Fresh install of 18.04 & can't log into GUI?

Support & Help Requests
1

Folks:

Just did a fresh install of U-MATE 18.04 of a daily and all seemed to go well on the install, no errors or installer crash . . . and on restart the MATE log in window opens and typing my password brings a “black screen” with a blinking cursor upper left, and then it flashes back to the log in window . . . repeat the process brings again the empty password box. Moving to a TTY I can log in and run update/upgrade and on reboot, problem remains. I booted into the recovery menu and tried a couple of items, nothing seems to have fixed the problem.

This is in a multi-boot situation, and in the past I recall there was some issues with failing to log in via GUI that related to the display manager, not sure if that is the issue, as the features of the log in window work, shut down, or restart works, etc. I have done quite a few installs of various linux systems over the last few years and haven’t run into problems until I tried a recent install of Debian Stretch, and after the install I had this same issue . . . I posted a question on a debian forum and got the usual terse replies, one of them mentioning “firmware-amd-graphics” and another one asking if I had “formatted any partitions” when I did my install, which more or less obviously partitions get “formatted” whenever doing an install. In the debian install I did bother to format the swap, and that seemed to change the UUID numbers of the swap partitions, and after that my OpenSUSE installs took several minutes to boot up, rather than several seconds.

So Looking for an easy fix I tested GParted in one of the installs to give the swap a “new UUID” . . . thus further complicating the situation. After that I did a fresh install of Lubuntu 18.04, hoping that that would “re-organize” the deal, and it did bring Lubuntu up to the top of the auto-boot grub list, but the other installs still take a loong time to get to the log in window. I tried to get “firmware-amd-graphics” installed in debian, and that “failed” . . . and so I “cleaned” it from the system, hoping that would bring everyone back into the “harmony” that it seemed debian had broken . . . no such luck.

Yesterday I retrieved the U-MATE 18.04 iso and burned it to dvd and it looked very amusing, so I thought what the heck, what’s another install and ran the install this morning. And as usual I picked “something else” because I have a partition for filesystem and a shared partition for the linux home folders, and so I “formatted” the “/” partition, and I just flagged the home partition, naming it with a user name that I have used in other defunct installs, to piggyback onto the data that is already there, but I pointedly did not flag or format the swap, and when I hit “install now” the next window showed three partitions to be “formatted,” the filesystem and two for the two swaps I have between two int HDs. Rather than “go back” I “moved forward” . . . and ran the install. In the recent Lubuntu install, the installer “crashed” when it got to the “grub2 install” . . . but the U-MATE installer had no apparent problems . . . but, now won’t log into GUI???

One of the debian guys who asked about the formatting said that if the UUID numbers for swap are different that they would have to be edited in “fstab” . . . I tried to look into that, but in OpenSUSE they don’t have “etc/fstab” as folder or directory . . . so possibly there is some “conflict” between the ubuntu flavors and the OpenSUSE flavors? Right now the U-MATE 18.04 install is the fresh new squeeze and that would be the one that I would want to play with, it’s top hit in grub for now and should auto-load until the next upgrade on the OSX side . . . but, why would a fresh install that formatted the swap at least not load the freshly installed system ? I could perhaps understand if it messed with the other installs, but everything worked well for itself? I am confused and require assistance or insight or suggestions/details to get it straightened . . . .

TIA
n_s

2

Hi @non_space,

I would do it again using the “Something else method”:

Install Ubuntu (Mate) using "Something else" method :smiley:

3

@wolfman:

OK, thanks for the reply and link to tutorial–but that is more or less what I did . . . the “something else” method, essentially as you described it in your tutorial . . . . From what the tutorial said, one possible issue is the reuse of a home user name folder that has been used in a couple of installs, and it worked fine until the debian install–it previously was in fact a U-MATE 16.04 folder . . . .

Of course it doesn’t take too long to run an install, and a new user name/folder, but there is some data in the various directories that now could only be accessed by being re-attached to a file system . . . but, question is how would doing it again get the installer passed this GUI log in issue?

I saw the info on the suggestion on post-install to restart into recovery right away and run dpkg, which I didn’t do until the second reboot, but the you must use ctl-alt-del keys or the whole thing will explode is somewhat problematic . . . doesn’t the installer run that command toward the end of its process?

I have done quite a number of system installs and there have been these special instructions for successful installs over the years . . . but usually if the install “fails” nothing boots up, no log in window with the various capacities . . . here the install appeared to go well, no error reports . . . but no logging into GUI.

n_s

4

Hi @non_space,

I can only really say to run “dpkg” and hope updates will fix the problem, other than that, do a complete fresh install wiping the drive and start afresh!. Do you have all your data backed-up?, if so, go for it!. :smiley:

5

wolfman
http://links.ubuntu-mate.community/wf/click?upn=KpA0bi-2BkZhBb1Bz6rWwl2vkp9WkK8C78oJcDRCkn-2FFXplxbyR-2B8GfXRcXGl16cBT_u3qLstk03BSHOCpEEC-2F9jWU3sa4qE0oJiIWEVqo0YoRFcz3bdZuK0-2BLkOXWqvPKkR3z2HpysNEMaVvLlG1zAi2zvXoqN-2BYo09hvw9iDi3FhJRNPUP-2BjLD3zmkRWRP8mRtang7JuH3dym7rSm1S0B9LDEc-2BCmytd1gg3-2B-2BymOYHrfU7lqbT1b4RHJgX5HDppyJe9xopbrqB5SU1zZ82VRnufyNf268usAqtXKHbxWL-2BA-3D
Leader
March 30

Hi @non_space
http://links.ubuntu-mate.community/wf/click?upn=KpA0bi-2BkZhBb1Bz6rWwl2vkp9WkK8C78oJcDRCkn-2FFVadAQl-2Ffjv69qopAC3RP3Z_u3qLstk03BSHOCpEEC-2F9jWU3sa4qE0oJiIWEVqo0YoRFcz3bdZuK0-2BLkOXWqvPKkzw-2BgnBOJZ0XI8GJ2QpBBO5Gu-2BYO-2FYxfDdXKyMswg7pP3okFAAUEc3nVyXFUrfCQGt7m7LZ1hunPYxOz-2BQ8vG5w7PqznZ9VpWWPvvkg1mEsMGlzd0xoRmMqIIDQ9rx7hlAP5OxeOnr6t7Gu1hqiIffpFJGnATzcWyf-2FknJZyTN8c-3D
,

I can only really say to run "dpkg" and hope updates will fix the problem,
other than that, do a complete fresh install wiping the drive and start
afresh!. Do you have all your data backed-up?, if so, go for it!. [image:
:smiley:]

@wolfman:

OK, thanks again for the thoughts, I'll check into trying to "-f install"
and/or using "dpkg" and /or trying to upgrade around the problem . . . . I
didn't run "sudo dpkg" in the recent debian endeavor that had the similar
outcome, but I did try running update/upgrade and that didn't get me out of
it. And, nope, no back-up, the data is more or less "expendable" . . .
but, nice thing about doing this with another system previously is that
FireFox was all "synced" when I launched the browser . . . we were "off to
the races" without doing a bunch of revival efforts . . . .

Anyway, if playing with TTY doesn't work out a fresh install doesn't take
too long . . . I'll post back with any developments . . . .

n_s

6

Anyway, if playing with TTY doesn't work out a fresh install doesn't take
too long . . . I'll post back with any developments . . . .

n_s

Well, I ran the install again, this time I selected "Install Ubuntu now"
from the EFI boot of the DVD and ran it again, following the instructions
up until I rebooted into Recovery, and I hooked up the network and ran
"dpkg" and it showed a bunch of updates and I tapped "y" and it scrolled
down through a list of items it was supposedly "retrieving" and under many
of them it said "failed to fetch" instead of showing the "5 minutes" to
download that it said it was going to take . . . took a couple seconds. So
I ctrl+alt+deleted out of the recovery . . . and tried to log in . . .
failure.

Jumped back into the TTY and ran upgrade and it again showed the "75
packages to download" . . . so I did that, and it took the 5 mins to do it
. . . and then I "shutdown -r now" to reboot back into the GUI . . .
failure, again.

Took a break for a couple hours, started up the MATE system and TTYed a
"install lxde" to try another DE . . . and, again logging into the "lxde
session" . . . failed.

I may try to add another user to see if that will get me around the
piggybacking onto an olde home folder . . . but I'm thinking that will also
"fail" and that possibly the daily I downloaded has something that isn't
"working" to get me into the GUI??

Right now I'm typing this in a Lu 18.04 install, one that I also
piggybacked onto another user folder in the larger partition I use for the
/home folder . . . and that install is working in this computer just fine.
Once I get a moment to figure out how to add a user via TTY I'll give that
a try; before going on to a zsync of a new daily . . . .

n_s

7

If you have nothing to lose, wipe the entire drive and do a complete fresh install, it may be that the old folders are your problem but I really cannot say!. :smiley:

8

@wolfman:

HaHa, that sounds like the kind of advice that the apple “genius” folks
would advise . . . . As mentioned, ran the second fresh install, added the
DE, and then I checked whether the /home folder would show up in console .
. . and it did, so the /home folder is being accessed. My conclusion is
there is some kind of problem with the installer or the way the installer
is installing the system and I filed a bug report on launchpad.

Next step will be to wipe the partition again, download a fresh zsync
and try it again . . . in the next few days . . . . The bug report asked
for an “apport-collect” which I will try to do later today . . . .

n_s

1 Like
9

Hi @non_space,

I wished I worked for Crapple, loads a money!. :smiley:

Keep us posted please. :smiley:

10

@wolfman:

With you on the “if only I had gone for the money path in life” and turned
my efforts to being a commercial product . . . worthy of large sums of
money being brought to me in corporate wheel barrows, etc.

So, I downloaded a fresh daily yesterday, wiped the partition and tried for
the piggyback on the /home again . . . and that “third time” failed to
provide a GUI. Next step will be to try again with a fresh /home user name
. . . and that will be the extend of it for awhile on the 18.04 testing.
Back over in Lu 18.04 typing this from a piggybacked /home, so it shouldn’t
be an issue . . . but seemikngly is???

While I was testing the live DVD I logged out of the session, trying to
exit the session, but rather than reboot it just logged out, and then I
thought I had something when it wouldn’t except “linux” as the universal
live session username . . . so I searched google for the username and found
a ubuntu forum thread where the complaint was this same complaint . . . OP
couldn’t log into a ubuntu-mate GUI as it “wasn’t accepting his password” .
. . . So, that did confirm my thought that this isn’t a new issue, but an
olde one . . . for some users.

On another front, trying to follow your instructions to reboot into
“recovery” mode showed “problems” in the recovery menu, trying to “load
network” on the first try brought the opening “dpkg” sequence of showing
the various functions it was loading, but then it stuck/froze on the
flashing cursor for several minutes . . . had to shut down with power
button, rebooted, skipped the “network” option, tried “dpgk” . . . it found
“19” packages to download, but “failed to fetch” them (no surprise) . . .
something else happened so I again had to shut down with button . . .
rebooted into TTY and ran the upgrade . . . did not solve the GUI log in
problem.

It’s interesting how the “live” session booted up shows none of these
problems, most all the apps seem to work and the GUI has lots of features,
but the install isn’t working, and then under the hood seems to be “messy”
. . . like none of the previous distro’s have been included . . . and a
“recovery” mode that doesn’t “recover” . . . .

Post back when I’ve tried again . . . .

n_s

11

Hi @non_space,

how old is your HDD, that might be the problem?, there may be damaged sectors on the drive but I can’t say for sure!. :smiley:

12

@wolfman:

Computer is “'12” . . . so not that old . . . and the linux partitions are “later” in the drive . . . and the Lu 18.04 install is on the same drive.

In the meanwhile, got a post back on the bug report from a canonical email address asking me to check the daily from today, so I will do that and see how that works . . . takes awhile to get big files downloaded, so it’ll probably be tonight or tomorrow before I have anything to update . . . .

n_s

13

Hi @non_space,

out of interest, what format are you using for the partitions?, I use EXT4 which is the standard, are you using something else?. :smiley:

14

@wolfman:

Yep, I always use ext4, but I also followed your tutorial and generally the
steps are being followed. Yesterday, taking the advice of the canonical
guy I zsync’d the daily from yesterday, after trying to update/upgrade out
of the problem, burned it again to DVD and ran the install . . . bringing
me back to the problem once again.

Trying your recovery gambit, didn’t seem to fix anything and seem to lead
into more problems with failing to complete the networking connection and
failing to then retrieve packages via dpkg . . . ran several TTY sessions
after the install, logging into TTY and running update/upgrade . . . all
have failed.

After that I found a flashdrive and “burned” the iso to the drive, and
booted it up . . . all seems to go well; the only thing that doesn’t work
is “restart” out of the live session, the DVD or flash seem to be “ejected”
but instead of rebooting the U-MATE splash image remains . . . for several
minutes until I shut it down via PB.

n_s

15

Hi @non_space,

have you since done any updates and have things improved in the meantime?. :smiley:

16

@wolfman:

Thought I had replied to this question, but, yes I have done several TTY updates since I posted, but so far I haven’t been able to log into the GUI . . . . I was hoping for another, “Can you try the latest daily?” from one of the launchpad devs, but since the first time last Monday I haven’t heard anything from them . . . . Waiting for a few more days to go by, the 4 installs is like one more passed “the third time is the charm” . . . . May try again on the TTY update at some point before running a fresh install. So interesting that the live session is very good, no major issues, can log in and out and back in . . . but after the install something is not working properly . . . .

n_s

17

HI @non_space,

a daily build might be the answer, the following link may be of assistance as far as doing a fresh install (again!) goes!:

(See last answer but not relevant to your problem). :smiley:

18

@wolfman:

Appreciate the reply, generally these problems do get fixed over time, the
question is to know the when of it to save time on the
re-re-re-re-re-installs . . . .

I did see some of the posts on the nvidia problems, but in my case I’m
running “radeon” and the live session is perfectly crispy as far as the
video driver goes, and even the log in window functions are rendered
perfectly . . . the only other thing that doesn’t happen is the “restart”
function . . . in both installed and live session, restarting goes to the
MATE splash window and hangs there . . . . Well, I’ll post back if and
when a fresh daily solves the problem . . . looks like a very nice distro
once I can get it working . . . .

n_s

19

@wolfman:

So, finally did get into the GUI . . . “6th time was the charm” . . . did a fresh zsync of the daily yesterday and burned it to flashdrive, ran the install still trying to hook up to old home folder . . . and then shut down. On reboot log in window shows up, but again log in failed . . . rather than wasting more time with update/upgrades I ran another fresh install, but this time I made a new user and after the install I rebooted in to “recovery” . . . tried to “enable network” . . . which “failed/got stuck” so I “ctrl c’d” out of it and the GUI log in window showed up, entered my password and screen went again to black for a couple seconds, then a scrambly desktop image showed up . . . and we were “in” . . . .

So, quite oddly, in a TTY I could access the old/newly re-badged home folder, run updates/upgrades, and see its contents–but logging into the GUI was for some reason “locked”??? Kind of a PITA . . . but, anyway, now typing this in the GUI U-MATE 18.04 . . . jut had to come up with a new user name to get it done.

n_s

1 Like
20

Hi n_s,

great news, glad to hear you are up and running!. :thumbsup: I have marked the thread as solved for you. :smiley: