Failed to Start Session error

[Clueless Wonder]

Hello! I need some help with a login issue following an installation.

I did an install of 18.04 mini.iso on a Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop. First, I left the Task-sel options blank, then, when at a terminal login-prompt on restart, I installed Lubuntu-core. It worked fine. Realizing, I wanted something a little different, I started over, did the same process, but installed Lxde-core instead. This time, when I restarted, I got to the login and password and, when I typed my password, I received a Failed to Start Session error. Going back to terminal and typing Startx gets me to the desktop. I checked that LightDM was installed and it was.

I am wondering if anyone knows anything else to check or any ideas as to what the problem is causing the Failed to Start Session error. Is there something else that needs to be installed, or does it sound like it was just bad installation?

Thanks in advance!

[cruzer001]

Is this 18.04 or 19.04?

[Clueless Wonder]

Good point! 18.04. I have updated the post.

[cruzer001]

I have done it in the pass, but with the "LXDE" package and not the core package. Works nicely out of the box and add some necessary packages. A better choice IMO. What do you intend to use it for?

[Clueless Wonder]

Hi Cruzer001 - Thanks for the reply! I plan on using it for everyday use. I have installed it before on a different machine without problems. However, it has been a while and I can't remember if there was another package that need to be installed (like xorg, lightdm, etc) that I am forgetting.

[cruzer001]

Lightdm includes xserverxorg may be enough without xorg.
https://packages.ubuntu.com/bionic/lightdm
But I say your mix should work. Guess I could fire it up and see.

[cruzer001]

Well I loaded xorg/lightdm/lxde-core and it wouldn't boot. No startx

I installed xinit just to see and still no startx.

[cruzer001]

I didn't catch it at first, but there are 404 download errors. Maybe server troubles today.

I did get it to download proper once.

lxde-core.jpg

I suggest trying again later.

[Clueless Wonder]

Hi Cruzer -

thanks for trying it out. I downloaded a new mini.iso copy and went through all the steps again and came to the same place....needing to enter through startx. Very strange. You said you got it to work once without doing startx or anything?

[cruzer001]

Just to be sure I loaded it up again with just the three packages and it worked out of the box.

xorg: 1:7.7+19
lightdm: 1.26.0-0
lxde-core: 10

And it worked out of the box. There are two things that I do different from you that may/may not affect the install.

I use the server iso and not the mini iso. They will both give you a mini install, but the server.iso includes wifi out of the box.

And #2 - I'm doing this in a virtual machine (KVM) which will not always give the same results as a physical install.

I suspect your install in hanging up on lightdm and would suggest you replace lightdm with gdm3.