Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

baconslave · 2017-09-30 18:39:39

Hey all,

I've been banging my head against this issue for a while now to no avail, so I'd love to get a fresh (and more experienced) perspective on this.

The issue: xfce4 boots up to a blank screen.

I can confirm that my X11 environment works fine. I've been using this install with i3wm for a good 6 months now, and I have steam and full hardware acceleration going. Openbox also works fine. Furthermore, when I launch xfce there are no errors with Xorg and .xsession-errors is empty.

So far I've tried the following:
1) Launching with lightdm (+ gtk greeter): It authenticates fine but gets stuck with the lightdm background and a cursor.
2) Launching with startxfce4 and .xinitrc: X11 launches but it gets stuck on a blank screen with no cursor. Note that for the startx command I am sourcing /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/50-systemd-user.sh
3) Tried with a fresh user: Tried once again with both startx and lightdm methods of launching. It remains the same.
4) Tried launching only xfwm4 in .xinit: The window manager alone worked and I could launch all of the xfce4 packages and modify settings from the xfce settings manager. However, I couldn't get the session and desktop environment to load from a terminal.
5) Tried NO_AT_BRIDGE=1 before launching startx: Apparently some people had success with this, but for me it didn't do anything
6) Did a pacman -Syu: Not this time, alas.
7) Tried different xfce4 packages: I went to the AUR and found some piecemeal replacements for xfwm4 and xfce-session packages. Something of a desperation move, but same result again.

So far I'm pretty confident the problem is related to the xfce-session somehow. The panels, software and window manager themselves work fine. Unfortunately the core components of xfce4 do not seem to provide much in the way of logs. Nontheless any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Last edited by baconslave (2017-09-30 18:43:55)

dockland · 2017-09-30 18:49:47

Can you start xfce from tty?

E: without xinitrc i meant, just ctrl+alt+f2 and type in startxfce4

Last edited by dockland (2017-09-30 18:50:45)

baconslave · 2017-09-30 19:19:47

dockland wrote:

Can you start xfce from tty?
E: without xinitrc i meant, just ctrl+alt+f2 and type in startxfce4

Yeah, tried startxfce4 already. It just launches to a uniform black screen, which is exactly how it behaves from .xinitrc also. Furthest I've gotten is when I pass xfwm4 to xinitrc, and that gives me a working xfce4 window manager, but not a full desktop environment (even if I start manually launching the other components of xfce4).

Last edited by baconslave (2017-09-30 19:20:32)

dockland · 2017-09-30 20:37:07

Ok, next you have to post some conf-files and perhaps logs so we don't have to guess

seth · 2017-09-30 21:01:13

blank screen with no cursor

Head over to another VT or ssh into the machine, run

export DISPLAY=:0
xrandr -q 2>&1 | tee randr.txt

and either share the output or be baffled because your outputs are all turned off?

baconslave · 2017-10-02 16:37:49

seth wrote:

blank screen with no cursor
Head over to another VT or ssh into the machine, run
export DISPLAY=:0
xrandr -q 2>&1 | tee randr.txt
and either share the output or be baffled because your outputs are all turned off?

This is the output:
Seems fairly unremarkable unfortunately, unless there's something I'm missing!

Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 2560 x 1440, maximum 16384 x 16384
DVI-I-0 disconnected primary (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-I-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-0 connected 2560x1440+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 553mm x 311mm
2560x1440 59.95*+
2048x1152 60.00
1920x1200 59.88
1920x1080 60.00 59.94 50.00 29.97 25.00 23.97 60.05 60.00 50.04
1680x1050 59.95
1600x1200 60.00
1280x1024 75.02 60.02
1280x720 60.00 59.94 50.00
1200x960 60.00
1152x864 75.00
1024x768 75.03 60.00
800x600 75.00 60.32
720x576 50.00
720x480 59.94
640x480 75.00 59.94 59.93
DP-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-D-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

baconslave · 2017-10-02 16:39:50

seth wrote:

blank screen with no cursor
Head over to another VT or ssh into the machine, run
export DISPLAY=:0
xrandr -q 2>&1 | tee randr.txt
and either share the output or be baffled because your outputs are all turned off?

This is the output:

Seems fairly unremarkable unfortunately, unless there's something I'm missing! Note that this was ran from the tty with just the 1 active display stuck in the behaviour I described. I'm thinking it's probably a weird xfce issue so I might check out their forums too. Also, thanks for all the help thus far!

Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 2560 x 1440, maximum 16384 x 16384
DVI-I-0 disconnected primary (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-I-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-0 connected 2560x1440+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 553mm x 311mm
2560x1440 59.95*+
2048x1152 60.00
1920x1200 59.88
1920x1080 60.00 59.94 50.00 29.97 25.00 23.97 60.05 60.00 50.04
1680x1050 59.95
1600x1200 60.00
1280x1024 75.02 60.02
1280x720 60.00 59.94 50.00
1200x960 60.00
1152x864 75.00
1024x768 75.03 60.00
800x600 75.00 60.32
720x576 50.00
720x480 59.94
640x480 75.00 59.94 59.93
DP-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-D-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

Last edited by baconslave (2017-10-02 16:43:42)

seth · 2017-10-02 17:59:55

"Boring"

pacman -Qkk xfce4-session

If that's unspectacular as well, check /etc/xdg/xfce4/xinitrc and add "stage_n=0" and a ton of "echo stage $((++stage_n)) >> /tmp/wtfdoesxfcefail" so you can log to where you get ...

baconslave · 2017-10-02 19:41:15

Good call on that shell script and troubleshooting method! I did manage to confirm that xfce4-session is the problem. The echo before calling xfce4-session outputs fine, but the echo immediately after shows nothing. I tried redirecting the output from xfce4-session to that logfile too, but unfortunately it doesn't have any output at all.

Anyway, I think that pretty much confirms xfce4-session as the culprit? Unfortunately pacman -Qkk says that all of the xfce4 packages (including session) are intact.
However, I did missed some rejected dbus messages in my journalctl that occur simultaneously with the failed xfce4 login. These messages come from systemd-logind and occur simultaneous with the failed login attempt. Hmm.

Oct 02 20:27:07 walrus dbus[322]: [system] Rejected send message, 0 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.1" (uid=0 pid=321 comm="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-logind ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.32426" (uid=0 pid=30617 comm="/usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg -nolisten tcp :1 vt3 -au")
Oct 02 20:27:07 walrus dbus[322]: [system] Rejected send message, 0 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.1" (uid=0 pid=321 comm="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-logind ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.32426" (uid=0 pid=30617 comm="/usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg -nolisten tcp :1 vt3 -au")
Oct 02 20:27:07 walrus dbus[322]: [system] Rejected send message, 0 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.1" (uid=0 pid=321 comm="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-logind ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.32426" (uid=0 pid=30617 comm="/usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg -nolisten tcp :1 vt3 -au")
Oct 02 20:27:07 walrus dbus[322]: [system] Rejected send message, 0 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.1" (uid=0 pid=321 comm="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-logind ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.32426" (uid=0 pid=30617 comm="/usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg -nolisten tcp :1 vt3 -au")
Oct 02 20:27:07 walrus dbus[322]: [system] Rejected send message, 0 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.1" (uid=0 pid=321 comm="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-logind ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.32426" (uid=0 pid=30617 comm="/usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg -nolisten tcp :1 vt3 -au")
Oct 02 20:27:07 walrus dbus[322]: [system] Rejected send message, 0 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.1" (uid=0 pid=321 comm="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-logind ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.32426" (uid=0 pid=30617 comm="/usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg -nolisten tcp :1 vt3 -au")
Oct 02 20:27:07 walrus dbus[322]: [system] Rejected send message, 0 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.1" (uid=0 pid=321 comm="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-logind ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.32426" (uid=0 pid=30617 comm="/usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg -nolisten tcp :1 vt3 -au")
Oct 02 20:27:07 walrus dbus[322]: [system] Rejected send message, 0 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.1" (uid=0 pid=321 comm="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-logind ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.32426" (uid=0 pid=30617 comm="/usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg -nolisten tcp :1 vt3 -au")

Last edited by baconslave (2017-10-02 19:44:13)

seth · 2017-10-02 20:13:00

Next thing I'd test was to fire up a working X11 server, log into a linux console on another VT and run xfce4-session in gdb (don't forget to "export DISPLAY=:0") in order to see where it's lingering around (interrupt, check bt, continue, interrupt, bt, see whether sth. changed ...)

NuSkool · 2017-10-06 01:48:30

@ baconslave

Some of what you're describing sounds very familiar. Quite a while ago, discovered I could no longer start a second xfce session, with same symptoms you are describing.

Through the wiki, google, man pages, and lots of trial and error, and without using dbus-launch, I found I could start a second xfce4-session using "dbus-run-session startx -- vt$XDG_VTNR".

I understand you're not trying to start a second session, but thought I'd mention it anyway. I never did the whole debug thing as I read somewhere it was a known issue with xfce4-session at the time. I'll be watching this to hopefully learn a bit more. I've given Linux and computers a break to do more real life stuff, and not tried running a second session in ages, so not even sure its all still relevant.

I use startx, and have "exec startxfce4" last in .xinitrc

Could the issue possibly be dbus - xfce4-session related?

EDIT to add:

Still works. I put the command in a script in ~/bin

$ ps -e|grep xfce4-session
 4738 tty2     00:00:00 xfce4-session
11201 tty1     00:00:04 xfce4-session

Last edited by NuSkool (2017-10-06 02:20:52)

baconslave · 2017-10-06 20:04:54

NuSkool wrote:

@ baconslave
Some of what you're describing sounds very familiar. Quite a while ago, discovered I could no longer start a second xfce session, with same symptoms you are describing.
Through the wiki, google, man pages, and lots of trial and error, and without using dbus-launch, I found I could start a second xfce4-session using "dbus-run-session startx -- vt$XDG_VTNR".
I understand you're not trying to start a second session, but thought I'd mention it anyway. I never did the whole debug thing as I read somewhere it was a known issue with xfce4-session at the time. I'll be watching this to hopefully learn a bit more. I've given Linux and computers a break to do more real life stuff, and not tried running a second session in ages, so not even sure its all still relevant.
I use startx, and have "exec startxfce4" last in .xinitrc

Could the issue possibly be dbus - xfce4-session related?
EDIT to add:
Still works. I put the command in a script in ~/bin
$ ps -e|grep xfce4-session
 4738 tty2     00:00:00 xfce4-session
11201 tty1     00:00:04 xfce4-session

Thanks for the suggestion! I played around a bit using dbus-run-session. Not much luck unfortunately, but I think you are right that these problems are related and that dbus is at the centre of it. I think I will delve a little bit deeper into dbus once time permits, since I gotta admit that I know little of it (other than it being for IPC). I'll also try out Seth's excellent suggestion for further troubleshooting. Hopefully I can figure out something!

Last edited by baconslave (2017-10-06 20:06:02)

NuSkool · 2017-10-06 21:09:59

Have you considered your issues also sound like possibly a failed, saved session.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/xf … on_failure

Last edited by NuSkool (2017-10-06 21:10:36)

subwaypassenger · 2017-10-07 11:53:03

Have you installed all the necessary xfce packages? Check pacman -Ss xfce.
Maybe try sddm.
Check .bashrc, .bash_profile, .gtkrc-2.0, .config/gtk-3.0, .config/gtk-2.0.

Arch Linux

#1 2017-09-30 18:39:39

Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#2 2017-09-30 18:49:47

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#3 2017-09-30 19:19:47

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#4 2017-09-30 20:37:07

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#5 2017-09-30 21:01:13

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#6 2017-10-02 16:37:49

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#7 2017-10-02 16:39:50

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#8 2017-10-02 17:59:55

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#9 2017-10-02 19:41:15

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#10 2017-10-02 20:13:00

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#11 2017-10-06 01:48:30

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#12 2017-10-06 20:04:54

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#13 2017-10-06 21:09:59

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

#14 2017-10-07 11:53:03

Re: Fresh XFCE4 session not successfully launching

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