March 2018 - WLUG - wlug.mailman3.com

Re: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager
by Richard Klein 26 Mar '18

26 Mar '18

I'll try that Xorg.wrap work-around, in any case. On Sun, Mar 25, 2018 at 9:26 PM, Krichevsky, Nicholas Jacob < njkrichevsky(a)wpi.edu> wrote: > o_O I don't know enough about how X interacts with the hardware, but not > being able to open the frame buffer doesn't sound good... Take a look at > this. <https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/149987/233297> >

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Re: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager
by Richard Klein 26 Mar '18

26 Mar '18

I'm pretty sure it does manage to open the framebuffer; I get the mouse cursor at what looks to be the monitor's native resolution. It probably throws that error before it tries a different method, but obviously I don't know. On Sun, Mar 25, 2018 at 9:26 PM, Krichevsky, Nicholas Jacob < njkrichevsky(a)wpi.edu> wrote: > o_O I don't know enough about how X interacts with the hardware, but not > being able to open the frame buffer doesn't sound good... Take a look at > this. <https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/149987/233297> > ------------------------------ > *From:* wlug-bounces(a)mail.wlug.org <wlug-bounces(a)mail.wlug.org> on behalf > of Richard Klein <rich(a)richardklein.org> > *Sent:* Sunday, March 25, 2018 7:14:35 PM > *To:* Worcester Linux Users Group > *Subject:* Re: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager > > Creating a new user didn't clear anything up. I was able to log into the > GUI session with the new user, but, again, there was nothing there but a > solid background and the mouse cursor. > > I didn't find .xsession-errors or .gconf in my home directories (for my > existing account nor for the new account), but I did find > $home/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.1.log. There were a couple warnings for > fonts it couldn't find and drivers it couldn't use, but in all cases it was > able to fall back to something else. There was one error: > (EE) open /dev/fb0: permission denied > That was it. > > -- > Rich > > On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 8:45 AM, Bradley Noyes <bkn(a)ithryn.net> wrote: > > Richard, > > I’d bet that your packages are fine (but i’m not a betting man). It sounds > too me like there is something awry w/ your X environment. Perhaps the > upgraded packages don’t recognize a config buried somewhere. Here’s a > couple things i would try. > > - Often times there a file in your home directory called > .xsession-errors. I’d see if that file exists, and it may offer you some > hints as to why your window manager is not starting. I recall launching X > from a Graphical Login Window to be finicky in linux and error output is > difficult to understand. the .xsession-errors file is where i’d look first. > > - Other idea is to create a new user, then login to the GUI with that > user to make sure the GUI starts from a fresh environment. > > - The last idea i have. It sounds like you’re running gnome from the fact > that your using GDM3, I believe the gnome environment files are in .gconf > in your home directory. try renaming your .gconf to something like > .gconf.backup. You may also want to try the same for .local, although many > other applications beyond gnome apps use .local for environment settings. > > > - b > > > > On Mar 18, 2018, at 11:13, Richard Klein <rich(a)richardklein.org> wrote: > > > > I'm running Kali, which is based on Debian. Recently, after some > updates, the computer would only boot to a text prompt; no GUI. I found > that, somehow, I had a more recent version of a Gstreamer-plugins library > than GDM3 could run on. I removed the library, then re-installed GDM3, > letting it choose whatever libraries it depended on. That worked, to a > point. It boots to the GUI now, and gives me a login prompt. I enter my > username and password successfully, but then I get a solid-color > background, a mouse cursor, and nothing else; no icons, no status bars, no > menus, no apparent response to mouse clicks. > > > > My guess is I still need to re-install something else that runs on top > of the display manager, but I don't know what. Any ideas? > > _______________________________________________ > > Wlug mailing list > > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug > > > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug > > > > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug > >

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Re: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager
by Krichevsky, Nicholas Jacob 26 Mar '18

26 Mar '18

o_O I don't know enough about how X interacts with the hardware, but not being able to open the frame buffer doesn't sound good... Take a look at this.<https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/149987/233297> ________________________________ From: wlug-bounces(a)mail.wlug.org <wlug-bounces(a)mail.wlug.org> on behalf of Richard Klein <rich(a)richardklein.org> Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2018 7:14:35 PM To: Worcester Linux Users Group Subject: Re: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager Creating a new user didn't clear anything up. I was able to log into the GUI session with the new user, but, again, there was nothing there but a solid background and the mouse cursor. I didn't find .xsession-errors or .gconf in my home directories (for my existing account nor for the new account), but I did find $home/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.1.log. There were a couple warnings for fonts it couldn't find and drivers it couldn't use, but in all cases it was able to fall back to something else. There was one error: (EE) open /dev/fb0: permission denied That was it. -- Rich On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 8:45 AM, Bradley Noyes <bkn(a)ithryn.net<mailto:bkn@ithryn.net>> wrote: Richard, I’d bet that your packages are fine (but i’m not a betting man). It sounds too me like there is something awry w/ your X environment. Perhaps the upgraded packages don’t recognize a config buried somewhere. Here’s a couple things i would try. - Often times there a file in your home directory called .xsession-errors. I’d see if that file exists, and it may offer you some hints as to why your window manager is not starting. I recall launching X from a Graphical Login Window to be finicky in linux and error output is difficult to understand. the .xsession-errors file is where i’d look first. - Other idea is to create a new user, then login to the GUI with that user to make sure the GUI starts from a fresh environment. - The last idea i have. It sounds like you’re running gnome from the fact that your using GDM3, I believe the gnome environment files are in .gconf in your home directory. try renaming your .gconf to something like .gconf.backup. You may also want to try the same for .local, although many other applications beyond gnome apps use .local for environment settings. - b > On Mar 18, 2018, at 11:13, Richard Klein <rich(a)richardklein.org<mailto:rich@richardklein.org>> wrote: > > I'm running Kali, which is based on Debian. Recently, after some updates, the computer would only boot to a text prompt; no GUI. I found that, somehow, I had a more recent version of a Gstreamer-plugins library than GDM3 could run on. I removed the library, then re-installed GDM3, letting it choose whatever libraries it depended on. That worked, to a point. It boots to the GUI now, and gives me a login prompt. I enter my username and password successfully, but then I get a solid-color background, a mouse cursor, and nothing else; no icons, no status bars, no menus, no apparent response to mouse clicks. > > My guess is I still need to re-install something else that runs on top of the display manager, but I don't know what. Any ideas? > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org<mailto:Wlug@mail.wlug.org> > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug _______________________________________________ Wlug mailing list Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org<mailto:Wlug@mail.wlug.org> http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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Re: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager
by Richard Klein 25 Mar '18

25 Mar '18

Creating a new user didn't clear anything up. I was able to log into the GUI session with the new user, but, again, there was nothing there but a solid background and the mouse cursor. I didn't find .xsession-errors or .gconf in my home directories (for my existing account nor for the new account), but I did find $home/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.1.log. There were a couple warnings for fonts it couldn't find and drivers it couldn't use, but in all cases it was able to fall back to something else. There was one error: (EE) open /dev/fb0: permission denied That was it. -- Rich On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 8:45 AM, Bradley Noyes <bkn(a)ithryn.net> wrote: > Richard, > > I’d bet that your packages are fine (but i’m not a betting man). It sounds > too me like there is something awry w/ your X environment. Perhaps the > upgraded packages don’t recognize a config buried somewhere. Here’s a > couple things i would try. > > - Often times there a file in your home directory called > .xsession-errors. I’d see if that file exists, and it may offer you some > hints as to why your window manager is not starting. I recall launching X > from a Graphical Login Window to be finicky in linux and error output is > difficult to understand. the .xsession-errors file is where i’d look first. > > - Other idea is to create a new user, then login to the GUI with that > user to make sure the GUI starts from a fresh environment. > > - The last idea i have. It sounds like you’re running gnome from the fact > that your using GDM3, I believe the gnome environment files are in .gconf > in your home directory. try renaming your .gconf to something like > .gconf.backup. You may also want to try the same for .local, although many > other applications beyond gnome apps use .local for environment settings. > > > - b > > > > On Mar 18, 2018, at 11:13, Richard Klein <rich(a)richardklein.org> wrote: > > > > I'm running Kali, which is based on Debian. Recently, after some > updates, the computer would only boot to a text prompt; no GUI. I found > that, somehow, I had a more recent version of a Gstreamer-plugins library > than GDM3 could run on. I removed the library, then re-installed GDM3, > letting it choose whatever libraries it depended on. That worked, to a > point. It boots to the GUI now, and gives me a login prompt. I enter my > username and password successfully, but then I get a solid-color > background, a mouse cursor, and nothing else; no icons, no status bars, no > menus, no apparent response to mouse clicks. > > > > My guess is I still need to re-install something else that runs on top > of the display manager, but I don't know what. Any ideas? > > _______________________________________________ > > Wlug mailing list > > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug > > > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug >

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Re: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager
by Richard Klein 20 Mar '18

20 Mar '18

Thanks! I'm not sure I'll do anything with it before the weekend, but I'll check this out. On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 8:45 AM, Bradley Noyes <bkn(a)ithryn.net> wrote: > Richard, > > I’d bet that your packages are fine (but i’m not a betting man). It sounds > too me like there is something awry w/ your X environment. Perhaps the > upgraded packages don’t recognize a config buried somewhere. Here’s a > couple things i would try. > > - Often times there a file in your home directory called > .xsession-errors. I’d see if that file exists, and it may offer you some > hints as to why your window manager is not starting. I recall launching X > from a Graphical Login Window to be finicky in linux and error output is > difficult to understand. the .xsession-errors file is where i’d look first. > > - Other idea is to create a new user, then login to the GUI with that > user to make sure the GUI starts from a fresh environment. > > - The last idea i have. It sounds like you’re running gnome from the fact > that your using GDM3, I believe the gnome environment files are in .gconf > in your home directory. try renaming your .gconf to something like > .gconf.backup. You may also want to try the same for .local, although many > other applications beyond gnome apps use .local for environment settings. > > > - b > > > > On Mar 18, 2018, at 11:13, Richard Klein <rich(a)richardklein.org> wrote: > > > > I'm running Kali, which is based on Debian. Recently, after some > updates, the computer would only boot to a text prompt; no GUI. I found > that, somehow, I had a more recent version of a Gstreamer-plugins library > than GDM3 could run on. I removed the library, then re-installed GDM3, > letting it choose whatever libraries it depended on. That worked, to a > point. It boots to the GUI now, and gives me a login prompt. I enter my > username and password successfully, but then I get a solid-color > background, a mouse cursor, and nothing else; no icons, no status bars, no > menus, no apparent response to mouse clicks. > > > > My guess is I still need to re-install something else that runs on top > of the display manager, but I don't know what. Any ideas? > > _______________________________________________ > > Wlug mailing list > > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug > > > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug >

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Re: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager
by Bradley Noyes 20 Mar '18

20 Mar '18

Richard, I’d bet that your packages are fine (but i’m not a betting man). It sounds too me like there is something awry w/ your X environment. Perhaps the upgraded packages don’t recognize a config buried somewhere. Here’s a couple things i would try. - Often times there a file in your home directory called .xsession-errors. I’d see if that file exists, and it may offer you some hints as to why your window manager is not starting. I recall launching X from a Graphical Login Window to be finicky in linux and error output is difficult to understand. the .xsession-errors file is where i’d look first. - Other idea is to create a new user, then login to the GUI with that user to make sure the GUI starts from a fresh environment. - The last idea i have. It sounds like you’re running gnome from the fact that your using GDM3, I believe the gnome environment files are in .gconf in your home directory. try renaming your .gconf to something like .gconf.backup. You may also want to try the same for .local, although many other applications beyond gnome apps use .local for environment settings. - b > On Mar 18, 2018, at 11:13, Richard Klein <rich(a)richardklein.org> wrote: > > I'm running Kali, which is based on Debian. Recently, after some updates, the computer would only boot to a text prompt; no GUI. I found that, somehow, I had a more recent version of a Gstreamer-plugins library than GDM3 could run on. I removed the library, then re-installed GDM3, letting it choose whatever libraries it depended on. That worked, to a point. It boots to the GUI now, and gives me a login prompt. I enter my username and password successfully, but then I get a solid-color background, a mouse cursor, and nothing else; no icons, no status bars, no menus, no apparent response to mouse clicks. > > My guess is I still need to re-install something else that runs on top of the display manager, but I don't know what. Any ideas? > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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Re: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager
by Richard Klein 18 Mar '18

18 Mar '18

Before i reinstalled GDM3, bash wasn't even recognizing startx as a valid command. I haven't tried again since reinstalling GDM3. Maybe I'll try that after i finish in the kitchen. On Sun, Mar 18, 2018, 3:54 PM Krichevsky, Nicholas Jacob < njkrichevsky(a)wpi.edu> wrote: > Shot in the dark - what happens if you disable gdm, then use a tty to > start X yourself, effectively bypassing gdm? > ------------------------------ > *From:* wlug-bounces(a)mail.wlug.org <wlug-bounces(a)mail.wlug.org> on behalf > of Richard Klein <rich(a)richardklein.org> > *Sent:* Sunday, March 18, 2018 11:13:30 AM > *To:* Worcester Linux Users Group > *Subject:* [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager > > I'm running Kali, which is based on Debian. Recently, after some updates, > the computer would only boot to a text prompt; no GUI. I found that, > somehow, I had a more recent version of a Gstreamer-plugins library than > GDM3 could run on. I removed the library, then re-installed GDM3, letting > it choose whatever libraries it depended on. That worked, to a point. It > boots to the GUI now, and gives me a login prompt. I enter my username and > password successfully, but then I get a solid-color background, a mouse > cursor, and nothing else; no icons, no status bars, no menus, no apparent > response to mouse clicks. > > My guess is I still need to re-install something else that runs on top of > the display manager, but I don't know what. Any ideas? > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug >

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Re: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager
by Krichevsky, Nicholas Jacob 18 Mar '18

18 Mar '18

Shot in the dark - what happens if you disable gdm, then use a tty to start X yourself, effectively bypassing gdm? ________________________________ From: wlug-bounces(a)mail.wlug.org <wlug-bounces(a)mail.wlug.org> on behalf of Richard Klein <rich(a)richardklein.org> Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2018 11:13:30 AM To: Worcester Linux Users Group Subject: [Wlug] Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager I'm running Kali, which is based on Debian. Recently, after some updates, the computer would only boot to a text prompt; no GUI. I found that, somehow, I had a more recent version of a Gstreamer-plugins library than GDM3 could run on. I removed the library, then re-installed GDM3, letting it choose whatever libraries it depended on. That worked, to a point. It boots to the GUI now, and gives me a login prompt. I enter my username and password successfully, but then I get a solid-color background, a mouse cursor, and nothing else; no icons, no status bars, no menus, no apparent response to mouse clicks. My guess is I still need to re-install something else that runs on top of the display manager, but I don't know what. Any ideas?

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Kali Linux/GDM3 display manager
by Richard Klein 18 Mar '18

18 Mar '18

I'm running Kali, which is based on Debian. Recently, after some updates, the computer would only boot to a text prompt; no GUI. I found that, somehow, I had a more recent version of a Gstreamer-plugins library than GDM3 could run on. I removed the library, then re-installed GDM3, letting it choose whatever libraries it depended on. That worked, to a point. It boots to the GUI now, and gives me a login prompt. I enter my username and password successfully, but then I get a solid-color background, a mouse cursor, and nothing else; no icons, no status bars, no menus, no apparent response to mouse clicks. My guess is I still need to re-install something else that runs on top of the display manager, but I don't know what. Any ideas?

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Amp Hour Podcast
by Richard Klein 16 Mar '18

16 Mar '18

I think a few people on this list will enjoy this podcast: https://theamphour.com/ " The Amp Hour is a non-scripted off-the-cuff format show that usually airs every Thursday evening US time. It is the worlds largest and most respected electronics oriented radio show. Discussions range from hobbyist electronics to the state of the electronics industry, components, circuit design, and general on and off-topic rants. "

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