[SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

kflak · 2017-10-13 07:39:17

Don’t have a clue what this can be, but after trying to install microcode on my arch/MacBook dual boot system and get refind working on the Linux side as well as the Mac side, i am no longer able to get xorg up and running. During boot the process hangs after [Ok] reached target graphical interface. I ctrl-alt-F2 and am able to log in, but when trying to start x manually (startx) the screen goes black for a few milliseconds before going back to console. Network connection is fine, everything else seems to work.
The most pertinent-seemin output is something like this (paraphrased on phone...):
dbus-update-activation-environment: error: unable to connect to d-bus: using x11 for dbus-daemon autolaunch was disabled at compile time, set your DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS instead.

I tried reinstalling xorg, dbus, nouveau, refind-efi but no good.
Any thoughts?

K

Last edited by kflak (2017-10-14 12:58:31)

jasonwryan · 2017-10-13 07:43:24

Paste you Xorg.log. And details of what you are trying to start in X.

kflak · 2017-10-13 10:59:20

Sorry for the delay, had an emergency playdate with my 10-month old ;-)

Here is the Xlog. I am basically trying to start the whole system with i3wm, but I don't even get to the default login screen (SDDM, AFAICT)... Adding to the bizarreness is that I suddenly was able to get Xorg started, but on reboot the machine got stuck again on the same place...

https://pastebin.com/HwQrzkT8

V1del · 2017-10-13 11:06:03

Post a dmesg and/or reproduce the failure and then post a log from the previous boot with e.g.

journalctl -b-1

kflak · 2017-10-13 11:18:10

Output of journalctl -b-1:

https://pastebin.com/8uC9qpEx

EDIT:

I tried now to install explicitly xterm and xorg-twm, as this was previously reported as missing in the output. Now the x server seems to start just fine, but it opens up in a very foreign space populated by three white terminal windows on a black background. I am able to open firefox (writing from this instance now), but I don't see how to get myself to my preferred environment, i3...

Last edited by kflak (2017-10-13 12:24:21)

Trilby · 2017-10-13 12:24:48

Please post your xinitrc. Unless of course it includes some variant of dbus-launch in the line where you start your WM, in which case you might want to keep it to yourself to save face, then reread the error message you posted and fix it.

EDIT: based on your edit you must have already deleted your xinitrc or replaced it with the default ... so it's no surprise TWM is starting.

Lets go back to Jason's initial question: describe how you start X, and include the relevant startup file(s).

Last edited by Trilby (2017-10-13 12:27:11)

kflak · 2017-10-13 12:28:44

I don't (yet) have any xinitrc in my home folder, and the one in /etc/X11/xinit is empty...

kflak · 2017-10-13 12:43:28

OK, getting closer! Appreciate your patience :-) I am now able to start i3 by adding "exec i3" to ~/.xinitrc. However, the problem is still that I have to start it manually after hangup in the boot sequence...

Here are the steps: Start computer. Wait for it to become unresponsive. Hit ctrl-alt-F2 to login via console. Enter startx.

Here is /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc (default, haven't touched it...):

#!/bin/sh

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
sysresources=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xresources
sysmodmap=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap

# merge in defaults and keymaps

if [ -f $sysresources ]; then

xrdb -merge $sysresources

fi

if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
xmodmap $sysmodmap
fi

if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then

xrdb -merge "$userresources"

fi

if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
xmodmap "$usermodmap"
fi

# start some nice programs

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
[ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
done
unset f
fi

twm &
xclock -geometry 50x50-1+1 &
xterm -geometry 80x50+494+51 &
xterm -geometry 80x20+494-0 &
exec xterm -geometry 80x66+0+0 -name login

EDIT:

and this is the sole content of ~/.xinitirc:

exec i3

Last edited by kflak (2017-10-13 12:44:48)

Trilby · 2017-10-13 12:44:51

kflak wrote:

I don't (yet) have any xinitrc in my home folder, and the one in /etc/X11/xinit is empty...

If you don't have an xinitrc, please answer the original question from the very first response you got here: how do you start x - in other words, how were you starting x when you were running i3. If you don't have an xinitrc you could not have been using startx.

As for /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc being empty, that should not be, and I know it's not true: you described twm starting with xterms, the only way for this to happen is by startx/xinit reading the contents of the file you claim is now empty. So unless you deleted it since a few minutes ago, there is definitely something there.

EDIT: this was crossposted with the above. Only two things remain relevant: 1: how did you previously start X, and how do you want to start X. and 2: you seem to be posting very inconsistent information that will likely drain the patience of anyone willing to help you.

Last edited by Trilby (2017-10-13 12:46:41)

seth · 2017-10-13 12:46:21

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xinit ...

kflak · 2017-10-13 13:06:11

The problem persists: I still have to manually go down the ctrl-alt-F2-manual startx route before I get to i3. I added
if [ -z "$DISPLAY" ] && [ -n "$XDG_VTNR" ] && [ "$XDG_VTNR" -eq 1 ]; then
exec startx
fi
to my ~/.bash_profile, as suggested by the article you linked to, Seth, but on reboot nothing changes...

V1del · 2017-10-13 13:10:21

kflak, that is not the inherently first relevant thing you should be doing (in fact this is the last thing you MIGHT want to do given that everything else is set up correctly, which it isn't). Read the whole article. Hint: your ~/.xinitrc is incorrect. And please answer Trilby's questions, what are you starting that puts you into a freezing state in the first place.

Last edited by V1del (2017-10-13 13:11:08)

seth · 2017-10-13 13:11:25

The link was rather meant on "how do I make startx run i3" - notice that yout ~/.xinitrc is wrong. Read the article.

What are you trying to do? Directly boot into an i3 session (autologin)
What's the output of "systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled"

Oh, great. After missing kflak's edit, I'm now ninja'd by V1del in addition.
I'll take a nap.

Last edited by seth (2017-10-13 13:12:34)

kflak · 2017-10-13 13:29:36

Apologies to all involved, I am brand new at this after my sheltered existence as a Mac-head, which means I haven't got the first clue as to what is relevant info and what is not. Hoping to remedy this asap, but it's a lot to take in. I copied over /etc/.../xinitrc to ~/.xinitrc and it reads:

#!/bin/sh

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
sysresources=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xresources
sysmodmap=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap

# merge in defaults and keymaps

if [ -f $sysresources ]; then

xrdb -merge $sysresources

fi

if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
xmodmap $sysmodmap
fi

if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then

xrdb -merge "$userresources"

fi

if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
xmodmap "$usermodmap"
fi

# start some nice programs

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
[ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
done
unset f
fi

exec i3

#twm &
#xclock -geometry 50x50-1+1 &
#xterm -geometry 80x50+494+51 &
#xterm -geometry 80x20+494-0 &
#exec xterm -geometry 80x66+0+0 -name login

systemctl list-unit-files --state-enabled gives me this:
UNIT FILE STATE
autovt@.service enabled
display-manager.service enabled
getty@.service enabled
sddm.service enabled
remote-fs.target enabled
fstrim.timer enabled

6 unit files listed.

seth · 2017-10-13 14:02:21

Please use code tags.

So you've sddm enabled but want to use startx to launch i3?
Well, start with disabling sddm?

Trilby · 2017-10-13 14:32:26

seth wrote:

but [you] want to use startx...

I think the OP wants to fix what went wrong with his "old" way of starting X which we finally just found out (13 posts after it was asked) that he was using sddm.

Kflak, how did you install arch linux (i.e. what instructions did you follow)?

kflak · 2017-10-13 16:05:19

Back again... sorry for the on and off, but I guess that's the nature of trying to get stuff done with a baby around the house...

Basically I would like to use the sddm to log into i3. However, I see now that I have probably dug myself into a bit of a hole, it might be a better idea to start fresh and do a clean reinstall of arch. I followed the instructions of the Arch wiki to install, with some additional input from Average Linux User on Youtube, as well as a couple of blogs on dual booting Mac and Arch.
Since then I have added all kinds of stuff and removed it as I have been learning more about how the system works, hence my suspicion that I am better off clearing the deck and starting all over again. My aim is, after all, to learn as much as I can to be able to migrate fully to Arch after a suitable trial-and-error period...

I appreciate enormously the help you guys have given me so far!

Trilby · 2017-10-13 16:35:37

kflak wrote:

Basically I would like to use the sddm to log into i3.

Then lets focus on that. If startx works, we know X is fine, and the problem is just in sddm and/or your sddm configuration. So we will need the relevant config files.

kflak wrote:

I see now that I have probably dug myself into a bit of a hole, it might be a better idea to start fresh and do a clean reinstall of arch.

No. If you find yourself in a hole of your own creation, the solution is definitely not to break out the backhoe which is what "reinstalling" would be equivalent to. One should never need to reinstall arch linux, just fix it. We can help you fix it if you want, but we can't help if you just give up and nuke your current install. More importantly:

kflak wrote:

it might be a better idea to start fresh and do a clean reinstall of arch... My aim is, after all, to learn.

These two are completely at odds. Occasionally I see someone think reinstalling is the easy or lazy solution - I'm not sure if it's even that, but it is absolutely not the way to learn. If you want to learn, you face challenges as they come, not burry them an move on to something else.

Also note that you really shouldn't follow third party guides (like youtube or that other one you mentioned). They are almost always outdated, and even when current they are often filled with bad advice. One of archlinux's greatest strengths is it's well curated wiki: use it. By all means ask here for clarification if/when you are confused about something in the wiki. That is how to learn.

You should be following this page for sddm. Please post any sddm configuration files.

kflak · 2017-10-13 17:14:54

Amen, Trilby!
Thanks for those words of wisdom. Getting a bit late in my timezone now, so will not be able to look into this anymore today, but will give it a crack in the weekend :-) More configs to follow...

kflak · 2017-10-14 12:58:00

OK, so this is quite interesting and something that I quite enjoy. By disabling sddm I am now being sent straight to console login and from there to my i3 session! I am perfectly happy with this solution, and would consider it another glorious step in the direction of functional minimalism. I hope that this doesn't obscure some deeper problem in the plumbing of my system, but as long as I am able to log in and use i3 I am all happy :-)
Thanks again so, so much for your help and patience!

Kenneth

seth · 2017-10-14 14:13:19

No, you do not need a DM on semi-single-user systems (nor actually anywhere, but DMs help for multi-user systems with unexperienced users)

You can combine startx with the script you posted in comment #11 and on top of this even with an autologin feature, ie. you boot directly into your graphical log (what of course implies that there's no authorization. *Anyone* can access your login by switching the power button)

kflak · 2017-10-14 19:09:48

Good to know. The way I’ve set it up now gives me that good retro feeling of having to type my username and password in a black box before my beautiful wallpaper springs to life. No need for dm indeed :-) and I still like to keep my machine locked for anyone else but myself.

Trilby · 2017-10-16 22:08:55

Agreed (belatedly due to travels). We are - generally - happy to help users set up DMs if that's their goal, but a large portion (likely a substantial majority) of members active on these forums are not fond of display managers. They generally serve no purpose other than adding more places where things can go wrong.

Arch Linux

#1 2017-10-13 07:39:17

[SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#2 2017-10-13 07:43:24

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#3 2017-10-13 10:59:20

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#4 2017-10-13 11:06:03

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#5 2017-10-13 11:18:10

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#6 2017-10-13 12:24:48

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#7 2017-10-13 12:28:44

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#8 2017-10-13 12:43:28

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#9 2017-10-13 12:44:51

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#10 2017-10-13 12:46:21

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#11 2017-10-13 13:06:11

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#12 2017-10-13 13:10:21

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#13 2017-10-13 13:11:25

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#14 2017-10-13 13:29:36

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#15 2017-10-13 14:02:21

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#16 2017-10-13 14:32:26

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#17 2017-10-13 16:05:19

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#18 2017-10-13 16:35:37

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#19 2017-10-13 17:14:54

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#20 2017-10-14 12:58:00

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#21 2017-10-14 14:13:19

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#22 2017-10-14 19:09:48

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

#23 2017-10-16 22:08:55

Re: [SOLVED] Xorg server not starting

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