I have an standard Ubuntu 18.04 machine running on a Thinkpad T430s. I use gdm3 as my displaymanager. Yesterday gdm3 stopped working. I installed updates, shut down the machine and the next time I started it again the screen remained black after the Ubuntu-logo disappeared when booting.
Luckily I could access the terminal via ALT+CTRL+F1
where I installed xdm, configured it as default display manager and uninstalled gdm3. While xdm worked fine, I was not satisfied with its usability and installed SLiM instead. SLiM worked fine out of the box.
Today neither SLiM, nor any other Display Manager I installed (xdm, lightDM, gdm3) worked. Additionally, when I logged in via the terminal to start the X-Server manually, it crashed. After I typed the startx
command for the second time, the X-Server finally started.
I have no idea what caused this issue, I am grateful for any clues.
/var/log/slim.log:
slim: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections.
slim: waiting for X server to shut down.
slim: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections.
slim: waiting for X server to shut down.
slim: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections.
slim: waiting for X server to shut down.
slim: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections.
slim: unexpected signal 15
slim: connection to X server lost.
slim: waiting for X server to shut down
slim: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections.
slim: waiting for X server to shut down.
slim: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections.
slim: pam_authentication(): Authentication failure
slim: waiting for X server to shut down.
slim: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections.
slim: pam_authentication(): Authentication failure
slim: unexpected signal 15
slim: connection to X server lost.
slim: waiting for X server to shut down
slim: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections.
slim: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections.
slim: pam_authentication(): Authentication failure
slim: unexpected signal 15
slim: connection to X server lost.
slim: waiting for X server to shut down
slim: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections.
slim: unexpected signal 15
slim: connection to X server lost.
slim: waiting for X server to shut down
/var/log/xdm.log:
Tue Jul 10 15:17:54 2018 xdm info (pid 1350): Starting
Tue Jul 10 15:17:54 2018 xdm info (pid 1350): Starting X server on :0
X.Org X Server 1.19.6
Release Date: 2017-12-20
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 4.4.0-119-generic x86_64 Ubuntu
Current Operating System: Linux philipp-ThinkPad-T430s 4.15.0-24-generic #26-Ubuntu SMP Wed Jun 13 08:44:47 UTC 2018 x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-24-generic root=UUID=f99351c7-ae2a-4ce1-b539-e4ed1f555a19 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=1
Build Date: 13 April 2018 08:07:36PM
xorg-server 2:1.19.6-1ubuntu4 (For technical support please see http://www.ubuntu.com/support)
Current version of pixman: 0.34.0
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Tue Jul 10 15:17:54 2018
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
Tue Jul 10 15:17:56 2018 xdm info (pid 2381): sourcing /etc/X11/xdm/Xsetup
Tue Jul 10 15:18:00 2018 xdm info (pid 2381): sourcing /etc/X11/xdm/Xstartup
Tue Jul 10 15:18:00 2018 xdm info (pid 2514): executing session /etc/X11/xdm/Xsession
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Jul 10 15:21:57 2018 xdm info (pid 1215): Starting
Tue Jul 10 15:21:57 2018 xdm info (pid 1215): Starting X server on :0
X.Org X Server 1.19.6
Release Date: 2017-12-20
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 4.4.0-119-generic x86_64 Ubuntu
Current Operating System: Linux philipp-ThinkPad-T430s 4.15.0-24-generic #26-Ubuntu SMP Wed Jun 13 08:44:47 UTC 2018 x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-24-generic root=UUID=f99351c7-ae2a-4ce1-b539-e4ed1f555a19 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=1
Build Date: 13 April 2018 08:07:36PM
xorg-server 2:1.19.6-1ubuntu4 (For technical support please see http://www.ubuntu.com/support)
Current version of pixman: 0.34.0
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Tue Jul 10 15:21:57 2018
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
Tue Jul 10 15:21:58 2018 xdm info (pid 2403): sourcing /etc/X11/xdm/Xsetup
Tue Jul 10 15:22:02 2018 xdm info (pid 2403): sourcing /etc/X11/xdm/Xstartup
Tue Jul 10 15:22:02 2018 xdm info (pid 2445): executing session /etc/X11/xdm/Xsession
(II) AIGLX: Suspending AIGLX clients for VT switch
Tue Jul 10 15:39:14 2018 xdm error (pid 1215): Unknown session exit code 256 from process 2403
Tue Jul 10 15:39:14 2018 xdm info (pid 1215): Shutting down
(II) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.
Tue Jul 10 15:39:14 2018 xdm info (pid 1215): Exiting
Tue Jul 10 15:39:29 2018 xdm info (pid 1315): Starting
Tue Jul 10 15:39:29 2018 xdm info (pid 1315): Starting X server on :0
X.Org X Server 1.19.6
Release Date: 2017-12-20
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 4.4.0-119-generic x86_64 Ubuntu
Current Operating System: Linux philipp-ThinkPad-T430s 4.15.0-24-generic #26-Ubuntu SMP Wed Jun 13 08:44:47 UTC 2018 x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-24-generic root=UUID=f99351c7-ae2a-4ce1-b539-e4ed1f555a19 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=1
Build Date: 13 April 2018 08:07:36PM
xorg-server 2:1.19.6-1ubuntu4 (For technical support please see http://www.ubuntu.com/support)
Current version of pixman: 0.34.0
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Tue Jul 10 15:39:29 2018
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
Tue Jul 10 15:39:31 2018 xdm info (pid 2406): sourcing /etc/X11/xdm/Xsetup
Tue Jul 10 15:39:35 2018 xdm info (pid 2406): sourcing /etc/X11/xdm/Xstartup
Tue Jul 10 15:39:35 2018 xdm info (pid 2539): executing session /etc/X11/xdm/Xsession
Tue Jul 10 15:42:50 2018 xdm info (pid 2406): sourcing /etc/X11/xdm/Xreset
Tue Jul 10 15:42:50 2018 xdm info (pid 1315): Starting X server on :0
Tue Jul 10 15:42:51 2018 xdm info (pid 5898): sourcing /etc/X11/xdm/Xsetup
Tue Jul 10 15:42:56 2018 xdm info (pid 5898): sourcing /etc/X11/xdm/Xstartup
Tue Jul 10 15:42:56 2018 xdm info (pid 5941): executing session /etc/X11/xdm/Xsession
Tue Jul 10 15:43:11 2018 xdm info (pid 1315): Shutting down
Tue Jul 10 15:43:11 2018 xdm error (pid 1315): Unknown session exit code 256 from process 5898
(II) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.
Tue Jul 10 15:43:12 2018 xdm info (pid 1315): Exiting
//edit: /var/log/Xorg.0.log can be found here