AVL left with no desktop (and no tty?!) after update

[tizianomattei]

Hi,
I've just run an update on my AVL-MXE, including upgrading the kernel to 6.8.12-liquorix-amd64, and after login I am left with a black screen (but WITH a working bt mouse cursor), even if I choose to boot to the older 6.7.12 kernel.
Also, I can't find the way to switch to a console tty (alt+F2 etc. are all empty...)
I've also noticed that GRUB takes longer to appear at start (?!)
I'm on a Thinkpad E15 Gen3, pretty sure it's an Intel graphics card...
Any suggestions? (at least about how to open a console...)
Thank you so much!

[AVLinux]

Hi,

This is not normal, not sure what to advise. Are you booting systemd or sysvinit?

[Kermit the Frog]

... including upgrading the kernel ... even if I choose to boot to the older 6.7.12 kernel...

Maybe the root (or boot if separate) partition got full. You can check with live session, any Linux no matter new / old .

[AVLinux]

... including upgrading the kernel ... even if I choose to boot to the older 6.7.12 kernel...

Maybe the root (or boot if separate) partition got full. You can check with live session, any Linux no matter new / old .

Oh yes, those are classic 'drive is full' symptoms... How big is your AVL partition? Like Kermie said you can boot AVL or MX or whatever from a Live USB and check your free disk space..

[tizianomattei]

Thank you both.
I just checked my drives and there's plenty of space.
But, now I tried booting again with all the kernels I had on my system (6.8.12, 6.7.12 and 6.6.12, all liquorix) and I got the ttys!! Not using kernel 6.8.12, but with the two older ones. Still no desktop anyway... (I've tried both systemd and sysvinit, no difference.
So, first thing, I've uninstalled the 6.8.12 kernel and rebooted. Same result.
I think it's something related to the enlightenment startup. I can see from the console that the enlightenment binary is running. I also have a working mouse, which is bluetooth, and that starts working in lightdm. When I login I have a black screen with only the mouse cursor. Ctrl+alt+del correctly brings me back to lightdm. I've also tried removing all files from .config/autostart, but it didn't help.
I could try to install a different desktop and see if it works, but I'd prefer not messing with my installation too much (maybe some simple wm like icewm or fluxbox?)

[Kermit the Frog]

Yep, I was just going to say I'd install Fluxbox. Simple and it may stay there no matter you use it or not. If you install it from the initial tab : "Window Managers" category in "MX Package Installer" it'll be already usable (you won't need to start from scratch like the classic Fluxbox package).

Code: Select all

Fluxbox (with MX-flux settings)

Packages to be installed: fluxbox idesk mx-fluxbox gkrellm mxfb-docs mx-fluxbox-data mxfb-accessories 
wmalauncher lxappearance rofi-calc custom-toolbox roxterm feh

[tizianomattei]

Thank you so much Kermit, I installed all af those packages from the console and now at least I have a working WM/DE to live in! Btw, I also have a very customized Icewm config of mine (on my AntiX-driven machine) that I could inherit...
Neverthless, I'd prefer to find out what's wrong with Enlightenment and try to fix it...

[Kermit the Frog]

Yep, at least till you repair it you'll have a gui desktop :)

In the meantime:

Code: Select all

apt-history

If no such command on AVL:

Code: Select all

zgrep -EH ' install | upgrade | purge | remove ' /var/log/dpkg* | cut -f2- -d: | sort -r | sed 's/ remove / remove  /;s/ purge / purge   /' | less

Will show what was changed (updated/installed/removed), especially that day ...

[tizianomattei]

Great! Thank you!