Log-in screen doesn't display

[RogerDavis]

When I hear the drums, I type my password, and it logs me in.

But the screen is black, I can't make any choices or whatever, I'm working blind!

The display is ok after the log-in.

How do I get the regular log-in screen back?

[cipherboy_loc]

Switch over to a TTY (Ctrl+Alt+F1) and log in. Run the following, write down the response, and post back:

status lightdm

That will tell you the status of the lightdm service. It should say start/running. If it is, run:

restart lightdm

And flip back to the graphical display (Ctrl+Alt+F7).

If it says stop/waiting, then run:

sudo start lightdm

and flip back to the graphical display (CtrL+Alt+F7).


What graphics card are you using? If you don't know,

lspci | grep VGA

Cipherboy

[RogerDavis]

roger@roger-desktop:~$ status lightdm
lightdm start/running, process 1200
roger@roger-desktop:~$ restart lightdm
restart: Rejected send message, 1 matched rules; type="method_call", sender=":1.61" (uid=1000 pid=2582 comm="restart lightdm ") interface="com.ubuntu.Upstart0_6.Job" member="Restart" error name="(unset)" requested_reply="0" destination="com.ubuntu.Upstart" (uid=0 pid=1 comm="/sbin/init")
roger@roger-desktop:~$ sudo start lightdm
[sudo] password for roger:
start: Job is already running: lightdm
roger@roger-desktop:~$ lspci | grep VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI RV370 5B60 [Radeon X300 (PCIE)]
roger@roger-desktop:~$

Thanks!

[cipherboy_loc]

Whoops, meant:

sudo restart lightdm

What drivers are you using?


Cipherboy

[RogerDavis]

I'm using whatever drivers Ubuntu automatically loaded, so I don't know.
Thanks!

[cipherboy_loc]

When did this start happening?

[RogerDavis]

Yesterday - long after installation.

Actually, there are more problems. Now none of the "system trays / bars" appear at all, and I can't task switch except by starting one app or instance on top of another, then backtracking by closing the app on top. If I minimize it, it just goes into a black hole, can't get back to that one.

You've been responding very quickly, and I appreciate that, so I'll let you know that I'll be out of the house for about an hour or a bit longer.

Thanks!

[cipherboy_loc]

Ideas:

Check for drivers. Most AMD chipsets out there require some sort of additional drivers. I am not sure where to look on the latest 12.04 with unity (I run fluxbox), but there are a few tutorials out there.

It could just be a faulty installation. Did you check the ISO you downloaded before installing?

Lastly, try running the following command and post the output. It could just be your system is unable to run Unity.

/usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p

Cipherboy

[RogerDavis]

I have to say it was working ok for at least a month, though the 3D quit working (didn't appear as a choice) about 3 weeks ago, so it seems that the system is capable, just something went sour.

Also, I was using Gnome from the apps section until I got trapped in Unity when I could no longer see the login screen to select which to use.

roger@roger-desktop:~$ /usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p
OpenGL vendor string: X.Org R300 Project
OpenGL renderer string: Gallium 0.4 on ATI RV370
OpenGL version string: 2.1 Mesa 8.0.2

Not software rendered: yes
Not blacklisted: yes
GLX fbconfig: yes
GLX texture from pixmap: yes
GL npot or rect textures: yes
GL vertex program: yes
GL fragment program: yes
GL vertex buffer object: yes
GL framebuffer object: yes
GL version is 1.4+: yes

Unity 3D supported: yes
roger@roger-desktop:~$

Thanks!

[cipherboy_loc]

Try re-installing lightdm:

sudo apt-get purge lightdm
sudo apt-get install lightdm

Edit: make sure you reboot after this.

Cipherboy