Arch Linux

bamba

Member

Registered: 2020-07-16

Posts: 8

cant load kde - failed to start login service

Hi,

I run into a sudden weird problem with my arch.
My laptop is xps 13 9370.
I use arch linux + kde.
The boot works alright, I can get into the login manager, type in the right user & password but then the system is unable to start kde.
It writes "FAILED" on many services such as login service, mariadb, docker, network time synchronization...
I try entering the terminal from the login manager (ctrl alt f2) but I get into a black screen with a blinking cursor and can't type anything in there.

Any idea what I can do?

Thanks!

d_fajardo

Member

Registered: 2017-07-28

Posts: 1,687

Re: cant load kde - failed to start login service

Any idea what I can do?

Yes, for this forum you can post some logs.  You won't get much help here if you're just making people guess what could be the problem.
Are you able to copy some logs from your "FAILED" output? Can you post your dmesg? xorg logs? Anything that we can actually work with?

bamba

Member

Registered: 2020-07-16

Posts: 8

Re: cant load kde - failed to start login service

I actually can't get to a working terminal so I don't have logs.
But this is what's displayed after KDE fails to launch.
"
/dev/ recovering journal
/dev clean files , clean blocks
[FAILED] failed to start network time synchronization
[FAILED] failed to start login service
[FAILED] failed to start Mariadb
[FAILED] failed to start Hostname service "

zpg443

Member

Registered: 2016-12-03

Posts: 316

Re: cant load kde - failed to start login service

Are you using grub to boot? If so, boot into the console. If not, use a live disk and log in to your console. Then, post your logs.

Last edited by zpg443 (2020-08-14 10:08:28)

d_fajardo

Member

Registered: 2017-07-28

Posts: 1,687

Re: cant load kde - failed to start login service

/dev/ recovering journal
/dev clean files , clean blocks
[FAILED] failed to start network time synchronization
[FAILED] failed to start login service
[FAILED] failed to start Mariadb
[FAILED] failed to start Hostname service "

All that seems to point systemd is not kicking in. A zpg443 suggested, boot on a live disk and get your logs from there.
Also while we're here, what is your partitioning like? What filesystem are you using? You might as well run an fsck while booted on live disc to see if your filesystem is all OK.

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,701

Re: cant load kde - failed to start login service

What about using Ctrl-Alt-F3   ? IIRC, xddm uses both console 1 and console 2.
If not, can you ssh into the box?
If not, As zpg443 suggests, boot to the multiuser target rather than the graphical target by changing the kernel command line in your bootloader.

My hunch is your bootloader is picking up a stale kernel, or you are failing to mount a volume at boot time.

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
The shortest way to ruin a country is to give power to demagogues.— Dionysius of Halicarnassus
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

bamba

Member

Registered: 2020-07-16

Posts: 8

Re: cant load kde - failed to start login service

Xorg:
http://ix.io/2uak
dmesg:
http://ix.io/2uaC
fsck :
http://ix.io/2uaE

I was able to boot to console from grub
It looks like it fails to mount a volume?

Last edited by bamba (2020-08-14 19:18:42)

loqs

Member

Registered: 2014-03-06

Posts: 19,048

Re: cant load kde - failed to start login service

What is the output of

pacman -Q linux
uname -a

bamba

Member

Registered: 2020-07-16

Posts: 8

Re: cant load kde - failed to start login service

The output is:

Linux 5.7.10.arch1-1

Linux archlinux 5.7.10-arch1-1 #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed, 22 Jul 2020 19:57:42 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Last edited by bamba (2020-08-14 19:54:24)

loqs

Member

Registered: 2014-03-06

Posts: 19,048

Re: cant load kde - failed to start login service

What is the output of

e2fsck -n /dev/nvme0n1p2

bamba

Member

Registered: 2020-07-16

Posts: 8

Re: cant load kde - failed to start login service

http://ix.io/2ubb

I notice that this partion is almost completely full.
I suspect it's from extensive docker usage, but not completely sure.

I deleted all docker files I had and it worked, so I guess it was a space problem.  So dumb from my side.

Before this problem I have experienced a very long time poweroff time , is it possible it's related to the space problem?

Last edited by bamba (2020-08-14 21:28:14)