Can't switch to gdm3 using sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

Question

I was looking for a way to switch to gdm3 from lightdm, when I found this answer. So I tried to apply it, and entered sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3, then a selection screen appeared with 2 options: gdm3 and lightdm. It was the same screen that appeared during the installation of GNOME (using sudo apt install ubuntu-gnome-desktop && gnome-shell). I chose gdm3 then pressed Enter, then I got this error:

gdm.service is not active, cannot reload.
invoke-rc.d: initscript gdm3, action "reload" failed.

Any ideas?

UPDATE

It turns out that it just required a reboot to work. But I still want to know the meaning of that error I got. Does anyone have any explanation?

heynnema · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-12T23:19:15.903

45

re: sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3 error message.

Just reboot and you should be running gdm3.

The error that you're receiving just means that gdm3 wasn't already running, so it couldn't reload it.

edited Mar 12 '20 at 23:19

answered Jul 24 '17 at 19:56

heynnema

70,711

do you know what that error means though? – Tooniis Jul 24 '17 at 20:04
2

It just means that gdm3 wasn't already running, so it couldn't reload it. Kind of a bogus error. – heynnema Jul 24 '17 at 20:05
1

this didn't work for me – salouri Dec 29 '18 at 19:16
1

@trust_words please start a new question and we'll try and help you. – heynnema Dec 29 '18 at 20:46

score 22 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 24 '19 at 19:08

22

Use this sudo dpkg-reconfigure lightdm in place of sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3 this and then choose gdm3.

edited Jun 24 '19 at 19:08

Kulfy

17,696

answered Jun 24 '19 at 18:57

Vardaan Shukla

321
2
5

1

Can you please explain how would that make any difference? When either of them is used, options are shown to switch default DM. – Kulfy Jun 24 '19 at 19:14
2

But there is something different between both of them as I tried it work, When I work on lightdm I use dpkg-reconfigure lightdm and on gdm use gdm in place of lightdm and it works without any error – Vardaan Shukla Jul 03 '19 at 08:38
3

I agree, you should specify the one you are using at the moment. Don't know why but it's always worked for me. – Organic Marble Mar 12 '20 at 23:32
This should be the accepted answer! – Arpit Anand Sep 11 '21 at 04:34

wizball · Answer 3 · 2020-11-13T06:00:53.940

3

Works for my WSL2 Ubuntu Desktop install - thanks:-

sudo systemctl start gdm3.service    
sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

edited Nov 13 '20 at 06:00

answered Nov 13 '20 at 05:55

wizball

109
4

Awesome as it does not need reboot – M at Dec 25 '21 at 21:30

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 19 '20 at 05:29

1

I actually found a hack! You just need to type this in terminal:

sudo apt-get install lightdm

Then you will get the option to choose your display manager where you can choose GDM instead of LightDM.

Worked for me, hope it works for you too.

edited Jun 19 '20 at 05:29

Eliah Kagan

117,780

answered Jun 19 '20 at 04:26

Ashutosh Kumar

11

This does not answer the question after the Update but it may help future users. – VidathD Jun 19 '20 at 05:08

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Jul 10 '20 at 20:26

1

sudo systemctl start gdm3.service    
sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

So manually start gdm3, then reconfigure it and it stays working, even after a reboot.

(I know, weird, I'll update the answer if I work out what causes this)

answered Jul 10 '20 at 20:26

Tim Bray

239

Can't switch to gdm3 using sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

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