Arch Linux

Grelaric

Member

Registered: 2018-01-13

Posts: 7

sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

Hey guys,

I'm new to Arch Linux (I've been using Linux Mint and Ubuntu before) and I'm currently trying to get the Plasma 5 desktop with sddm running.
I know that there are loads of topics about it already but nothing seems to help me.

When I installed plasma and sdde it always started with a black screen and cursor only (no matter if sddm or plasma directly using startx).
So I've been reinstalling the nvidia driver and I'm able to start plasma using startx now. Sddm on the other hand now shows just a black screen
without a cursor anymore.

My

/etc/sddm.conf

looks like this:

[Autologin]
Relogin=false
Session=plasma.desktop
User=pascal

[General]
HaltCommand=
RebootCommand=

[Theme]
Current=breeze
CursorTheme=breeze_cursors

[Users]
MaximumUid=65000
MinimumUid=1000

And

journalctl -b --unit=sddm.service

gives me the following output:

Jan 13 11:04:15 dev systemd[1]: Started Simple Desktop Display Manager.
Jan 13 11:04:15 dev sddm[855]: Initializing...
Jan 13 11:04:15 dev sddm[855]: Logind interface found
Jan 13 11:04:15 dev sddm[855]: Starting...
Jan 13 11:04:15 dev sddm[855]: Adding new display on vt 1 ...
Jan 13 11:04:15 dev sddm[855]: Loading theme configuration from ""
Jan 13 11:04:15 dev sddm[855]: Display server starting...
Jan 13 11:04:15 dev sddm[855]: Running: /usr/bin/X -nolisten tcp -auth /var/run/sddm/{af3bc692-6770-441f-9c28-
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm[855]: Setting default cursor
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm[855]: Running display setup script  "/usr/share/sddm/scripts/Xsetup"
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm[855]: Display server started.
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm[855]: Socket server starting...
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm[855]: Socket server started.
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm[855]: Loading theme configuration from ""
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm[855]: Greeter starting...
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm[855]: Adding cookie to "/var/run/sddm/{af3bc692-6770-441f-9c28-2eb05f1d0ede}"
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm-helper[869]: [PAM] Starting...
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm-helper[869]: [PAM] Authenticating...
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm-helper[869]: [PAM] returning.
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm-helper[869]: pam_unix(sddm-greeter:session): session opened for user sddm by (uid=0)
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm[855]: Greeter session started successfully
Jan 13 11:04:18 dev sddm[855]: Message received from greeter: Connect

Edit: It does start with Auto Login but when I remove this option I just get the black screen.

Last edited by Grelaric (2018-01-13 10:45:24)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 21,723

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

Which of the loads of other topics did you look at? One of the most prevalent fixes is to add your graphics driver modules to your mkinitcpio.conf so that they are guaranteed to be present before SDDM loads, did you do that? See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ke … _KMS_start

Grelaric

Member

Registered: 2018-01-13

Posts: 7

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

Which of the loads of other topics did you look at? One of the most prevalent fixes is to add your graphics driver modules to your mkinitcpio.conf so that they are guaranteed to be present before SDDM loads, did you do that? See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ke … _KMS_start

Thanks for your response. Yes I've tried it but it still didn't help I also get just a black screen when I start it manually by

systemctl start sddm

.

loqs

Member

Registered: 2014-03-06

Posts: 17,369

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

Please post your system's Xorg.log from a run of startx and ~/.xinitrc. See Xorg#General for the location of Xorg.log.

Grelaric

Member

Registered: 2018-01-13

Posts: 7

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

Please post your system's Xorg.log from a run of startx and ~/.xinitrc. See Xorg#General for the location of Xorg.log.

The Xorg.log looks like this

X.Org X Server 1.19.6
Release Date: 2017-12-20
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 4.9.71-1-lts x86_64 
Current Operating System: Linux dev 4.14.13-1-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Jan 10 11:14:50 UTC 2018 x86_64
Kernel command line: initrd=\initramfs-linux.img root=LABEL=ARCH rw
Build Date: 25 December 2017  02:02:38PM
 
Current version of pixman: 0.34.0
	Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
	to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
	(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
	(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Sat Jan 13 14:30:56 2018
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
startkde: Starting up...
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/akonadiconsole.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/akregator.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/disable_kmix.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/fonts_akregator.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/fonts_global.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/fonts_global_toolbar.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/fonts_kate.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/gtkbreeze5.5.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/importwizard.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kaddressbook.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kalarm.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/katomic-levelset.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kcalcrc.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kde4breeze.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kget.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kgthemeprovider-migration.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kleopatra.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/klickety.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kmail.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kmail2.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/knavalbattle.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/knotes.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kontact.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/korganizer.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/krdb_libpathwipe.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/krunnerplugins.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/kscreenlocker.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/messageviewer.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/okular.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/pimsettingexporter.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/sieveeditor.upd' for new updates
2018-01-13T14:30:57 Checking update-file '/usr/share/kconf_update/webengineurlinterceptoradblock.upd' for new updates
Service started, version: 7.0.0
randr: falling back to unsynchronized pixmap sharing
OpenGL vendor string:                   NVIDIA Corporation
OpenGL renderer string:                 GeForce GTX 1060/PCIe/SSE2
OpenGL version string:                  4.6.0 NVIDIA 387.34
OpenGL shading language version string: 4.60 NVIDIA
Driver:                                 NVIDIA
Driver version:                         387.34
GPU class:                              Unknown
OpenGL version:                         4.6
GLSL version:                           4.60
X server version:                       1.19.6
Linux kernel version:                   4.14.13
Requires strict binding:                no
GLSL shaders:                           yes
Texture NPOT support:                   yes
Virtual Machine:                        no

And my ~/.xinitrc like this

#!/bin/sh

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
sysresources=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xresources
sysmodmap=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap

# merge in defaults and keymaps

if [ -f $sysresources ]; then
    xrdb -merge $sysresources
fi

if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
    xmodmap $sysmodmap
fi

if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then
    xrdb -merge "$userresources"
fi

if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
    xmodmap "$usermodmap"
fi

# start some nice programs

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
 for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
  [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
 done
 unset f
fi

#twm &
#xclock -geometry 50x50-1+1 &
#xterm -geometry 80x50+494+51 &
#xterm -geometry 80x20+494-0 &
#exec xterm -geometry 80x66+0+0 -name login

exec startkde

loqs

Member

Registered: 2014-03-06

Posts: 17,369

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

The xorg.log seems to be partially overwritten starting from

startkde: Starting up...

This was the contents of /var/log/Xorg.0.log not a capture of the output of startx?

Grelaric

Member

Registered: 2018-01-13

Posts: 7

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

The xorg.log seems to be partially overwritten starting from

startkde: Starting up...

This was the contents of /var/log/Xorg.0.log not a capture of the output of startx?

It's the log I get from this command:

exec startx -- -keeptty > ~/.xorg.log 2>&1

I've uploaded the content of /var/log/Xorg.0.log to pastebin, I hope that's okay. You can find it here: https://pastebin.com/9q2Mu6dn

Sorry I'm very new to that. And thank you for your help!

loqs

Member

Registered: 2014-03-06

Posts: 17,369

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

Which GPU is the display attached to?
The following should probably be addressed later

[    73.950] (EE) BUG: triggered 'if (priv->num_active_touches == 0)'
[    73.950] (EE) BUG: synaptics.c:2955 in UpdateTouchState()
[    73.950] (EE)
[    73.950] (EE) Backtrace:
[    73.956] (EE) 0: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/synaptics_drv.so (_init+0x242c) [0x7f8e134211cc]
[    73.956] (EE) 1: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/synaptics_drv.so (_init+0x431a) [0x7f8e13425aaa]
[    73.956] (EE) 2: /usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg (input_unlock+0x293) [0x562e5752f6a3]
[    73.956] (EE) 3: /usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg (OsCleanup+0x621) [0x562e575320d1]
[    73.957] (EE) 4: /usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg (input_unlock+0xde) [0x562e5752f29e]
[    73.957] (EE) 5: /usr/lib/libpthread.so.0 (start_thread+0xdc) [0x7f8e2055108c]
[    73.957] (EE) 6: /usr/lib/libc.so.6 (clone+0x3f) [0x7f8e20288e58]
[    73.957] (EE)

Edit:
If you installed xterm and change ~/xinitrc so the exec line that is uncommented is the one for xterm instead of startkde does an undecorated terminal appear?

Last edited by loqs (2018-01-13 16:38:29)

Grelaric

Member

Registered: 2018-01-13

Posts: 7

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

Which GPU is the display attached to?
The following should probably be addressed later

[    73.950] (EE) BUG: triggered 'if (priv->num_active_touches == 0)'
[    73.950] (EE) BUG: synaptics.c:2955 in UpdateTouchState()
[    73.950] (EE)
[    73.950] (EE) Backtrace:
[    73.956] (EE) 0: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/synaptics_drv.so (_init+0x242c) [0x7f8e134211cc]
[    73.956] (EE) 1: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/synaptics_drv.so (_init+0x431a) [0x7f8e13425aaa]
[    73.956] (EE) 2: /usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg (input_unlock+0x293) [0x562e5752f6a3]
[    73.956] (EE) 3: /usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg (OsCleanup+0x621) [0x562e575320d1]
[    73.957] (EE) 4: /usr/lib/xorg-server/Xorg (input_unlock+0xde) [0x562e5752f29e]
[    73.957] (EE) 5: /usr/lib/libpthread.so.0 (start_thread+0xdc) [0x7f8e2055108c]
[    73.957] (EE) 6: /usr/lib/libc.so.6 (clone+0x3f) [0x7f8e20288e58]
[    73.957] (EE)

Edit:
If you installed xterm and change ~/xinitrc so the exec line that is uncommented is the one for xterm instead of startkde does an undecorated terminal appear?

Screenfetch shows me GeForce GTX 1060 as GPU but I'm not sure if that's what you meant.

And when I use startx with the following ~/.xinitrc file I just get a black screen and no terminal.

#!/bin/sh

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
sysresources=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xresources
sysmodmap=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap

# merge in defaults and keymaps

if [ -f $sysresources ]; then
    xrdb -merge $sysresources
fi

if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
    xmodmap $sysmodmap
fi

if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then
    xrdb -merge "$userresources"
fi

if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
    xmodmap "$usermodmap"
fi

# start some nice programs

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
 for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
  [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
 done
 unset f
fi

twm &
xclock -geometry 50x50-1+1 &
xterm -geometry 80x50+494+51 &
xterm -geometry 80x20+494-0 &
exec xterm -geometry 80x66+0+0 -name login

#exec startkde

Edit: Do I have to do something about the synaptics bug you mentioned?

Last edited by Grelaric (2018-01-14 10:54:15)

loqs

Member

Registered: 2014-03-06

Posts: 17,369

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

[    67.230] (II) xfree86: Adding drm device (/dev/dri/card0)
[    67.231] (II) systemd-logind: got fd for /dev/dri/card0 226:0 fd 11 paused 0
[    67.231] (II) xfree86: Adding drm device (/dev/dri/card1)
[    67.232] (II) systemd-logind: got fd for /dev/dri/card1 226:1 fd 12 paused 0
....
[    67.238] (II) Applying OutputClass "nvidia" to /dev/dri/card0
[    67.238]    loading driver: nvidia
[    67.238] (II) Applying OutputClass "intel" to /dev/dri/card1
[    67.238]    loading driver: modesetting

That appears to show X detecting two GPU's the 1060 and an integrated Intel GPU so I was wondering if the display was connected to the Intel GPU or the 1060.
For the test I meant just uncomment the exec line for xterm and comment the exec line for startkde so that segment would be as beloe

#twm &
#xclock -geometry 50x50-1+1 &
#xterm -geometry 80x50+494+51 &
#xterm -geometry 80x20+494-0 &
exec xterm -geometry 80x66+0+0 -name login

#exec startkde

I doubt it will make any difference having the others uncommented.

Grelaric

Member

Registered: 2018-01-13

Posts: 7

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

I didn't know that there is an integrated Intel GPU inside.

Yeah it just shows a black screen with only that line too.

loqs

Member

Registered: 2014-03-06

Posts: 17,369

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

So the display is connected to the discrete card and not a connector on the motherboard is what I was checking.

Grelaric

Member

Registered: 2018-01-13

Posts: 7

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

I also tried the test mode for the sddm greeter and it worked without any issues, but for some reason I can't get it to work on start up

sddm-greeter --test-mode --theme /usr/share/sddm/themes/breeze

That's my terminal output when I run the above command, maybe there's something helpful in it.

[12:29:22.051] (II) GREETER: High-DPI autoscaling not Enabled
[12:29:22.092] (II) GREETER: Loading theme configuration from "/usr/share/sddm/themes/breeze/theme.conf"
[12:29:22.092] (II) GREETER: Reading from "/usr/share/xsessions/plasma.desktop"
[12:29:22.092] (WW) GREETER: inotify_add_watch("/usr/share/wayland-sessions") failed: "No such file or directory"
[12:29:22.092] (EE) GREETER: Socket error:  "QLocalSocket::connectToServer: Invalid name"
[12:29:22.164] (II) GREETER: Loading file:///usr/share/sddm/themes/breeze/Main.qml...
[12:29:22.264] (WW) GREETER: Empty filename passed to function
[12:29:22.265] (WW) GREETER: Empty filename passed to function
[12:29:22.275] (WW) GREETER: file:///usr/share/sddm/themes/breeze/components/VirtualKeyboard.qml:20:1: module "QtQuick.VirtualKeyboard" is not installed
[12:29:22.290] (II) GREETER: Adding view for "eDP-1-1" QRect(0,0 1920x1080)
Xlib:  extension "NV-GLX" missing on display ":1".

Edit: What I just realized is that when I wake up my Notebook from Standby the sddm screen.

Last edited by Grelaric (2018-01-14 12:05:29)

FirstAirBender

Member

Registered: 2019-09-13

Posts: 15

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

See my answer here: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 8#p1922878

If you have Nvidia graphics, you need to follow the arch wiki guide to make SDDM work.

Took me a couple hours of searching to finally find that little gem

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 21,723

Re: sddm gives me only a black screen when starting

Please refrain from necroposting multi-year old threads to provide them with the solution that was already given when the thread was actually recent.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Co … bumping%22

Closing this old thread.