When I try to open a shell (Terminal, Gnome Console, or a TTY) and log in, I just get an empty window and a blinking cursor. It used to work fine, until the most recent update.
Is there a way to start a terminal in a sort of safe mode so I can at least check the logging or debug the problem?
It sounds like you can still login when starting the computer. So, please post
inxi -eza
Maybe linked to Nvidia drivers.
These issues seem similar:
I don´t have a zsh prompt anymore in konsole/yakuake. The terminal screen just stays black. I tried entering commands but they are not executed. How do I solve this?
Latest version of libxml2 borked my system, something about missing libxml2.so.2 and that causing my display/graphic to be corrupted.
Anyone else experiencing the same? I can only use tty for now
With i lanched booth konsole and yakuake, they popup but the cursors staiyng at top left and the windows stay empty.
I tried to remove the .zsh/ folder and all the .bash* related files in my user folder.
Has someone experimented that or someone does have a solution ?
Thanks.
Mod edit:- Images removed.
Please avoid posting images when a brief description will suffice.
3 Likes
More information is required.
Yes.
Please see:
I also have a similar problem (in french) , empty window :
gnome-terminal KOtilix : tilix KOfish and set fish by default in tilix : OKbash since fish/tilix : OK
EDIT: .zshrc deleted and after OK (we won’t know why)
found one same ? on arch forum
1 Like
If the default installation comes with powerlevel10k as a theme for zsh and the issue is somehow related to NordVPN, this is something to look into:
opened 12:11PM - 29 Apr 25 UTC
### Problem
After upgrading NordVPN to the latest version, my zsh prompt hangs a… t startup when using Powerlevel10k and the `nordvpn` prompt segment. The issue resolves when I comment `nordvpn` from the segment list in `~/.p10k.zsh`.
### Steps to Reproduce
1. Update NordVPN to latest version.
2. Open zsh with Powerlevel10k configured and `nordvpn` in the segment list.
3. Shell does not display prompt and appears stuck, CPU is idle.
4. Removing `nordvpn` from the segment array fixes the issue.
### Diagnostic Steps & Outputs
**a. Powerlevel10k debug output:**
Run the following from the affected user:
```shell
zsh -xv &> p10k-nordvpn-hang.log
```
```
+_p9k_set_prompt:46> prompt_nordvpn
+prompt_nordvpn:1> unset P9K_NORDVPN_STATUS P9K_NORDVPN_TECHNOLOGY P9K_NORDVPN_PROTOCOL P9K_NORDVPN_IP_ADDRESS P9K_NORDVPN_SERVER P9K_NORDVPN_COUNTRY P9K_NORDVPN_CITY P9K_NORDVPN_COUNTRY_CODE
+prompt_nordvpn:2> [[ -e /run/nordvpn/nordvpnd.sock ]]
+prompt_nordvpn:3> _p9k_fetch_nordvpn_status
```
`uname -a`
Linux 5.15.0-138-generic #148-Ubuntu SMP Fri Mar 14 19:05:48 UTC 2025 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
`lsb_release -a`
Distributor ID: Linuxmint
Description: Linux Mint 21.2
Release: 21.2
Codename: victoria
`zsh --version`
zsh 5.8.1 (x86_64-ubuntu-linux-gnu)
`nordvpn --version`
NordVPN Version 3.20.2
`ls -l /run/nordvpn/nordvpnd.sock`
srwxrwx--- 1 root nordvpn 0 Apr 29 07:46 /run/nordvpn/nordvpnd.sock
`ps aux | grep nordvpn`
root 1491 0.2 0.1 4963524 67028 ? Ssl 07:46 0:04 /usr/sbin/nordvpnd
user+ 5199 0.0 0.0 2200800 18264 ? Sl 07:47 0:00 /usr/lib/nordvpn/norduserd
`nordvpn status`
Status: Disconnected
I believe Powerlevel10k prompt is blocking on a call to the new NordVPN daemon/socket or CLI, possibly due to API changes, compatibility, or a delay/hang in detection. Would you like me to try any debugging builds or additional diagnostics?
Try to comment out nordvpn from the list of segments of the theme:
kubecontext # current kubernetes context (https://kubernetes.io/)
terraform # terraform workspace (https://www.terraform.io)
# terraform_version # terraform version (https://www.terraform.io)
aws # aws profile (https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-configure-profiles.html)
aws_eb_env # aws elastic beanstalk environment (https://aws.amazon.com/elasticbeanstalk/)
azure # azure account name (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cli/azure)
gcloud # google cloud cli account and project (https://cloud.google.com/)
google_app_cred # google application credentials (https://cloud.google.com/docs/authentication/production)
toolbox # toolbox name (https://github.com/containers/toolbox)
context # user@hostname
nordvpn # nordvpn connection status, linux only (https://nordvpn.com/)
ranger # ranger shell (https://github.com/ranger/ranger)
nnn # nnn shell (https://github.com/jarun/nnn)
xplr # xplr shell (https://github.com/sayanarijit/xplr)
vim_shell # vim shell indicator (:sh)
midnight_commander # midnight commander shell (https://midnight-commander.org/)
nix_shell # nix shell (https://nixos.org/nixos/nix-pills/developing-with-nix-shell.html)
vi_mode # vi mode (you don't need this if you've enabled prompt_char)
# vpn_ip # virtual private network indicator
# load # CPU load
# disk_usage # disk usage
2 Likes
… “it” doesn’t work anymore?
Is it just the shell prompt that is “messed up”?
type:bash (and Enter)zshsh
orecho $SHELL
It sounds like you can still login when starting the computer. So, please post
inxi -eza
Maybe linked to Nvidia drivers.
So Gnome still opens as DE, but when I open the terminal, I just get a blank screen and a cursor, but it is not responsive.
I am aware of how I should post issues normally, but if I can’t run commands anymore, I don’t see how. Part of my question was, how do I run the required commands if I can’t open a terminal where I can run them?
… “it” doesn’t work anymore?
you can’t issue commands?
Is it just the shell prompt that is “messed up”?
type:
bash (and Enter)
or
zsh
or
sh
or
echo $SHELL
…
This is what I see when I try to open a terminal. It just hangs here.
If the default installation comes with powerlevel10k as a theme for zsh and the issue is somehow related to NordVPN, this is something to look into:
Try to comment out nordvpn from the list of segments of the theme:
This is the solution, thanks for helping out. The default path where the config is loaded from is /usr/share/zsh/p10k.zsh
1 Like
system
8 May 2025 16:51
9
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