SDDM Black screen with cursor upon system start

Romori · 2025-02-16 11:18:00

Hello, first of all huge apologies for any inconsistencies, incorrect information or incorrect problem solving - I am very new to Linux in general.
I use Arch with Hyprland and HyDE Project dot files. I tried to enforce numlock state to "on" as default for SDDM by adding it into the /etc/sddm.conf.d/*.conf (sddm-hyprland.conf & the_hyde_project.conf in this case). Upon restarting PC SDDM only displays black screen with cursor, typing the password blindly does not do anything. I am able to switch to tty2 and run hyprland from there without any issue.

Config files :
sddm-hyprland.conf :

[Theme]
CursorTheme=Bibata-Modern-Ice
CursorSize=24

[General]
Numlock=on
HaltCommand=/usr/bin/systemctl poweroff
RebootCommand=/usr/bin/systemctl reboot
DisplayServer=wayland
[34m#GreeterEnvironment=QT_WAYLAND_SHELL_INTEGRATION=xdg-shell[0m
GreeterEnvironment=QT_WAYLAND_SHELL_INTEGRATION=layer-shell

[Users]
DefaultPath=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
HideShells=
HideUsers=
uMaximumUid=60513
MinimumUid=1000
RememberLastUser=true
RememberLastSession=true
ReuseSession=true

[Wayland]
[34m# path of wayland compositor to execute when starting the greeter[0m
CompositorCommand=Hyprland -c /usr/share/hyde/sddm/hyprland.conf
EnableHiDPI=true
[34m#SessionCommand=/usr/share/sddm/scripts/wayland-session
#SessionDir=/usr/local/share/wayland-sessions,/usr/share/wayland-sessions
#SessionLogFile=/usr/local/share/sddm/wayland-session.log[0m

[X11]
Enable=false

the_hyde_project :

Relogin=false
Session=
User=

[General]
HaltCommand=/usr/bin/systemctl poweroff
RebootCommand=/usr/bin/systemctl reboot

[Theme]
Current=Corners

[Users]
MaximumUid=60513
MinimumUid=1000

Ungreped journal : https://0x0.st/8Ng7.txt

I'm not entirely sure what could've caused this. There are some core dumps in the journal but they are mostly related to steam, discord etc. which seem unrelated to this. I've also installed Lutris and updated my packages in-between last time SDDM worked and reboot.

Thank you in advance for any help in this matter.

Last edited by Romori (2025-02-16 17:59:37)

seth · 2025-02-16 15:33:52

Please use [code][/code] tags. Edit your post in this regard.

x-ref, tail of https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=303381
But your greeter starts, howver

Feb 16 10:24:32 archlinux sddm[714]: Loading theme configuration from "/usr/share/sddm/themes/Corners/theme.conf"

Using some custom theme?
Try the default one.

Romori · 2025-02-16 18:55:54

Thank you very much for the tips. I've edited the code part.

I've tried changing the theme to elarun, I've confirmed that that was sourced during startup but the result is still the same, black screen with only cursor.
journal : https://0x0.st/8N0X.txt

I've confirmed that "nvidia_drm.modeset=1" is present in the GRUB config.

seth · 2025-02-16 21:28:21

Feb 16 19:43:14 archlinux sddm[711]: Greeter session started successfully
Feb 16 19:43:14 archlinux sddm-helper-start-wayland[729]: Starting Wayland process "Hyprland -c /usr/share/hyde/sddm/hyprland.conf" "sddm"

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/SDDM#Wayland
You're currently running SDDM on wayland using hyprland as comspositor, probably from "HyDE Project dot files"

What if you don't and run it on X11, does it show up?

Romori · 2025-02-17 15:39:57

Apologies, I'm not entirely sure how to do that. I've found multiple config files for SDDM so far and I'm not sure which one to edit and what to change. (Fully my fault for using HyDE script to install instead of doing it myself and learning...)

This is what I found and what the contents are

/usr/share/hyde/sddm/hyprland.conf :

$CURSOR_THEME=Bibata-Modern-Ice
$CURSOR_SIZE=24


misc {
    disable_hyprland_logo = true
    disable_splash_rendering = true
    force_default_wallpaper = 0
    initial_workspace_tracking=1
}

input {
    numlock_by_default = true
    kb_layout = us,de,es
}

cursor {
    no_warps = 1
    no_hardware_cursors = 1
}

# This rules only apply when using xdg-shell https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/SDDM#Wayland
windowrulev2 = workspace emptym,fullscreen, stayfocused, decorate 0, noanim, noborder, nodim, norounding, noshadow, class:^(sddm-greeter)$

# hyprlang noerror true
# source a file relative to the current configuration file
source = ./hyprprefs.conf # Manually create and edit this file
# source from a sddm.conf.d directory
source = /etc/sddm.conf.d/hypr/hyprland.conf # Manually create and edit this file

# hyprlang noerror false

# ! Known issue: The cursor theme and size are not working
exec-once = hyprctl setcursor $CURSOR_THEME $CURSOR_SIZE
env = HYPRCURSOR_THEME,$CURSOR_THEME
env = HYPRCURSOR_SIZE,$CURSOR_SIZE

# KB Layout switcher
$cmd.switch = hyprctl switchxkblayout all next -q
$cmd.check = $(hyprctl -j devices | jq '.keyboards' | jq '.[] | select (.main == true)' | awk -F '"' '{if ($2=="active_keymap") print $4}')
$cmd.notify = hyprctl notify "1 9000 rgba(1,1,1,1)  Keyboard: $cmd.check"
$cmd.kb_switcher = $cmd.switch && $cmd.notify
bind = SUPER, K, exec, $cmd.kb_switcher

/etc/sddm.conf.d/sddm-hyprland.conf

# Run SDDM Wayland over Hyprland  compositor

[Theme]
CursorTheme=Bibata-Modern-Ice
CursorSize=24

[General]
Numlock=on
HaltCommand=/usr/bin/systemctl poweroff
RebootCommand=/usr/bin/systemctl reboot
DisplayServer=wayland
#GreeterEnvironment=QT_WAYLAND_SHELL_INTEGRATION=xdg-shell
GreeterEnvironment=QT_WAYLAND_SHELL_INTEGRATION=layer-shell

[Users]
DefaultPath=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
HideShells=
HideUsers=
uMaximumUid=60513
MinimumUid=1000
RememberLastUser=true
RememberLastSession=true
ReuseSession=true

[Wayland]
# path of wayland compositor to execute when starting the greeter
CompositorCommand=Hyprland -c /usr/share/hyde/sddm/hyprland.conf
EnableHiDPI=true
#SessionCommand=/usr/share/sddm/scripts/wayland-session
#SessionDir=/usr/local/share/wayland-sessions,/usr/share/wayland-sessions
#SessionLogFile=/usr/local/share/sddm/wayland-session.log

[X11]
Enable=false

/etc/sddm.conf.d/the_hyde_project.conf

[Autologin]
Relogin=false
Session=
User=

[General]
HaltCommand=/usr/bin/systemctl poweroff
RebootCommand=/usr/bin/systemctl reboot

[Theme]
Current=Corners

[Users]
MaximumUid=60513
MinimumUid=1000

I tried to change the /etc/sddm.conf.d/sddm-hyprland.conf and enable X11 in there by changing false to true but the result is the same. I didn't comment out the Wayland commands above it so that might be the case.

seth · 2025-02-17 15:47:50

Fully my fault for using HyDE script to install instead of doing it myself and learning...

Yes, so we'll do that now.
The linked wiki article describes how to make sddm use wayland, it lists a couple of config entries - do you see those keys in any of the files you posted?

Since adding them will make SDDM use wayland, what do you suspect wil commenting them do?

Romori · 2025-02-17 15:57:01

I am deeply sorry for my stupidity and ignorance... It worked. X11 loads SDDM flawlessly and allows me to login. Thank you very much for the help.

Now to find out what is causing Wayland to not work. I wonder why would the script use Wayland anyway?

seth · 2025-02-17 16:02:56

You'll have to ask its author but there seems a general preference for hyprland.

You could try to use a different wayland compositor, eg. weston.

Also you're neither stupid nor ignorant, just trying to get away with a little laziness.
Trying is ok as long as you turn around when touching a wall instead of jamming your head into it

Arch Linux

#1 2025-02-16 11:18:00

SDDM Black screen with cursor upon system start

#2 2025-02-16 15:33:52

Re: SDDM Black screen with cursor upon system start

#3 2025-02-16 18:55:54

Re: SDDM Black screen with cursor upon system start

#4 2025-02-16 21:28:21

Re: SDDM Black screen with cursor upon system start

#5 2025-02-17 15:39:57

Re: SDDM Black screen with cursor upon system start

#6 2025-02-17 15:47:50

Re: SDDM Black screen with cursor upon system start

#7 2025-02-17 15:57:01

Re: SDDM Black screen with cursor upon system start

#8 2025-02-17 16:02:56

Re: SDDM Black screen with cursor upon system start

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