Ubuntu boots on terminal only, how do I recover the GUI desktop?

Question

Where is my Ubuntu desktop? Its booting and going always default to terminal screen, if i press Ctrl+Alt+F7 still in terminal Ctrl+Alt+F1 still in terminal.

enter image description here

No GUI, how do I recover it?

EDIT:

sun@e700gent:/etc/X11$ sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop
[sudo] password for sun: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libcdio-paranoia1 packagekit-backend-aptcc gdebi-core libxrandr-ltsq2 linux-headers-3.5.0-23-generic linux-headers-3.5.0-23 libcdio-cdda1 libllvm3.1
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 209 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/4,016 B of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
(Reading database ... 230006 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace ubuntu-desktop 1.267.1 (using .../ubuntu-desktop_1.267.1_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement ubuntu-desktop ...
Setting up ubuntu-desktop (1.267.1) ...

sun@e700gent:~$ unity --reset
WARNING: no DISPLAY variable set, setting it to :0

(process:2541): GConf-WARNING **: Client failed to connect to the D-BUS daemon:
//bin/dbus-launch terminated abnormally with the following error: Autolaunch error: X11 initialization failed.

WARNING: environment is incorrect: No D-BUS daemon running

Did you just try to reset in a tty?
unity-panel-service: no process found
compiz (core) - Fatal: Couldn't open display :0




sun@e700gent:~$ sudo startx
[sudo] password for sun: 


X.Org X Server 1.11.3
Release Date: 2011-12-16
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.42-37-generic x86_64 Ubuntu
Current Operating System: Linux e700gent 3.5.0-36-generic #57~precise1-Ubuntu SMP Thu Jun 20 18:21:09 UTC 2013 x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-36-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=68af0547-17ed-4a85-8369-244d57223f91 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
Build Date: 11 April 2013  01:05:39PM
xorg-server 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10.13 (For technical support please see http://www.ubuntu.com/support) 
Current version of pixman: 0.24.4
    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 16 17:37:57 2013
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"

Fatal server error:
no screens found

Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support 
     at http://wiki.x.org
 for help. 
Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.

 ddxSigGiveUp: Closing log
Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.

EDIT:

It seems like solving this problem is like rocket science, its unfixed. Instead of wasting time debugging it, i finally re-install the ubuntu.

Please post the contents of /var/log/Xorg.0.log to pastebin and link it. Without having any clue what could be wrong, you could try to move /etc/X11/xorg.conf and all files in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d to a backup directory. — soulsource, Jul 16 '13 at 15:44
@soulsource: here plz find: http://paste.ubuntu.com/5881280/ — , Jul 16 '13 at 15:52
This is strange. It seems that the Intel graphics card driver does not find, or more probable, cannot use your graphics chip. What happened before your system stopped working? Is the hardware detection at least correct, meaning, is it an Intel graphics chip? — soulsource, Jul 16 '13 at 17:18
@soulsource: yes its working perfect when i 1st install and when i use LiveCD, but suddently now it does not work at all when i run from Disk. but when i use liveCD it works — , Jul 16 '13 at 17:35
Since it seemed to be an issue with the intel driver, you could try to purge and reinstall it: sudo apt-get purge xserver-xorg-video-intel and sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-intel, but I'm not too optimistic that this will help. Be careful when purging - I have no clue which other packages might depend on it... Another possible cause would be that you might have updated this package to xserver-xorg-video-intel-lts-quantal - in that case, you can try to remove xserver-xorg-video-intel-lts-quantal and install xserver-xorg-video-intel again. — soulsource, Jul 17 '13 at 06:11
@soulsource: just did it, but no luck still same, it boots to terminal without having any GUI at all. — , Jul 17 '13 at 06:45
Ok,I have to confess, I have no clue what else could be the cause. — soulsource, Jul 17 '13 at 07:16
sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop this worked like a charm — Arun, Sep 21 '23 at 11:14

score 51 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 16 '13 at 15:45

51

Try this. Just press Ctrl+Alt+T on your keyboard to open Terminal. When it opens, run the command(s) below:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop

answered Jul 16 '13 at 15:45

Mitch

107,631

2

I have SSH access and CTRL+ALT+F1 terminal access only. There i have done also reinstall of ubuntu-desktop. After reboot still same. – Jul 16 '13 at 15:48
1

@YumYumYum - what display manager did you have before ?! go to protected mode as root then do try reinstall of different packages: – dschinn1001 Jul 16 '13 at 15:57
1

@YumYumYum how do I go back to UI after CTRL+ALT+F1 ? – bits Feb 03 '17 at 19:23
2

I've opened terminal with Alt+F2 when my ubuntu stops during the boot. Hope this helps someone. – hal Nov 17 '17 at 19:20
1

works also with lubuntu-desktop :) – oscar1919 Mar 16 '19 at 14:55
1

works also with gdm3 (gnome) – rogerdpack Aug 21 '19 at 13:45
1

I hit esc key during boot to enter into recovery mode and login via terminal. Some useful info here https://www.wikihow.tech/Recover-Ubuntu – vissu pepala Sep 09 '19 at 13:27
THIS SAVE ME!!!! xD – Leandro Santiago Gomes Oct 04 '19 at 00:45
1

It worked like a charm. You saved my day. I had uninstalled python for some reason. After re – Prashant Zombade Dec 06 '21 at 13:41
I uninstalled libwebkitgtk and my desktop went away on Ubuntu 22.04. Phew...this answer saved the day!!! Thanks so much. – raddevus Dec 27 '23 at 20:13

score 14 · Answer 2 · edited May 21 '16 at 10:04

14

Follow below instructions:

sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop
restart your computer and go to desktop

edited May 21 '16 at 10:04

Pierre.Vriens

1,137

answered May 21 '16 at 08:59

Sohrab

141

score 8 · Answer 3 · edited Jul 16 '13 at 16:14

8

What display manager did you have before? Go to protected mode as root with Ctrl + Alt + F1 Then try reinstalling the following packages:

apt-get install --reinstall xorg-xserver*
apt-get install --reinstall gdm
apt-get install --reinstall unity

In case you have a different display manager than gdm, type kdm or lightdm.

I once had that too - regarding nvidia-drivers ...

edited Jul 16 '13 at 16:14

karel

114,770

answered Jul 16 '13 at 16:01

dschinn1001

3,829

1

FAILED - not working, still boots in the terminal screen, no desktop. – Jul 16 '13 at 16:35
@YumYumYum - you still did not tell, what window-manager you used ? It was unity ? What happens if you install gnome ? or KDE ? – dschinn1001 Jul 16 '13 at 16:37
Unity, default Ubuntu desktop. – Jul 16 '13 at 16:38
@YumYumYum - have you seen my 2nd answer ?! getting closer to solution ? – dschinn1001 Jul 16 '13 at 19:18
this worked for me between running the command on xorg and gdm3 (ubuntu 18) – mredig Jun 06 '18 at 06:45
I logged out of the i3 window manager and my gui crahsed. I hade the same issues as described in this questions. reinstalling i3 resolved them. – clickMe Dec 16 '19 at 09:25
This solution worked for me ! – Robert Long Aug 16 '22 at 18:15

score 7 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 16 '13 at 15:44

7

when I encounter this on my machine I simply delete the /etc/X11/xorg.conf and restart the system. BUT - I always make backups! :)

answered Jul 16 '13 at 15:44

Rodislav Moldovan

1,847

2

Dont had any xorg.conf file even. – Jul 16 '13 at 15:48
hm.. you can try this :: sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
but please be carefull, or try to see what youtube is showing on this topic.
– Rodislav Moldovan Jul 16 '13 at 16:00
Tried did not solved, wired – Jul 17 '13 at 07:17
2

I just built a new computer, took the hard disk from my laptop, put it in my new desktop, but couldn't get X working with the new hardware. Deleted the xorg.conf and immediately everything worked perfectly! Thanks! – Brian Nov 30 '13 at 18:29

score 4 · Answer 5 · answered Feb 21 '20 at 11:08

4

What worked for me were the following two commands and then rebooting

sudo apt install xorg
sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop

answered Feb 21 '20 at 11:08

mboehl

41

score 2 · Answer 6 · edited Sep 05 '16 at 19:05

2

There was posted in Ubuntu-forum this here to solve the problem after

"Stopping userspace bootsplash" appears like in your boot-log:

With the proprietary drivers installed they did the following:

Ctrl + Alt + F1 (To open up a terminal) and after login:

sudo apt-get clean

sudo apt-get autoclean

sudo apt-get autoremove

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh -a

reboot

Entered Grub recovery mode and selected "repair damaged packages"

reboot

Hold Shift to get to grub menu hit E to enter temporary changes into grub place 'vmalloc=192MB' next to quiet splash

F10

And problem now solved ?!

They then made the change permanent by editing the /etc/default/grub to include:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash vmalloc=192MB"

Maybe this solves your problem ? Let me know !

edited Sep 05 '16 at 19:05

answered Jul 16 '13 at 16:45

dschinn1001

3,829

@YumYumYum - you have settled the rest after reboot ? – dschinn1001 Jul 16 '13 at 21:48
no - it is the grub repair modus - when pressing shift - not reaching this ? "recovery mode" ? - well, but thats already much ! now supergrub-CD would help ?! – dschinn1001 Jul 16 '13 at 21:55
Step 1: clean/autoclean/all done Step 2: changed the grub settings Step 3: update-grub / update-grub2 is applied. but still i have same problem booting in to terminal no GUI. – Jul 16 '13 at 21:56
have you read that after 2nd reboot ? read the lines slowly. press 'shift' to get to grub menu and hit 'e' (for edit) - read above. – dschinn1001 Jul 16 '13 at 21:58
YES - those are done, basically if you do it after login permanently its same. /etc/default/grub is same by hitting shift/e. – Jul 16 '13 at 21:59
Don't know how to proceed - could be something quite different and banal: a) you ask this guy here - he solved it: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147113 b) it is banal and only a wrong spell-checking about directories ? like here: http://askubuntu.com/questions/65852/cannot-login-to-my-user-account/67723#67723 - more I have not found out ... soon bedtime here. – dschinn1001 Jul 16 '13 at 22:05
i removed the ~/.Xauthority file but still not fixed (From your second link). – Jul 16 '13 at 22:13
let us continue this discussion in chat – dschinn1001 Jul 16 '13 at 23:30
worked for me just by making clean, autoclean, autoremove and reboot. Thanks! – Tom Jun 04 '17 at 09:10

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Oct 29 '16 at 14:39

I had the same problem, and none of the solutions posted here worked.
What worked for me is the following:

     sudo apt-get upgrade
     sudo reboot

Commands such as apt-get update where not working before reboot. After rebooting I opened a terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T) and updated everything

    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

and everything seems to work fine.

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 23 '20 at 04:50

I recently got this problem. So the problem is, changing the default display manager or deleting the daemon associated with it. My default display manager was gdm3, but mistakenly I installed xdm and hence while installation I choose xdm. But when I understood the problem, I removed xdm hoping the default would go back to gdm3, but it didn't go. Instead I got a terminal screen popping uo each time I login. It was frustrating at first, but just a singlr line will make it work...

sudo apt install xdm

When the window to choose the default display manager pop up, choose gdm3 ( yes it was still present) and press ok. Now reboot the system to put a smile on your face.

score 1 · Answer 9 · answered Oct 03 '17 at 20:27

1

If you have a gui installed and it boots to command line, then you can use the following command:

sudo service lightdm start

answered Oct 03 '17 at 20:27

ByWaleed

111

Ubuntu boots on terminal only, how do I recover the GUI desktop?

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