You are not logged in.

#1 2023-05-08 22:43:39

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

[SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

Hello, I have a variant of this problem: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=276238
(After updating, my login doesn't show up in my desktop manager, and on the tty I get this error message if I try to login):

Assertion 'close_nointr(fd) != -EBADF' failed at src/basic/fd-util.c:74, function safe_close(). Aborting.

However, unlike that OP, I cannot login as root. My root account has the same error flash across the login, so I can't check the journal or see what might be going on.

I too have an older install. Any suggestions or strategies on how to proceed ? Is there a better way than booting from a rescue disk and poking around or reinstalling ?

Last edited by SploitStacks (2023-05-13 19:40:14)

Offline

#2 2023-05-08 23:07:17

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

The issue is partially resolved. I booted from a live flash drive and followed the post I referenced blindly, commenting out all lines containing "pam_systemd_home.so" in /etc/pam.d/system-auth.

However, I'm still having an issue with my desktop environment (Gnome 44) which doesn't shows a completely blank login display apart from the top bar, calendar/clock, and system tray in the top right.

Offline

#3 2023-05-08 23:34:54

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

I've made a bit more progress:

I can get past the blank login screen of Gnome 44 by editing my /etc/gdm/custom.conf with "AutomaticLoginEnable=true". Gnome launches into my desktop and I can use it normally, but if I logout, I'm back to the gray screen with no users visible, and just the top system bar and mouse.

Offline

#4 2023-05-09 05:53:02

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

Also (recent) https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=285634

This is (probably) unrelated to the systemd-homed situation:

I'm back to the gray screen with no users visible, and just the top system bar and mouse.

Yes, because you've just sidestepped the GDM gretter but explicitly enter it w/ the logout.

Please post your complete system journal for an affected boot, eg.

sudo journalctl -b -1 | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st

for the previous one.

Offline

#5 2023-05-09 17:10:07

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

Thanks for the reply, here are my journal logs: http://0x0.st/HZGv.txt


Yes, because you've just sidestepped the GDM gretter but explicitly enter it w/ the logout.

Right, makes sense. That's what I figured but thought I'd include that detail anyways.

Offline

#6 2023-05-09 20:22:55

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

You're running an X11 session, but GDM runs on wayland - do you have the problem if you https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GDM#Use_Xorg_backend

Offline

#7 2023-05-09 22:19:40

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

Yes the problem persists after disabling wayland there.

Offline

#8 2023-05-09 22:26:28

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

no users visible, and just the top system bar and mouse

Do you use a custom theme or any other custom setting in /etc/dconf/profile/gdm* ?

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GDM#Configuration

Offline

#9 2023-05-09 23:45:08

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

No I don't have any custom themes or settings besides a few extensions for some useful system tray functions.


I've also tried following this post: https://askubuntu.com/questions/646872/ … -in-screen
Because this issue only surfaced when the upgrade from gnome 43 to 44 was applied. However, backing up and removing the suggested directories and rebooting to a clean customization didn't yield any progress.

Offline

#10 2023-05-10 06:14:43

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

besides a few extensions for some useful system tray functions

In GDM? Which and how? Afaiu GDM doesn't support extensions?


I've also tried following this post

Whch seems to address the users gnome config - which would be irrelevant for GDM

Offline

#11 2023-05-10 15:59:05

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

Ah my apologies I've misunderstood. The plugins I have are for gnome, not GDM, and are through the gnome tweaks extensions, just a few things I find useful: an available arch update indicator, and system stats (temp/mem usage/drive space).

Which seems to address the users gnome config - which would be irrelevant for GDM

I see. hmm

Offline

#12 2023-05-10 17:06:53

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

pacman -Qs gdm
pacman -Qikk gdm

Offline

#13 2023-05-10 17:19:52

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

That's somewhat confusing.

Which seems to address the users gnome config - which would be irrelevant for GDM

Indicating they're distinct enough to be considered separately.

❯ pacman -Qs gdm
local/gdm 44.1-1 (gnome)
    Display manager and login screen

Indicating "GDM" and "gnome" are one in the same.

Either way, I suppose if there aren't any better ideas, reinstalling should work.

Offline

#14 2023-05-10 17:42:04

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

This just means that gdm is in the gnome group - they still things.
What about the Qikk output?

Offline

#15 2023-05-10 17:54:35

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

Ah right, here's that output:

❯ pacman -Qikk gdm
Name            : gdm
Version         : 44.1-1
Description     : Display manager and login screen
Architecture    : x86_64
URL             : https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/GDM
Licenses        : GPL
Groups          : gnome
Provides        : None
Depends On      : gnome-session  gnome-shell  libcanberra  libxdmcp  systemd  upower  xorg-server  xorg-xhost  xorg-xrdb  libgdm
Optional Deps   : fprintd: fingerprint authentication
Required By     : None
Optional For    : None
Conflicts With  : None
Replaces        : None
Installed Size  : 4.66 MiB
Packager        : Jan Alexander Steffens (heftig) <heftig@archlinux.org>
Build Date      : Sat May 6 00:26:00 2023
Install Date    : Mon May 8 16:54:39 2023
Install Reason  : Explicitly installed
Install Script  : Yes
Validated By    : Signature

backup file: gdm: /etc/gdm/custom.conf (Modification time mismatch)
backup file: gdm: /etc/gdm/custom.conf (Size mismatch)
backup file: gdm: /etc/gdm/custom.conf (MD5 checksum mismatch)
backup file: gdm: /etc/gdm/custom.conf (SHA256 checksum mismatch)
warning: gdm: /var/lib/gdm/.config (Permission denied)
warning: gdm: /var/lib/gdm/.config/pulse (Permission denied)
warning: gdm: /var/lib/gdm/.config/pulse/default.pa (Permission denied)
warning: gdm: /var/lib/gdm/.local (Permission denied)
warning: gdm: /var/lib/gdm/.local/share (Permission denied)
warning: gdm: /var/lib/gdm/.local/share/applications (Permission denied)
gdm: 517 total files, 6 altered files

Offline

#16 2023-05-10 20:30:14

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

warning: gdm: /var/lib/gdm/.config (Permission denied)

sudo pacman -Qikk gdm

Though probably no changes there…

Just to be sure:

sudo ls -R /etc/dconf/db/gdm.d

PS: you should probably alter the subject to reflect the ongoing GDM issue (rather than the unrelated login failure b/c of systemd-homed)

Offline

#17 2023-05-11 01:58:27

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

❯ sudo pacman -Qikk gdm
Name            : gdm
Version         : 44.1-1
Description     : Display manager and login screen
Architecture    : x86_64
URL             : https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/GDM
Licenses        : GPL
Groups          : gnome
Provides        : None
Depends On      : gnome-session  gnome-shell  libcanberra  libxdmcp  systemd  upower
                  xorg-server  xorg-xhost  xorg-xrdb  libgdm
Optional Deps   : fprintd: fingerprint authentication
Required By     : None
Optional For    : None
Conflicts With  : None
Replaces        : None
Installed Size  : 4.66 MiB
Packager        : Jan Alexander Steffens (heftig) <heftig@archlinux.org>
Build Date      : Sat May 6 00:26:00 2023
Install Date    : Mon May 8 16:54:39 2023
Install Reason  : Explicitly installed
Install Script  : Yes
Validated By    : Signature

backup file: gdm: /etc/gdm/custom.conf (Modification time mismatch)
backup file: gdm: /etc/gdm/custom.conf (Size mismatch)
backup file: gdm: /etc/gdm/custom.conf (MD5 checksum mismatch)
backup file: gdm: /etc/gdm/custom.conf (SHA256 checksum mismatch)
warning: gdm: /var/lib/gdm/.local (Permissions mismatch)
gdm: 517 total files, 1 altered file

gdm.d doesn't exist for some reason.

❯ sudo ls -R /etc/dconf/db/gdm.d
ls: cannot access '/etc/dconf/db/gdm.d': No such file or directory

PS: you should probably alter the subject to reflect the ongoing GDM issue (rather than the unrelated login failure b/c of systemd-homed)

Good call.

Offline

#18 2023-05-11 06:32:52

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

gdm.d doesn't exist for some reason

Just means there's no customization for gnome present sad

Can you post a screenshot of the situation?
If you run gnome on xorg, you can switch to a different VT,

export DISPLAY=:0
sleep 5; xwd -root -out /tmp/gdm.xwd

head back to the GDM VT within the nex 5 seconds and wait a couple of seconds.

You might have to "sudo" or "sudo -u gdm" this. ImageMagick can "display" and "convert" xwd files.

Offline

#19 2023-05-11 17:42:52

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

I had a difficult time with xwd, the sleep timer appeared to wait until after I returned to the original VT before running.

However, since there's hardly anything to see, I've just taken a photo as clearly as I could. There's nothing visible besides a gray background and the clock, system tray, and mouse. The system tray and clock function as expected.

https://0x0.st/HN83.png



moderator edit -- replaced oversized image with link.
Pasting pictures and code

Last edited by 2ManyDogs (2023-05-13 22:31:16)

Offline

#20 2023-05-11 19:28:06

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=268711
And because it just poped up and I see the a11y icon in the picture: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 6#p2099206
There otherwise seems no issue w/ GDM - except an important element is missing…

Maybe post an updated journal… hmm

Offline

#21 2023-05-11 20:46:57

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

In this post: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=268711

GomZik wrote:

After some digging in journalctl, I found warnings about starting fprintd service (some time ago I experemented with fingerprint sensor on my thinkpad, so, maybe service was updated and broke my setup). Just remove fprintd service restore correct work of gdm. I'll mark this topic as solved. Thanks everyone!

I also have a ThinkPad and experimented with the fingerprint sensor a while ago and determined it wasn't worth the headache to me. I removed all packages related to fprintd and that appears to have fixed the issue.

Much thanks for the assistance.

And because it just popped up and I see the a11y icon in the picture: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 6#p2099206

This is also happening to me, but I figured first things first I'd try to fix the no login options. I'll follow that post from here and mark this one as solved.

Last edited by SploitStacks (2023-05-11 20:53:59)

Offline

#22 2023-05-11 20:55:57

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

See whether the at-spi2 thing is related to this (somehow) as well and disable the GDM debugging to hopefully strip the noise and have some relevant things stick out.

May 11 14:45:16 peelz gnome-shell[575]: Could not load a pixbuf from icon theme.
                                        This may indicate that pixbuf loaders or the mime database could not be found.
May 11 14:45:16 peelz gnome-shell[575]: value "-nan" of type 'gfloat' is invalid or out of range for property 'translation-x' of type 'gfloat'
May 11 14:45:16 peelz gnome-shell[575]: value "-nan" of type 'gfloat' is invalid or out of range for property 'translation-y' of type 'gfloat'

looks kinda relevant - not sure whether this is down to the used icon theme hmm

Offline

#23 2023-05-12 15:42:46

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

I've tried exporting NO_AT_BRIDGE=1 but that didn't appear to help. I've got about a 90 second delay for the login screen or VT 1 to show up.

This journal is a lot neater.

looks kinda relevant - not sure whether this is down to the used icon theme

I think that might be a special character for my terminal theme, it doesn't load correctly outside of my terminal emulator and causes some odd looking things in a VT.

Offline

#24 2023-05-12 18:25:39

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,981

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

How is this solved?

I've got about a 90 second delay for the login screen or VT 1 to show up.

That's the systemd timeout - it's not reflected in the journal, though?

Offline

#25 2023-05-12 22:44:19

SploitStacks
Member
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 2018-02-10
Posts: 23

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome Login screen blank after upgrade to gnome

How is this solved ?

The original two issues I posted for have been but this systemd crash hasn't, so yep I guess I'll remove the solved tag.

That's the systemd timeout - it's not reflected in the journal, though?

I'd forgotten to grab the journal when I'd not had automatic login enabled to bypass the slowness.
Here's one where I've waited on the login screen.   https://0x0.st/HNmt.txt

Offline

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB