file. Run pacman -S lightdm-gtk-greeter Those steps at least got me running again. I’m listing them here to help someone else who might stumble into this.

[megavolt]

Interesting… I have this:

$ grep -v "#" /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf                      
[LightDM]
run-directory=/run/lightdm

[Seat:*]
greeter-session=lightdm-slick-greeter
session-wrapper=/etc/lightdm/Xsession

[XDMCPServer]

[VNCServer]

[bogdancovaciu]

I think you are always a few steps ahead and notice all the changes that are about to come, hence you are prepared for them, and as result, your system is always in great shape

[Knightshousegames]

@megavolt

Please post the output here as code.

Oct 07 00:04:22 BatcomputerMobile02 systemd[1]: Starting Light Display Manager...
Oct 07 00:04:22 BatcomputerMobile02 systemd[1]: Started Light Display Manager.
Oct 07 00:04:24 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[1203]: pam_unix(lightdm-greeter:session): session opened for user lightdm(uid=967) by (uid=0)
Oct 07 00:33:43 BatcomputerMobile02 systemd[1]: lightdm.service: Current command vanished from the unit file, execution of the command list won't be resumed.
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 systemd[1]: Stopping Light Display Manager...
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 systemd[1]: lightdm.service: Deactivated successfully.
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 systemd[1]: Stopped Light Display Manager.
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 systemd[1]: Starting Light Display Manager...
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Logging to /var/log/lightdm/lightdm.log
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Starting Light Display Manager 1.32.0, UID=0 PID=2404
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration dirs from /usr/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration dirs from /usr/local/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration dirs from /var/lib/flatpak/exports/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration dirs from /etc/xdg/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration from /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Registered seat module local
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Registered seat module xremote
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Using D-Bus name org.freedesktop.DisplayManager
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Using cross-namespace EXTERNAL authentication (this will deadlock if server is GDBus < 2.73.3)
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: _g_io_module_get_default: Found default implementation local (GLocalVfs) for ?gio-vfs?
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Monitoring logind for seats
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: New seat added from logind: seat0
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Loading properties from config section Seat:*
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 has property CanMultiSession=no
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Starting
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Creating greeter session
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Creating display server of type x
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Could not run plymouth --ping: Failed to execute child process ?plymouth? (No such file or directory)
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Using VT 7
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Starting local X display on VT 7
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: XServer 0: Logging to /var/log/lightdm/x-0.log
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: XServer 0: Writing X server authority to /run/lightdm/root/:0
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: XServer 0: Launching X Server
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Launching process 2409: /usr/bin/X :0 -seat seat0 -auth /run/lightdm/root/:0 -nolisten tcp vt7 -novtswitch
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: XServer 0: Waiting for ready signal from X server :0
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Acquired bus name org.freedesktop.DisplayManager
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Registering seat with bus path /org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Seat0
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 systemd[1]: Started Light Display Manager.
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading users from org.freedesktop.Accounts
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.00s] DEBUG: User /org/freedesktop/Accounts/User1000 added
Oct 07 00:34:53 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.02s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 changes active session to
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.58s] DEBUG: Got signal 10 from process 2409
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.58s] DEBUG: XServer 0: Got signal from X server :0
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.58s] DEBUG: XServer 0: Connecting to XServer :0
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.61s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Display server ready, starting session authentication
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.61s] DEBUG: Session pid=2460: Started with service 'lightdm-greeter', username 'lightdm'
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.63s] DEBUG: Session pid=2460: Authentication complete with return value 0: Success
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.63s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Session authenticated, running command
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.63s] DEBUG: Session pid=2460: Running command /usr/bin/lightdm-webkit2-greeter
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.63s] DEBUG: Creating shared data directory /var/lib/lightdm-data/lightdm
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.63s] DEBUG: Session pid=2460: Logging to /var/log/lightdm/seat0-greeter.log
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2460]: pam_unix(lightdm-greeter:session): session opened for user lightdm(uid=967) by (uid=0)
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.64s] DEBUG: Activating VT 7
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.64s] DEBUG: Activating login1 session c2
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.64s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 changes active session to c2
Oct 07 00:34:54 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+0.64s] DEBUG: Session c2 is already active
Oct 07 00:35:09 BatcomputerMobile02 lightdm[2404]: [+16.47s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 changes active session to 2

As requested. I am feeling well and truly over my head at this point.

[bogdancovaciu]

@Knightshousegames

/usr/bin/lightdm-webkit2-greeter

It seems that is the issue. I would go by the route taken by @megavolt and use the lightdm-slick-greeter …

[Knightshousegames]

OK, that was confusing me before, is lightdm-slick-greeter like the same thing as lightdm-webkit2-greeter? Will my stuff look the same when I switch?

I just gotta be honest, I followed some tutorial on Youtube like a year ago to get this all setup to look cool, despite being on Manjaro for years now, I still find myself feeling like a novice when I try to tinker with this fancier stuff

[bogdancovaciu]

AFAIK the lightdm-slick-greeter and lightdm-webkit2-greeter and lightdm-gtk-greeter are slightly visually different, but overall do the same thing.

[Knightshousegames]

OK, so it looks like the Slick Greeter works, but all of my theming is gone

It seems like the difference was that the Webkit2 version allowed me to edit the visuals of the greeter screen a lot more, like being able to change the background of the login screen, edit colors, effects, etc.

So I guess this means theres some sort of bug in the webkit2 greeter then?

[bogdancovaciu]

@Knightshousegames

bug in the webkit2 greeter then?

It seems so. Seen some discussions on Arch Linux forums too about it, some even from 2021 to September 2022 that lead me here FS#70099 : [gobject-introspection] lightdm-webkit2-greeter fails to run now since gobject-introspection update , and apparently some users preferred to downgrade webkit2gtk … also seen that approach here on the forum.

On a 2 years old XFCE install i have, i see greeter-session=lightdm-gtk-greeter in /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf and i never touched that, and it did not bother me visually.

[Knightshousegames]

Well, I had a really nice theme setup that I really liked, but if it was unstable, I guess I’ll just have to live with this.

Ah well. Thanks to both you and @megavolt , I was pretty stressed out all day about this, thought I somehow broke my laptop. If anyone finds a way to use webkit themes for the greeter that isn’t janky and prone to this sort of nonsense, lemme know

[robin0800]

@bogdancovaciu

lightdm-gtk-greeter

I would use “lightdm-gtk-greeter” much better than slick greeter IMO and very configurable.