Log-in Screen repeats in Gutsy

[Qqmike]

In the twilight zone.

At the log-in screen, I type my name and PW, the screen goes black, then up comes Kubuntu blue and the same log-in screen. Is this an exercise in Sartre's No Exit—PC Hell?
BTW, this is my regular, working Kubuntu that I've used all along since it came out; the problem just started tonight.

Wait! There's more!

In a hurry tonight, I simply re-installed Kubuntu 7.10 to the same partition sdb5, **and I kept the same home partition on sdb3 with all my existing folders**. I did not reformat /home (of course), but I did reformat sdb5, root /, as ext3.

I then re-started the PC, booted into the new Kubuntu 7.10 on sdb5, logged in, and guess what: same problem. That tells me that something is messed up in a configuration file located in /home (the “old” home, which I did not change).

Right now, I'm in another Kubuntu 7.10 on sdb6 – no problems here.

Does anyone know the config file I need to mess with or clear it so I can log into Kubuntu on sdb5?

An option is to kill sdb3 /home and start over, but I think it's better to figure out what causes this.
Been at this PC for 14 hours, so I may log off the forum and come back to it in the morning.

[toad]

Re: Log-in Screen repeats in Gutsy

If you can access sdb3 rename ~/.kde to ~/.kde.bak and then try again logging into sdb5 (I take it you did make sure that the fstab loads sdb3 as home, 'cos you did).

[Rog131]

Re: Log-in Screen repeats in Gutsy

Maybe:

0) Partition status (partition full ?)
FAQ: Free Disk Space

With default settings, diskfull
- can kill your system (only one kubuntu partition)
- can kill your desktop (separate / and home)

1) Partition status /disk check (is this ext ? ):

sudo fsck -v -f /dev/sdb5

Unmounted partition !

e2fsck - check a Linux ext2/ext3 file system
-v Verbose mode
-f Force checking even if the file system seems clean.

man fsck, man e2fsck


2) Maybe KDE settings are so damaged that KDE can't start ?
- Renaming .kde folder : Topic: Kubuntu Desktop Issue


3) Maybe logs tell something: LinuxLogFiles

[Qqmike]

Re: Log-in Screen repeats in Gutsy

Thanks for your ideas. I've left this problem in-place as a matter of principle to see if I could find a fix. Right now I'm in another K7.10 in sdb6 (but it's not set up very well yet).

So far, no-go.
I tried renaming the .kde file (twice, once graphical from sdb3 and once as Rog131 said to do (step-by-step) at the virtual console). Also tried re-starting twice.

fsck runs and indicates no problems.

.kde regenerated (I did it twice) and each times resulted in
~/.kde/share/config,
but it's empty.

Same behavior at log-in screen: it keeps repeating, giving me the log-in screen again.
Going back to my computer programming days (way back), it would seem that's a straight, simple looping it's doing, perhaps after just a few “if” checks that fail and return you to the log-in. Seems like it should be near the surface somewhere.

I'll leave it there for now in case something else comes up.
Many thanks for checking in.

(I didn't check any logs yet, but my experience there indicates that if you can understand them, then you don't need them. )

[dibl]

Re: Log-in Screen repeats in Gutsy

Yep, I visited that little "login loop hell" recently myself. Since it's not a full hdd partition problem, I believe that one of the following two processes fixed it:

1. Ctl-Alt-F1 to the CLI, login, and then execute

sudo shutdown now -r

2. Boot recovery mode, at the first pause (where you are the root user) enter

/etc/init.d/kdm start

Then perform a normal shutdown/restart and use your normal boot line.

[Qqmike]

Re: Log-in Screen repeats in Gutsy

Hi dibl, Thanks for what looks like another very good idea, but no-go. I tried twice, from Recovery and from the log-in screen using Ctrl+Alt+F1, restarting, etc. Shucks.


“But hon, I've got sexy pics of your Uncle Binnie in there.”
“Well, Aunt Minnie, until we get this fixed for you, I do presume you have handy a USB flash drive with persistent Live Kubuntu installed bootable?”


To confirm (back a ways):
Nope, the HDD/partition is not full;
and
Yep, sdb3 is set in fstab as /home.

[Fintan]

Re: Log-in Screen repeats in Gutsy

Hey mike just a question and a guess:
Is your second install of gutsy using the same user? for example: /home/mike1?

If not why not copy the relevant files in the ./kde from the second user over to the first?

Or boot into recovery mode on your first gutsy and remove / reinstall kdm and see if that works?

[toad]

Re: Log-in Screen repeats in Gutsy

totally bizarre, never happened to me (not yet, anyways...). how 'bout log files? Wouldn't really know where to look for them though.

have you looked at your dmesg?

[Qqmike]

Re: Log-in Screen repeats in Gutsy

I tried Fintan's two ideas, also, along with re-visiting some of the other ideas.
Again, no-go.

I think that's enough on this one. Besides, I've changed out my home contents on sdb3, and there must be some magic file that is whacked here. I'll reinstall to sdb5, just so I don't feel it's jinxed, and use it or sdb6 as an experimental K710. Thanks for all the good ideas – makes a good reference toolbox for such “display” related problems.

BTW, amidst all the forum activity recently, you guys did catch my new persistent UFD Live Kubuntu, right?

Build a LIVE Kubuntu Flash Drive, How-To
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...089474.new#new

-- with Persistence -- simplified using GRUB all the way (i.e., no Syslinux): Reply #7