3

How do I disable the Gnome welcome screen on first login?

I'm building a custom ISO for Ubuntu Server 18.04.3 LTS and then adding the ubuntu-desktop package (these builds are for developers who want a workstation version of our server build).

I need to skip the welcome stuff for the GUI. We use LDAP authentication so no local accounts need to be set up.

I've tried all three things mentioned at Disable the new ubuntu 18.04 welcome screen

  • remove the gnome-initial-setup package

  • add the "InitialSetupEnable=false" line to /etc/gdm3/custom.conf

  • comment the Exec line in /etc/xdg/autostart/gnome-initial-setup-first-login.desktop

In all of these cases, the machine reboots to a black screen. The OS is running (I can SSH in) and gnome appears to be running if I run ps aux | grep -i gnome but the console is black and ctrl-alt-f1 (or f2, etc) doesn't switch me to a new console.

If I undo my changes and reboot I go back to the welcome screen.

Any guidance?

I have done some noodling: With the GUI up (Welcome enabled), I can log in via SSH as a regular account with X11 forwarding on the remote machine and run /usr/lib/gnome-initial-setup/gnome-initial-setup --existing-user. Then I can go to the console (at the welcome screen), hit ctrl-alt-f2 and log in as my regular account, and THEN enter startx and I get a desktop.

I did also try completing the welcome dialog. It appears to be running "/usr/lib/gnome-initial-setup/gnome-initial-setup" without the --existing-user flag so it wants to create a new user. I entered info for a throwaway user and it kicked to some console output and hangs at: [ OK ] Started Hold until boot process finishes up.

It stays there until I reboot and then comes up with a black screen again. And this time I can't get away from the black screen. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling gnome-initial-setup with no luck. Ended up redeploying the build again.

What I need is an unattended way to skip all of this and get a new machine that's waiting for LDAP users to log in.

Nmath
  • 12,333
randy rue
  • 51
  • 1
    Hi, Just for Clarification.. Did you build CustomISO and while customizing you did try all those 3 points you mentioned? Remove, Add, Comment? – PRATAP Sep 10 '19 at 17:28
  • Hi There - I am using a custom ISO that points to a pretty simple preseed file. I've tried each of the three fixes I've found described as well as all three together. I've also just tried deleting the gnome-initial-setup user from /etc/passwd to keep the Welcome session from opening, but that also just boots me to a black screen. – randy rue Sep 10 '19 at 18:28
  • while you were customizing the ISO.. did you remove the package gnome-initial setup?? – PRATAP Sep 10 '19 at 18:37
  • The ISO doesn't actually install gnome or gnome-initial-setup. I'm installing the same CLI-based server build we use elsewhere, then using Chef to add ubuntu-desktop and remove gnome-initial-setup – randy rue Sep 10 '19 at 19:12
  • found some info at https://seven.centos.org/2013/12/preventing-gnome3s-initial-setup/ related to gnome-initial-setp determining if it's run before. It looks for a file ~/.config/gnome-initial-setup-done that should have the word "yes" in it. And when I boot into the Welcome screen, the machine is logged in as a local user gnome-initial-setup with a home drive of /run/gnome-initial-setup. Tried putting that file there but the /run mount is ephemeral so it disappears on reboot. Tried putting it there after boot and logging out the user but it just loads again. – randy rue Sep 10 '19 at 20:15
  • but I'm not even getting to the new user, this is still happening with the "gnome-initial-setup" user. BTW, I also tried copying that /run/ directory to / and changing the /etc/passwd entry for the GIS user's home drive. Then placed that flag file and rebooted. Still no change. Also, my regular users don't get their home drives from /etc/skel, we have a file server and mount /home there... – randy rue Sep 10 '19 at 20:38
  • seems complicated.. lets wait if someone helps.. – PRATAP Sep 10 '19 at 20:45
  • agreed. currently I'm back to removing the gnome-initial-setup package and trying to troubleshoot the black screen – randy rue Sep 10 '19 at 20:49

0 Answers0