GDM doesn't start at boot time (I need to run it from terminal)

[Cesare Mastroianni]

Binary package hint: gdm

LUCID installation running well since May 19th (3 days ago). Since that day, at boot time, every day, GDM stopped to start automatically. Then I need to login at terminal and run "sudo gdm".

I'm not expert of this stuff. I only got this ouptut /var/log/daemon.log (see attached LOG file). It seems to be a bug appeared since 3 days ago, and not before.

Furthermore, when GDM is later up and running, at login screen language-session option is no more available: the option menus are not visible any more.

Any help will be appreciated. Many thanks in advance.

Ciao from Italy.
CM

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: gdm 2.30.0-0ubuntu5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-22.33-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-22-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: amd64
Date: Fri May 21 08:20:26 2010
ExecutablePath: /usr/sbin/gdm-binary
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=it_IT:it:en_GB:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=it_IT.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: gdm
XsessionErrors:
 (polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:1998): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_once_init_leave: assertion `initialization_value != 0' failed
 (gnome-terminal:2289): Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_accel_map_unlock_path: assertion `entry != NULL && entry->lock_count > 0' failed

[Tom (treimonn)]

I have what seems to be the same issue. When the computer is turned on, the splash screen does not come up; instead it boots as though I had pressed Ctrl-F1 with a Console screen. Then, gdm fails to start, and either leaves me at tty1 of tty7. I have to log into the Console session, and then run "sudo gdm start." After this, gdm works correctly, and I can log on.

I believe this started happening after some kernal updates. I found a solution to this problem at this website:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/How-to-Fix-the-Big-and-Ugly-Plymouth-Logo-in-Ubuntu-10-04-140810.shtml
This source fixes it so that gdm starts and brings up the login screen.

This system is from a standard install with mostly default settings from a live cd, Ubuntu 10.04 desktop.
The only non-standard parts of my computer are:
 AMD 64 bit processor
 intergrated nvidia video card: geForce 7200

I have done nothing to grub except as outlined in the softpedia.com article, and that after the problem.

[Cesare Mastroianni (cece)]

Thank You Tom for Your help.

I followed step-by-step the procedure You mentioned. First choice, to get the splash back again.... The splash screen actually appeared again, but after it closes, I'm brought back to the TTY-F1 console, and GDM doesn't start anyway. I should notice that the procedure described is not correct for my Lucid installation. It refers to some details that don't match:
1) File /etc/default/grub doesn't exist in my system, and I need to create it.
2) Command update-grub2 doesn't exist in my system, and I used update-grub instead.

Then I tried the other solution. I installed startup-manager, but unfortunately it crashed before running, and apport connected me to launchpad again to report this bug too!

So, I'm back to the beginning of the problem. This is not a big problem, just log-in to the terminal and then manually run GDM ... but I must say that since Lucid appeared I went through many bugs (OpenOffice, Gdm, Thunderbird, gnome-panel, clock-applet) that I never experienced with Hardy or Karmic ...

Ciao
CM

[Cesare Mastroianni (cece)]

Since last upgrade of June 3rd the bug simply vanished. It seems that new system upgrade (apt-get upgrade) fixed the problem.

Thanks to You all.

Ciao
CM

[Cesare Mastroianni (cece)]

Sorry to say that today, after the new "apt-get upgrade" procedure the problem appeared again.

CM

[Cesare Mastroianni (cece)]

Hi there. I have some new details.

Usually, I turn on my PC in the morning and I shut it down in the evening, and no warm reboot is done. Today I rebooted and GDM started after boot splash screen. So I repeated this: I noticed that GDM won't start after hard boot, but it runs normally after soft reboot.

Then I investigated into the log files, AFTER AN HARD BOOT, and I noticed this:

GDM LOG OUTPUT:

(EE) Jun 22 14:43:47 NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module. Please see the
(EE) Jun 22 14:43:47 NVIDIA(0): system's kernel log for additional error messages and
(EE) Jun 22 14:43:47 NVIDIA(0): consult the NVIDIA README for details.
(EE) NVIDIA(0): *** Aborting ***
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

KERNEL LOG OUTPUT:

Jun 22 14:43:45 uffcom2 kernel: [ 0.000000] ACPI: RSDP 00000000000f8370 00014 (v00 Nvidia)
Jun 22 14:43:45 uffcom2 kernel: [ 0.000000] ACPI: RSDT 000000002fff3040 00038 (v01 Nvidia AWRDACPI 42302E31 AWRD 00000000)
Jun 22 14:43:45 uffcom2 kernel: [ 0.000000] ACPI: FACP 000000002fff30c0 00074 (v01 Nvidia AWRDACPI 42302E31 AWRD 00000000)
Jun 22 14:43:45 uffcom2 kernel: [ 0.000000] ACPI: DSDT 000000002fff3180 0631A (v01 NVIDIA AWRDACPI 00001000 MSFT 0100000E)
Jun 22 14:43:45 uffcom2 kernel: [ 0.000000] ACPI: HPET 000000002fff9700 00038 (v01 Nvidia AWRDACPI 42302E31 AWRD 00000098)
Jun 22 14:43:45 uffcom2 kernel: [ 0.000000] ACPI: MCFG 000000002fff9780 0003C (v01 Nvidia AWRDACPI 42302E31 AWRD 00000000)
Jun 22 14:43:45 uffcom2 kernel: [ 0.000000] ACPI: APIC 000000002fff9500 0007C (v01 Nvidia AWRDACPI 42302E31 AWRD 00000000)
Jun 22 14:43:45 uffcom2 kernel: [ 2.830073] , MCP61 - mcp61-80, Chip Rev , OEM: NVIDIA, VBE v3.0
Jun 22 14:43:45 uffcom2 kernel: [ 14.870330] nvidia: module license 'NVIDIA' taints kernel.
Jun 22 14:43:45 uffcom2 kernel: [ 16.169253] hda_intel: Disable MSI for Nvidia chipset
Jun 22 14:43:48 uffcom2 kernel: [ 19.254090] nvidia 0000:00:0d.0: PCI INT A -> Link[AIGP] -> GSI 23 (level, low) -> IRQ 23
Jun 22 14:43:48 uffcom2 kernel: [ 19.254098] nvidia 0000:00:0d.0: setting latency timer to 64
Jun 22 14:43:48 uffcom2 kernel: [ 19.255397] NVRM: loading NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 195.36.24 Thu Apr 22 19:10:14 PDT 2010

What does this mean? Should I investigate furthermore into my logfiles? Could You help me, please? Many thanks in advance.

Ciao
CM

[Cesare Mastroianni (cece)]

Searching the web, I found a bug which seems to be related to this one:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nvidia-graphics-drivers/+bug/532436

Is the bug #532436 related to bug #583660? Should I mark it as duplicate of bug #532436 ?

Thanks again.

CM

[Cesare Mastroianni (cece)]

After reading details about bug #532436, I'm thinking the present bug #583660 is really a duplicate.

I'm closing this thread, and I invite You to follow up bug #532436.

So far, many thanks.

Ciao
CM

[Cesare Mastroianni (cece)]

Last gdm upgrade fixed my problem [gdm (2.30.0-0ubuntu5, 2.30.2.is.2.30.0-0ubuntu2)]. So I'm marking this bug as "invalid" because it seems to be fixed here on my personal computer.

Many thanks.
Ciao
CM