Failed to normal start/login after zypper, but started from snapper pre-zypper

After full update with TW: 2/7/2026 the system cannot start/login normally!
message is :
“Failed to start default.target : Operation refused, unit may not be isolated”
I see that resolv.conf is empty and I run "netconfig -f update " and Network restart but the problem remains the same after boot!

Using snapper I managed to boot/login normally with pre-zypper snap 2/2/2026.

here are dead services after update (no failed services) and all Units succeeded and no other errors noted in journalctl -xb:

░░ The unit systemd-vconsole-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-vconsole-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-vconsole-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit initrd-parse-etc.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dracut-pre-pivot.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dracut-initqueue.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-sysctl.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-modules-load.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-udev-trigger.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-udevd.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit initrd-cleanup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-udevd-control.socket has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dracut-pre-udev.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dracut-cmdline.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dracut-cmdline-ask.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev-early.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit kmod-static-nodes.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit rngd.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit initrd-udevadm-cleanup-db.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-journald.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-vconsole-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit lvm-activate-south.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit lvm-activate-north.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit lvm-activate-b0.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit sound-extra.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-rfkill.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-hostnamed.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.

and here are from normal boot pre-zypper (all Units succeeded, too)

░░ The unit modprobe@configfs.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-vconsole-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-vconsole-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-vconsole-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit initrd-parse-etc.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dracut-pre-pivot.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dracut-initqueue.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-sysctl.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-modules-load.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-udev-trigger.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-udevd.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit initrd-cleanup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-udevd-control.socket has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-udevd-kernel.socket has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dracut-pre-udev.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dracut-cmdline.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dracut-cmdline-ask.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev-early.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit kmod-static-nodes.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit rngd.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit initrd-udevadm-cleanup-db.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-journald.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit modprobe@configfs.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-vconsole-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-vconsole-setup.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit lvm-activate-south.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit lvm-activate-north.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit lvm-activate-b0.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit modprobe@loop.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit modprobe@dm_mod.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit modprobe@loop.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit modprobe@dm_mod.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit audit-rules.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit sound-extra.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ The unit systemd-rfkill.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ entered the ‘dead’ state with result ‘exec-condition’.
░░ The unit freshclam.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dbus-:1.2-org.kde.kded.smart@0.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dbus-:1.2-org.kde.powerdevil.chargethresholdhelper@0.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dbus-:1.2-org.kde.powerdevil.discretegpuhelper@0.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit dbus-:1.2-org.kde.powerdevil.backlighthelper@0.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit NetworkManager-dispatcher.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit packagekit.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.
░░ The unit systemd-hostnamed.service has successfully entered the ‘dead’ state.

PLEASE HELP!
Do you need extra info?

https://support.scc.suse.com/s/kb/System-boot-fails-with-Failed-to-start-default-target-operation-refused-unit-may-not-be-isolated?language=en_US

That means, check that /etc/systemd/system/default.target is a symbolic link to /usr/lib/systemd/system/graphical.target

If not, you can set the default target via
sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target
You should try this from the “broken” snapshot. After you have executed this command, reboot.

1 Like

You say “after zypper”, but you fail to provide the exact zypper command.

1 Like

zypper dup

thanks, I’ll check it

VERIFIED Okay!
Thanks again!!!

Sorry to advise but in my case the suggested solution by hui didn’t work. :frowning:
The links were correct but it only boots into Text Mode. This is with the latest kernel 6.18.9.1 running in Tumbleweed.

Than you may open a seperate thread with the problem description and logs like from journal, hardware/software description from inxi and so on.

This topic was automatically closed 7 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.