[SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

nil · 2012-10-21 17:51:51

I'm trying to get `slim` working by the systemd method, but I get the following:

[root@arch ~]# systemctl enable slim.service
Failed to issue method call: File exists

I've tried other display managers like qingy, lxdm, etc. and they all provide this same message. I was also able to get the display manager to work using the `inittab` method, but I'm trying to have a full systemd integration.

Not sure if it matters, but I was previously able to get the above `systemctl enable` command to work with gdm. Later, I decided that I wanted a more lightweight display manager so I switched to `slim` and proceeded to uninstall `gdm`. However, it now seems I'm unable to `systemctl enable` any display manager. I appreciate your help!

Last edited by nil (2012-10-21 18:47:03)

nil · 2012-10-21 18:46:39

Ah, got it working! I'll leave the documentation/answer here in case anyone else is as dumb as me.

After uninstalling the previous display manager (gdm in this case), you need to disable it from systemctl, since pacman won't do it for you. Hence, all you need to do is

systemctl disable gdm.service
systemctl enable slim.service

and it works.

Last edited by nil (2012-10-21 18:46:49)

donniezazen · 2012-10-22 07:26:11

I have the same problem. I uninstalled lightdm and installed gdm and not I can't seem to enable gdm. It starts fine.

[arch@arch ~]$ systemctl list-unit-files | grep lightdm
[arch@arch ~]$ systemctl list-unit-files | grep gdm
gdm.service                                 disabled
[arch@arch ~]$ systemctl list-unit-files | grep display
display-manager.service                     enabled

[arch@arch ~]$ sudo systemctl disable display-manager.service
Failed to issue method call: No such file or directory
[arch@arch ~]$ sudo systemctl disable lightdm.service
Failed to issue method call: No such file or directory
[arch@arch ~]$ sudo systemctl disable gdm.service
[arch@arch ~]$ sudo systemctl enable gdm.service
Failed to issue method call: File exists
[arch@arch ~]$ systemctl list-unit-files | grep gdm
gdm.service                                 disabled

Gnist · 2012-11-06 11:41:27

sudo systemctl enable gdm.service -f

ravisghosh · 2012-11-15 22:16:48

Wanted to install slim but unable to enable it through systemd, facing the same issue.

luckyao · 2013-01-02 09:51:18

I have the same problem.

sudo systemctl enable slim.service -f

rm '/etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service'
ln -s '/usr/lib/systemd/system/slim.service' '/etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service'

sudo systemctl list-unit-files | grep slim
slim.service enabled

Trilby · 2013-01-02 12:47:15

luckyao, how is that a problem? It looks like it worked fine.

dhave · 2013-12-02 20:23:46

Gnist wrote:

sudo systemctl enable gdm.service -f

Thanks for this. It helped me.

joacoej · 2015-05-15 23:00:24

Thank you xD

Trilby · 2015-05-15 23:03:35

joacoej, you recently stated that you read through the complete forum rules. Yet here you just necrobumped and empty-posted. Both of these are advised against.

Closed.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-10-21 17:51:51

[SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

#2 2012-10-21 18:46:39

Re: [SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

#3 2012-10-22 07:26:11

Re: [SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

#4 2012-11-06 11:41:27

Re: [SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

#5 2012-11-15 22:16:48

Re: [SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

#6 2013-01-02 09:51:18

Re: [SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

#7 2013-01-02 12:47:15

Re: [SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

#8 2013-12-02 20:23:46

Re: [SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

#9 2015-05-15 23:00:24

Re: [SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

#10 2015-05-15 23:03:35

Re: [SOLVED] Can't load up display manager. Getting '... File Exists."

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