Arch Linux

EmyrB

Member

From: Wales, UK

Registered: 2006-09-04

Posts: 122

Error with GDM

Hi All,

I have recently come across an error with my Gnome install in Arch. Last week I updated my system and it pulled down a lot of Gnome 2.22 updates. Now since then I cannot log into my system as I get this error: -

The greeter application appears to be crashing. Attempting to use a different one.

I click OK and there are some messages such as gdm-binary[2479]: ERROR: Resource problem creating '/tmp/orbit-nobody'

My screen flashes and then the above greeter message comes up. After 6 messages I get a message saying that the display server has failed to start 6 times and that it is going to pause for 90 seconds.

Anyway I did a search in google for the greeter error and it states in the Arch Wiki and on these forums as well that it could be a permission problem with the /tmp folder. When GDM pauses for 90 seconds I press F7 and I can log in. I issue chmod 1777 /tmp but I don't have the right permission, so I try as root and I can run the command but I still cannot log in via GDM.

Any ideas?

Cheers

EmyrB

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Proud Arch Linux User

WiLLiE

Member

From: Sweden

Registered: 2005-02-27

Posts: 135

Re: Error with GDM

I had that problem. In my case it was very simple, my / was full.. So after freeing up some space it was all good again.

EmyrB

Member

From: Wales, UK

Registered: 2006-09-04

Posts: 122

Re: Error with GDM

I had that problem. In my case it was very simple, my / was full.. So after freeing up some space it was all good again.

Cheers WiLLiE for that, I shall see if my / is full.

As a side note, is there anyway I can boot to a command prompt instead of GDM so I can see if my / is a bit on the full side?

Cheers

EmyrB

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Proud Arch Linux User

violagirl23

Member

Registered: 2008-01-24

Posts: 184

Re: Error with GDM

Does it do that when starting GDM or only if you log in? If it just does it when you start, I'd just boot into an Arch install CD and mount your drive from there..... I use mine for emergency stuff like that all the time.

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"You can't just ask to borrow somebody else's lampshade. It's AWKWARD!"

EmyrB

Member

From: Wales, UK

Registered: 2006-09-04

Posts: 122

Re: Error with GDM

Thanks for that violagirl23 I booted with an Arch CD and my file system drive had become full. Unfortunately the reason being was I had installed E17 and XFCE and these filled that drive. The only option was to reformat and reinstall Arch

Thanks for the help though

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Proud Arch Linux User

szypul

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2007-09-07

Posts: 16

Re: Error with GDM

I get same message, but my / is not filled... any other ideas?

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The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.

tigrmesh

IRC Op

From: Florida, US

Registered: 2007-12-11

Posts: 794

Re: Error with GDM

@szypul
Have you tried setting the permissions for /tmp ?

szypul

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2007-09-07

Posts: 16

Re: Error with GDM

No, I'll try when I get back from work. It all worked fine until my friend wanted to use my PC, was too slow to choose WinXP in grub and hit reset when saw GDM : /

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The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.

szypul

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2007-09-07

Posts: 16

Re: Error with GDM

My /tmp has rwx permissions for everyone right now so it's not that:/ Any other ideas?

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The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.

tigrmesh

IRC Op

From: Florida, US

Registered: 2007-12-11

Posts: 794

Re: Error with GDM

Try reinstalling gdm and whatever libraries it depends on.