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#1 2013-05-10 06:48:01

horsemanoffaith
Member
Registered: 2013-05-10
Posts: 181

[SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

I have tried installing Arch from a USB key/CDROM several times, and every time I get a successful install through the procedure, I end up with the same problem: my boot process hangs at Reached target graphical user interface. No matter what I do, I cannot seem to get past this part. I think the problem that's hanging me up is the fact that I have a hybrid graphics laptop. I believe my card is an ATI HD 6450M, but I'm not 100% certain. I can get the xterm display working in the installation procedure, but not a GUI signin. Any help that you can give me would be appreciated... and I am a complete noob to Arch and still learning Linux (I've used Ubuntu, LinuxMint, and Fedora), so keep it as simple as you can!!! Thanks!

Last edited by horsemanoffaith (2013-05-18 23:51:42)

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#2 2013-05-10 07:21:04

drcouzelis
Member
From: Connecticut, USA
Registered: 2009-11-09
Posts: 4,092
Website

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

What desktop environment are you trying to start? Are you trying to use a display manager ("GUI signin")? Can you start the desktop environment "by hand" by using "startx"? If not, are there any error messages in "/var/log/Xorg.0.log"?

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#3 2013-05-11 00:04:17

horsemanoffaith
Member
Registered: 2013-05-10
Posts: 181

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

I am trying to start GNOME. Based on the guide I was following, I am using gdm (using the following command: sudo systemctl enable gdm.service). So far, nada. Every time I've tried starting with the startx command, I get one of two results... I either get xterm, or I get an error message saying no available windows (I believe that's the error message). I'm hoping I can get this fixed, I really do want to try Arch. I'm currently using Linux Mint (which I really do like!!!), but Arch has already taught me so much about the installation process, and I want to learn more!!! I will check the /var/log/Xorg.0.log the next time I start Arch and can get to a command line.

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#4 2013-05-11 00:06:26

karol
Archivist
Registered: 2009-05-06
Posts: 25,440

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

Have you installed gnome?

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#5 2013-05-11 05:32:27

horsemanoffaith
Member
Registered: 2013-05-10
Posts: 181

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

Yes, GNOME was the graphical environment that I installed following this guy's how-to- http://lifehacker.com/5680453/build-a-k … he-process - I used this how-to because I seem to have more success with it. Every time I tried installing directly from the beginners guide on the Arch page, something went wrong and the boot process failed even earlier.

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#6 2013-05-11 05:46:14

jasonwryan
Anarchist
From: .nz
Registered: 2009-05-09
Posts: 30,424
Website

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

Don't use random guides on the internetz; work methodically through the
Beginners' Guide and, if you encounter difficulties, post here with details of
your setup, what you have tried and exact error messages.


Arch + dwm   •   Mercurial repos  •   Surfraw

Registered Linux User #482438

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#7 2013-05-11 06:11:35

horsemanoffaith
Member
Registered: 2013-05-10
Posts: 181

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

jasonwryan wrote:

Don't use random guides on the internetz; work methodically through the
Beginners' Guide and, if you encounter difficulties, post here with details of
your setup, what you have tried and exact error messages.

I did exactly that, jasonwryan, several times, and I couldn't even get to the login prompt after reboot... and I CAREFULLY followed the instructions in the beginner's guide and got the SAME error every time. I tried the how-to that I linked above (which is VERY VERY close to the beginner's guide, and I was able to get the command prompt and install services... I just can't get the graphical user interface.

I am going to try again using the beginner's guide and see if I have better success.

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#8 2013-05-11 06:19:53

karol
Archivist
Registered: 2009-05-06
Posts: 25,440

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

horsemanoffaith wrote:

got the SAME error every time.

What was the error?

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#9 2013-05-11 06:38:28

horsemanoffaith
Member
Registered: 2013-05-10
Posts: 181

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

I can't recall what the error was, but as soon as you reboot without the USB key, there was some writing on the screen (don't remember what it said) and it failed right there. I'm sure I could find the error here on the forum, because I believe I saw a post with the error, but it wouldn't do me much good because I've already moved on to trying several different installs since then.

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#10 2013-05-11 07:35:51

shulamy
Member
From: israel
Registered: 2010-09-11
Posts: 453

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

i think you have to downgrade gdm.

ezik

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#11 2013-05-11 08:13:00

horsemanoffaith
Member
Registered: 2013-05-10
Posts: 181

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

I have successfully installed Arch with the Cinnamon environment and the LightDM greeter!!! Not sure why Gnome isn't working.

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#12 2013-05-11 11:34:58

Trilby
Inspector Parrot
Registered: 2011-11-29
Posts: 29,442
Website

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

horsemanoffaith wrote:
jasonwryan wrote:

...if you encounter difficulties, post here with details of
your setup, what you have tried and exact error messages.

I did exactly that....

No, you have done exactly not that.  I'm glad you got something working, but you say you don't know why gnome didn't work; neither do we, nor will anyone if you don't take the above advice.

If you are satisfied with Cinnanom, please mark this thread as solved.  If you want to get gnome installed, heed *all* of JWR's advice.

Last edited by Trilby (2013-05-11 11:36:43)


"UNIX is simple and coherent..." - Dennis Ritchie, "GNU's Not UNIX" -  Richard Stallman

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#13 2013-05-18 23:42:19

horsemanoffaith
Member
Registered: 2013-05-10
Posts: 181

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot start a desktop environment

Trilby wrote:

No, you have done exactly not that.

Obviously you mistook what I wrote. What I was talking about when I said I did exactly that was following the beginner's guide. Doesn't matter anyways because I have now done two successful installs of Arch- one that I was able to get both Cinnamon and Gnome working using LightDM and then borked when I removed Gnome and messed up my Cinnamon install, and I just did a fresh install of Arch with Unity using LightDM. I'm having other troubles now, but that will be for another thread. Thanks for reading this post and replying.

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