Discrepancies Showing Up in Startup and Shutdown

[capt-zero]

I've been running Kubuntu 12.04 32 bit on this system for three or four months now without any problems, but recently a few minor? problems have started to show up. Namely, whenever I start up or shut down I'm getting new screens. At startup after the Grub and Plymouth screens my screen goes to text and asks for my login details. After entering, it resumes normal startup and goes to the login screen. It is disconcerting to have to login twice, but otherwise a minor inconvience. When I try to shutdown, instead of the normal shutdown, I get a couple of screens of text and then it goes to a new screen with a small gui display asking if I want to logout. After clicking Yes, the it resumes normal shut down. I do remember seeing TTY in this small menu (it doesn't happen all the time). Also, problems I've mentioned here before, playing flash videos on PBS, have cropped up at the same time. Once again, no problems running flash on any other location (Youtube, Daily Motion, Metacafe, ect). I've run all the options available in the standard recovery mode, without any effect. Does the normal Kubuntu installation degrade after a while? The last time similar problems occurred, the only thing that worked was a new installation, which I would like to avoid.

The system is a Dell Inspiron 531 Dual core with 4gigs ram,running at 2 ghz, dual booting with Windows Xp Home SP3. Two Hdds, Windows on a 160 gig sata and Kubuntu on a 80 gig sata.

[NickStone]

Can you detail what you did to your system just before these problems started. It could be something to do with an update/upgrade that has caused the issue or a new installation of a package. Without further details we cannot really help you.

[capt-zero]

That's really all the information I can give. I always do a : "sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade" every day when I begin on my computer. About three weeks ago, well before this started, I upgraded my Nividia driver to 302.4(?) I think, but it ran smoothly for quite a while before these issues began. And there are no symptoms of graphics disorders elsewhere. Other than that, no real changes and no new packages I knowingly downloaded. I suppose what I was hoping for was something similar to the 'repair broken packages' option available in the recovery mode, only more in depth, that could check the installation for errors.

thanx,
capt-zero

[oshunluvr]

I would guess the two issues are unrelated - that is to say the flash problem is not related to the log-in log-out problem.

FLASH: Post a link that works for you and the one that doesn't so others can compare. Also list the browser(s) you are using and any configuration or add-ons you've installed including themes.

LOG IN/OUT: List your Startup and Shutdown options and Log In Screen options. Sounds like a permission problem or some other rogue setting has been envoked. Have you installed and activated any themes for plymouth or kdm? If so, remove them and test to see if normal operation resumes.

[oshunluvr]

Also, lets have a look at /var/log/auth.log and kdm.log

[SecretCode]

At startup after the Grub and Plymouth screens my screen goes to text and asks for my login details. After entering, it resumes normal startup and goes to the login screen. It is disconcerting to have to login twice, but otherwise a minor inconvience. When I try to shutdown, instead of the normal shutdown, I get a couple of screens of text and then it goes to a new screen with a small gui display asking if I want to logout. After clicking Yes, the it resumes normal shut down.

Those sound like the console (tty) sessions that are automatically started independently of the GUI. Once booted, Ctrl-Alt-F1 (-F2, -F3, etc up to -F6) will take you to them, and Ctrl-Alt-F7 will go back to the GUI.

It might just be a timing issue. If you leave the text login for a while without logging in, does the Kubuntu login screen eventually appear? Or is it blocking?

Sounds like a permission problem

That's a thought. @capt-zero, do you have files in your home director owned by root? (Can occur if you run graphics apps via sudo instead of kdesudo.)

find ~/.kde -not -user yourname

[capt-zero]

Hi. Just wanted to mention, I wasn't ignoring anyone. I got called away unexpectedly for the weekend and just got back. I appreciate everyones input on this. Decided while I was gone to just reinstall and everythings back to normal. Not sure what all happened, but that's the second time I've had a 12.04 installation deteriorate on me and with the same symptoms. First I lose flash on PBS, then a slow buildup of dysfunction of the startup/shutdown. Has anyone else ever heard of this occurring?