Missing theme prevents login after last two Gutsy updates

[Xeno Campanoli]

I've updated my Gutsy Desktop twice in the past couple of days, and each time GDM yields an initial diagnostic popup:

---start---
(red circle white segment error icon)
"There was an error loading the theme debian-moreblue"
"Can't open file /usr/share/gdm/themes/debian-moreblue/debian-moreblue.xml"
<OK>
----snip----

When I hit return to take the <OK> button it then gives me a relative pleasant, if not completely interesting blue page with a sunflower to the lower right. I have no problem with the sunflower page, but obviously the diagnostic popup is abnormal. I've not made any changes in GDM intentionally, so I presume this is a configuration bug with the upgrade.

[Sero (sero4linux)]

I can reproduce the problem with an up-to-date Gutsy install. The problem is there since the last update - GDM was part of this update as the following list from Synaptics history shows:

------------------------------------------------------
Commit Log for Thu Jul 26 11:27:14 2007

Die folgenden Pakete wurden aktualisiert:
app-install-data (0.4.3) to 0.4.3.1
apport (0.92) to 0.93
apport-gtk (0.92) to 0.93
avahi-autoipd (0.6.19-2ubuntu1) to 0.6.20-2ubuntu1
avahi-daemon (0.6.19-2ubuntu1) to 0.6.20-2ubuntu1
compiz (1:0.5.1+git20070712-0ubuntu4) to 1:0.5.1+git20070725-0ubuntu1
compiz-core (1:0.5.1+git20070712-0ubuntu4) to 1:0.5.1+git20070725-0ubuntu1
compiz-fusion-plugins-main (0.0.0+git20070711-0ubuntu2) to 0.0.0+git20070725-0ubuntu1
compiz-gnome (1:0.5.1+git20070712-0ubuntu4) to 1:0.5.1+git20070725-0ubuntu1
compiz-plugins (1:0.5.1+git20070712-0ubuntu4) to 1:0.5.1+git20070725-0ubuntu1
debconf (1.5.13ubuntu1) to 1.5.14
debconf-i18n (1.5.13ubuntu1) to 1.5.14
gdm (2.19.4-0ubuntu1) to 2.19.4-0ubuntu2
gnome-app-install (0.4.2) to 0.4.3
hpijs (2.7.2+1.7.3-0ubuntu3) to 2.7.2+1.7.3-0ubuntu4
hplip (1.7.3-0ubuntu3) to 1.7.3-0ubuntu4
hplip-data (1.7.3-0ubuntu3) to 1.7.3-0ubuntu4
libavahi-client3 (0.6.19-2ubuntu1) to 0.6.20-2ubuntu1
libavahi-common-data (0.6.19-2ubuntu1) to 0.6.20-2ubuntu1
libavahi-common3 (0.6.19-2ubuntu1) to 0.6.20-2ubuntu1
libavahi-compat-howl0 (0.6.19-2ubuntu1) to 0.6.20-2ubuntu1
libavahi-core5 (0.6.19-2ubuntu1) to 0.6.20-2ubuntu1
libavahi-glib1 (0.6.19-2ubuntu1) to 0.6.20-2ubuntu1
libc6 (2.6-3ubuntu1) to 2.6-3ubuntu3
libc6-i686 (2.6-3ubuntu1) to 2.6-3ubuntu3
libcompizconfig0 (0.0+git20070711-0ubuntu3) to 0.0+git20070725-0ubuntu1
libdecoration0 (1:0.5.1+git20070712-0ubuntu4) to 1:0.5.1+git20070725-0ubuntu1
libglib2.0-0 (2.13.7-1ubuntu1) to 2.13.7-1ubuntu3
librsvg2-2 (2.16.1-2) to 2.18.0-1
librsvg2-common (2.16.1-2) to 2.18.0-1
libscim8c2a (1.4.6-1ubuntu3) to 1.4.7-1ubuntu1
libxcomposite1 (1:0.3.2-1) to 1:0.4.0-0ubuntu1
libxinerama1 (2:1.0.1-4build1) to 2:1.0.2-1build1
manpages (2.56-1) to 2.60-1
python-apport (0.92) to 0.93
python-gconf (2.19.1-0ubuntu2) to 2.19.1-0ubuntu3
python-gnome2 (2.19.1-0ubuntu2) to 2.19.1-0ubuntu3
python-gnomecanvas (2.19.1-0ubuntu2) to 2.19.1-0ubuntu3
python-problem-report (0.92) to 0.93
scim (1.4.6-1ubuntu3) to 1.4.7-1ubuntu1
scim-gtk2-immodule (1.4.6-1ubuntu3) to 1.4.7-1ubuntu1
scim-modules-socket (1.4.6-1ubuntu3) to 1.4.7-1ubuntu1
update-manager (1:0.66) to 1:0.67
update-manager-core (1:0.66) to 1:0.67

Die folgenden Pakete wurden installiert:
compiz-fusion-plugins-extra (0.0.0+git20070725-0ubuntu1)
------------------------------------------

So it is very likely that this is the culprit: gdm (2.19.4-0ubuntu1) to 2.19.4-0ubuntu2

I tried to switch back to the default Ubuntu GDM Splash via System->Admin->Login Window but this did not help. Neither did #sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm.

[Fabián Rodríguez (magicfab)]

I can reproduce this with a frech Gutsy Tribe 3 install, updated.

In addition to getting the mentioned behavior, I can't login but instead I am brought back to the GDM login screen.

Marking as high, as this makes a default Ubuntu Gutsy installation generally unusable.

This may also be related to the splashy-themes package, which includes the debian-moreblue theme.

[Fabián Rodríguez (magicfab)]

The following will get rid of the missing theme message, but I still can't login

1) sudo nano /etc/gdm/gdm.conf
2) CTRL-W (find) debian-moreblue
Edit the line so it reads:
GraphicalTheme=Human
3) sudo /etc/init.d/gdm reload

[Fabián Rodríguez (magicfab)]

In my particular case the 3d desktop effects being enabled by default made X crash and prevented logging in. I rebooted in recovery mode and removed all compiz related packages (which my VIA chipset-based display adapter does not support anyways).

[Reinhard Tartler (siretart)]

I can confirm both the problem and the proposed fix in this bugtrail

[Stephan7 (sshsteph007)]

I had this problem one or two days, however an ubuntu update fixed it automaticly.
I guess the fix is in gdm (2.19.4-0ubuntu2) to 2.19.4-0ubuntu3

[Thom Pischke (thom-pischke)]

I also had this problem for a few days. Although it eventually went away on its own, some symptoms remain:

 - A blue screen shows briefly before the normal brown Ubuntu login screen appears - this is abnormal
 - If I restart from the Ubuntu login screen, the Ubuntu login is replaced by the Debian login with the flower! It then disappears and the computer resumes shutdown. Are two window/login managers running?
 - Suspicious, I checked the process manager - there are two running instances of gdm, as well as two instances of many other processes. Something seems to be going haywire at login, dating back to the Debian moreblue login weirdness.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

that was a gdm bug and it has been resolved

[Thom Pischke (thom-pischke)]

I still have two instances of gdm running after login. Is that normal?