KDE login on OpenSuse 11.4 fails (after installing patches)

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hello,

I’m stuck with an 11.4 installation after a partly failed (see below) install of patches using yast2.

Because this will get a little bit longer (sorry), first let me try to explain the structure I tried to use here:

  • Symptoms: Describes what is happening right now
  • What happened: Describes the history leading to the problem
  • My tries so far: Describes, what I did (so far in vain) to clean up the problem
  • Questions: My concrete questions

Please also note, that all pointers to info are welcome. I already searched the forum (see “My tries so far”) but missed to write down the URLs for the threads. (So they aren’t mentioned under “My tries so far”)

Symptoms:
The system boots up ok, I get to the KDE login, but for both my user account and the root account, the login fails. After entering username and password a progressbar comes up. This gets to 3/4 (if I counted the steps correctly) then stops. If I wait for several minutes, the screen will finally just turn black. (It is not switched to suspend or somesuch by DPMS; I didn’t wait for that turning black in all tries described below)
I can login on a console into the system.

System

  • Intel CPU Core2, E6750
  • Suse 11.4, 64 Bit (both original and backup system)
  • Kernel: Linux 2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop x86_64 (backup system) / vmlinuz-2.6.37.6-0.5-desktop (original system)
  • KDE: 4.6.00 (4.6.0) “release 6” (on the the backup system, because I don’t know how it get the info as long as I can’t login to KDE)

What happened:
Two weeks ago, I had yast2 install the updates to the system. It then asked me, to remove an outdated preload, some x11-server and (IIRC) two additional x11 parts. In a complete mental slip, I approved that. After reboot, x11 didn’t start. (quite obviously)
After some cursing myself, I set up a new (“blank”) 11.4 system on an additional partition. (This is the one I use for writing right now)
Funnily enough, this system was hit by the same problem shortly afterwards, and I surely didn’t approve the removal at that time. So it seems as if one of the patches somehow messed up something. This is currently the second instance of the backup installation I’m using.

My tries so far
I would like to get the first system back, because it contains a big bunch of additional steps after the install. (e.g. a IMAP server setup) Also I would like to understand what caused the problem and how to solve it, so I don’t get that badly stuck again, as I am right now.

First I used the backup system, to get al list of the installed packages and compared that to the list from the failing system, to see what packages I had deleted by my wrong approval.
After installing those again (Sorry I don’t have that list because that that time I thought, I now have solved the problem), I got to the KDE login, where I’m stuck right now as described.

After that, I tried the following steps, some suggested by threads, found in the forum:

  • I tried both a login as root as as normal user. Both fail with the same symptoms
  • I did another update, in hope that a new patch fixes that. I got some updates, but the symptoms stayed the same.
  • I tried to use “Failsafe” session at the KDE login. Same symptom
  • I tried to select the normal session once again at the KDE login. Same symptom
  • I moved ~/.kde and ~/.kde4 away and tried then (using “failsafe”). Same symptom. After the try, both ~/.kde and ~/.kde4 where present again, but contained no pointer to the cause of the problem (see below)
  • I had a look in /var/log and ~/.kde and ~/.kde4, in hope to find a logfile containing some hint. But I found nothing, which seemed relevant

Questions

  • The obvious thing: Does someone knows of some magic to get it to work again ?
  • Are there some logfiles, which could point me to a root cause ?
  • Any steps to try to track down the problem. E.g. could some sort of comparison between the failing install and the working “backup system” help ? (I don’t know what to compare)

Hopefully I gave all relevant info…

Regards and thanks for looking into this

Martin

2

So basically X11 fails to start and you can log in OK. Most often this is caused by a Graphics driver issue though you say that Failsafe does not work. Just once, I might suggest that you enter the kernel load option nomodeset, just before pressing enter to make sure this does not work when used alone. You also need to tell use about your video hardware. I might suggest you search on your computer model setup and kernel load options to see if anyone else has run into such a problem.

Thank You,

3

Was there a kernel update in this, sorry, I don’t know I’m not using 11.4 yet, If there was, you may try reverting to the original kernel.

4

Hello,

thanks for the info ! One clarification:
X11 is starting al-right. Even KDE and KDM are starting. I’m getting to the graphical login from KDE, but the login itself fails.

I have a NVIDIA graphics card. The systems information lists it as “GeForce 7300 SE”.

The funny part seems to be, that I might just now have caught (part of) the culprit. Seems like the NVIDIA drivers are broken for the patched up to date system (or the other way round)

I discovered, that I had in my backup system just the 2D driver ‘nv’ and no 3D driver active, I installed the NVIDIA drivers - and got the same problem as on the original installation.
I removed the driver again. (It’s real great, that yast automatically installed the old driver again !) and now the problem is once again gone.
I will now try the same “trick” on my original system. I wanted to report here before that, not that I mess something up really bad, so I can’t report. I will tell the outcome.

You can find how I installed the NVIDIA driver here can’t find /dev/sda1 after update from Suse 11.2, where I will add a warning …

Regards

Martin

5

I normally install the nVIDIA proprietary graphics driver the hard way, for the first time and any time after a kernel update as described here:

SDB:NVIDIA the hard way - openSUSE

Here is the nVIDIA driver link for the 64 bit version 270.41.19: NVIDIA - Download Drivers

Here is the nVIDIA driver link for the 32 bit version 270.41.19: NVIDIA - Download Drivers

Selecting the correct link above for your system means you agree to their software agreement. I have a bash script file that is useful in installing the nVIDIA driver the hard way here:

LNVHW - Load NVIDIA (driver the) Hard Way from runlevel 3

I always add the kernel load option nomodeset to my grub menu.lst file. I always load the nVIDIA driver after a reboot of my computer and I enter Runlevel 3 by just typing in the kernel load option 3 and pressing the enter key when I load my normal openSUSE kernel from the grub menu. If none of this makes sense to you, do some more reading first is my suggestion.

Thank You,

6

Hello,

yes, the NVIDIA driver on the current kernel seems to have been the culprit. I also reverted my original system back to nv and swrast (by just removing the NVIDIA driver) and now I can get in again.

I will try if “installing NVIDIA the hard way” does the trick - as soon as I get adventurous again. For now I’m just happy, that I’m back in business and will actually use Linux, instead of fiddling with it …
(I would like to the NVIDIA driver back. Not so much because of the 3D thing, but mainly because of GPGPU, used with Autopano Pro)

There is still one major point from my original posting:
I had a look in /var/log and ~/.kde and ~/.kde4, in hope to find a logfile containing some hint. But I found nothing, which seemed relevant. Are there some logfiles, which could point me to a root cause in cases like that ?

Regards and thanks to everyone answering !

Martin

P.S.:
Two related questions:

  • Is there a way to mark the thread as “solved”, so to help others searching for solutions to that problem ?
  • What would be the right place to ask for fixing this NVIDIA driver thing ?
    (Because it’s a proprietary driver, this seems to be the wrong forum, but because there is some interaction with the new Suse updates it could still be the right one…)
7

I have a bash script file that might help locate the message logs you are looking for here in message #11:

S.L.A.V.E. - SuSE Logfile Automated Viewer Engine - Version 2.00

P.S.:
Two related questions:

  • Is there a way to mark the thread as “solved”, so to help others searching for solutions to that problem ?
  • What would be the right place to ask for fixing this NVIDIA driver thing ?
    (Because it’s a proprietary driver, this seems to be the wrong forum, but because there is some interaction with the new Suse updates it could still be the right one…)
    Only Mods can modify a thread header after your first message edit time expires. While the subject turned to about the nVIDIA driver, it started off about your install. So I would not worry about it though any further discussions about nVIDIA should to HARDWARE I guess. As for installing the nVIDIA driver, every detail you need was listed in my last message, so reread it if required and good luck.

Thank You,

8

Who, pardner !! not so fast… :smiley:
I have the same problem, only here I don’t use the Nvidia drivers. I’m using the Nouveau drivers.
System: 11.4 64bit, KDE 4.6.3. After latest update (noticed some KDE libs and QT libs downloaded) cannot login to KDE. i’m kicked back to the login screen, Won’t login failsafe either.

I can login to the IceWM desktop i’ve got installed. So it means X is running ok, right ?

9

Hi,

I did note that you moved ~/.kde and ~/.kde4.

However, could you try to create a new user and see whether that new user also has this problem?

Can you login with another WM/DM?
HTH

Lenwolf

10

Yes, i can login using the IceWM desktop.

11

What about creating a new user?

Lenwolf

12

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

First, find if you have a .xinitrc, if exist remove it and try again, if
still don’t work…
Second, try a new user

VampirD

Microsoft Windows is like air conditioning
Stops working when you open a window.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v2.0.15 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/

iEYEARECAAYFAk3ap5MACgkQJQ+0ABWtaVnXswCfZg6RIJ8tjobnIJ9dNGfRmSxi
pqoAoN/Noh0UXHsG215DHDsNrbKmaR0G
=d6eH
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

13

Has anyone found a solution to this? I am having the same EXACT problem after an upgrade. IceWM works, I have no .xinitrc, and adding a new users works for KDE4.

Any ideas? My users .xsession-errors doesn’t show anything.

Bobby

14

GOT IT! Figured I would answer my own question just in case anyone else has the problem. As the user you are having problems logging in with run the following command:

kbuildsycoca4 --noincremental

…and that should do it.

Bobby