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#1 2008-08-24 18:09:24

kmclar
Member
Registered: 2007-10-23
Posts: 21

[SOLVED] Blank GDM Login

Hi,

I've got a strange problem I don't see addressed in any other thread...  I've installed overlord i686 and Gnome per instructions in Wiki.  My problem is that when the gdm login screen displays, all the fields that would display or show text are blank.  The logo displays, and the GNOME title, but the fields where you type in name and password display nothing, and none of the buttons are labeled.  What have I left out?

Thanks!

Kirk

Last edited by kmclar (2008-09-09 03:34:59)

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#2 2008-08-24 21:58:42

pseudonomous
Member
Registered: 2008-04-23
Posts: 349

Re: [SOLVED] Blank GDM Login

this is, admittedly strange, I have no idea of your level of *nix knowledge, but assuming it's on the lower end of the scale this may help.  If you've already checked/know all this, please don't be insulted that I'm treating you like a newbie.

My guess would be that your gdm configuration is referencing some image files that are either in the wrong places or, for some reason,not installed.

It's been awhile since I've used gdm, but I know it has two modes that can be set in it's config file, gdmgreeter and gdmlogin.  Now I would tend to think that
gdmlogin would work in situations where the gdmgreeter fails, but regardless, try switching modes (by creating a custom config file for gdm, you should find directions for this in the
gdm configuration files, your gdm config files is probably in /etc/gdm)

Here's another idea, something is wrong in one of these sections:

[gui]
# The specific gtkrc file we use.  It should be the full path to the gtkrc that
# we need.  Unless you need a specific gtkrc that doesn't correspond to a
# specific theme, then just use the GtkTheme key.
#GtkRC=/usr/share/themes/Default/gtk-2.0/gtkrc

# The GTK+ theme to use for the GUI.
GtkTheme=Clearlooks
# If to allow changing the GTK+ (widget) theme from the greeter.  Currently
# this only affects the standard greeter as the graphical greeter does not yet
# have this ability.
#AllowGtkThemeChange=true
# Comma separated list of themes to allow.  These must be the names of the
# themes installed in the standard locations for gtk themes.  You can also
# specify 'all' to allow all installed themes.  These should be just the
# basenames of the themes such as 'Thinice' or 'LowContrast'.
#GtkThemesToAllow=all

# Maximum size of an icon, larger icons are scaled down.
#MaxIconWidth=128
#MaxIconHeight=128

GtkRC=/etc/gtk-2.0/gtkrc

[greeter]
# The following options for setting titlebar and setting window position are
# only useful for the standard login (gdmlogin) and are not used by the
# themed login (gdmgreeter).
#
# The standard login has a title bar that the user can move.
#TitleBar=true
# Don't allow user to move the standard login window.  Only makes sense if
# TitleBar is on.
#LockPosition=false
# Set a position for the standard login window rather then just centering the
# window.  If you enter negative values for the position it is taken as an
# offset from the right or bottom edge.
#SetPosition=false
#PositionX=0
#PositionY=0

like maybe you're trying to reference a gtkrc file that isn't there, or use a gtk theme you don't have, or something is funny with the gdmgreeter theme, (if you're using gdmgreeter, try switching to gdmlogin)

Now if you are using gdmlogin, and the problem is not a missing gtkrc file, or gtk theme, you could try switching to gdm chooser, you need to make sure that you actually have a gdm theme installed (I'm not sure if it come's with one by default), you can look for them with:

pacman Qs gdm
and see if you get any entries that list a gdm theme

if you get more than a page's worth of output type

pacman Qs | more
and use enter and spacebar to pagedown.

If your new to *nix, this is called a "pipe", it's really useful and you should read the "redirecting input and outpu" section of the bash manual to learn more about it.
(I learned how to properly use them about two weeks ago, and they're GREAT!)

That's probably as far as I can go with suggestions, but, assuming someone more experianced comes along to help you, (and all this doesn't work), you should post your gdm config files, both default and custom, in case they are useful.  Also, assuming you are new to unix.

IF you want to know how something works, for example gdm type:

man gdm

that will pull up the man page on gdm, at the bottom you might see a "see also" section, look through those to get more info.

Oh ... and to get out of the man page type "q".

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#3 2008-08-25 01:25:20

kmclar
Member
Registered: 2007-10-23
Posts: 21

Re: [SOLVED] Blank GDM Login

Thanks pseudonomous,

I've got about 3 yrs Linux experience having played with openSUSE, Xandros, Mandriva, PCLOS, etc.  I've installed Arch once before, but just with KDEMod.  I've been a consistent Ubuntu user for a year now, currently 8.04 i386 on a Lenovo R61 (triple-booting with this install of Arch and Vista).  All is good, just wanted to play with Arch again as I keep hearing good things.  I would call myself medium experienced, as I am comfortable with CLI and editing config files. To the problem at hand...I've looked through the files you mentioned and cannot find anything wrong there.  The  themes mentioned appear to be installed.  I did note that in the gdm default.conf file both gdmgreeter and gdmlogin are commented out.  I'm going to try using gdmsetup and see what happens.

On other thing that may be a clue is that I tried installing Openbox and xfce4 and get similar behavior.  The windows come up, but no text in the windows or menu drop-downs.

Kirk

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#4 2008-08-25 01:50:29

tigrmesh
IRC Op
From: Florida, US
Registered: 2007-12-11
Posts: 794

Re: [SOLVED] Blank GDM Login

I know this problem has come up before, but I don't remember what the solution was.  Maybe you need fonts:  http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fonts.

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#5 2008-08-25 14:29:02

kmclar
Member
Registered: 2007-10-23
Posts: 21

Re: [SOLVED] Blank GDM Login

Nope!  I have fonts. Also,  I can login (even though I can't see what I'm typing).  When Gnome shows the desktop, there are no menus displayed in the top panel but when I click on them as though they were, I get the drop-down windows, just no text or icons.

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#6 2008-08-26 14:11:44

kmclar
Member
Registered: 2007-10-23
Posts: 21

Re: [SOLVED] Blank GDM Login

Another clue...  This seems to have to do with the intel driver (I have Lenovo R61 with intel graphics).  When I switch the video driver line in xorg.conf from "intel" to "vesa", then this problem goes away.  Of course then I don't have desired resolution.

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#7 2008-09-09 03:27:30

kmclar
Member
Registered: 2007-10-23
Posts: 21

Re: [SOLVED] Blank GDM Login

This problem solved with xf86-video-intel driver 2.4.2-1 found in testing repository.

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