Mx-23.2 boot failure

[Charlie Brown]

In the meantime the problem is probably related to Intel (1st card disabled somehow) and Nvidia (2nd one enabled) ... So:

Do you see/have such a file?:

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-nvidia.conf

If no we'll create it.

[james]

Charlie Brown: I saw your 7:16 PM post asking me to update lightdm defaults. Did that, rebooted, no change. I have spent several more hours this morning chasing a solution to this, and somehow missed your 7:28 PM post because it was on the next page of this forum.

So, here is the answer to your question:

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$ /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-nvidia.conf
bash: /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-nvidia.conf: No such file or directory

YES, I would appreciate it if you would walk me through the creation of such a file!

FYI, here is what I did while I was stumbling around in the dark...
I found a link that showed how to get a debug display for lightdm:

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$ sudo lightdm --test-mode --debug
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Logging to /var/log/lightdm/lightdm.log
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Starting Light Display Manager 1.26.0, UID=0 PID=7588
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration dirs from /usr/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration from /usr/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/01_debian.conf
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration from /usr/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/02_MX.conf
[+0.00s] DEBUG:   [SeatDefaults] is now called [Seat:*], please update this configuration
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration from /usr/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/10_numlockx.conf
[+0.00s] DEBUG:   [SeatDefaults] is now called [Seat:*], please update this configuration
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration dirs from /usr/local/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration dirs from /etc/xdg/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Loading configuration from /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf
[+0.00s] DEBUG:   [SeatDefaults] is now called [Seat:*], please update this configuration
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Using Xephyr for X servers
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Registered seat module local
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Registered seat module xremote
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Registered seat module unity
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Using D-Bus name org.freedesktop.DisplayManager
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Using cross-namespace EXTERNAL authentication (this will deadlock if server is GDBus < 2.73.3)
[+0.00s] DEBUG: _g_io_module_get_default: Found default implementation local (GLocalVfs) for ?gio-vfs?
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Monitoring logind for seats
[+0.00s] DEBUG: New seat added from logind: seat0
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Loading properties from config section Seat:*
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 has property CanMultiSession=no
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Starting
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Creating greeter session
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Creating display server of type x
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Using VT 7
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Starting local X display on VT 7
[+0.00s] DEBUG: XServer 1: Logging to /var/log/lightdm/x-1.log
[+0.00s] DEBUG: XServer 1: Can't launch X server Xephyr, not found in path
[+0.00s] DEBUG: XServer 1: X server stopped
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Releasing VT 7
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Display server stopped
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Can't create display server for greeter
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Session stopped
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Stopping display server, no sessions require it
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Stopping
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Stopped
[+0.00s] DEBUG: Failed to start seat: seat0

So I looked at what my lightdm.conf said:

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$ cat /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf
#
# General configuration
#
# start-default-seat = True to always start one seat if none are defined in the configuration
# greeter-user = User to run greeter as
# minimum-display-number = Minimum display number to use for X servers
# minimum-vt = First VT to run displays on
# lock-memory = True to prevent memory from being paged to disk
# user-authority-in-system-dir = True if session authority should be in the system location
# guest-account-script = Script to be run to setup guest account
# log-directory = Directory to log information to
# run-directory = Directory to put running state in
# cache-directory = Directory to cache to
# xsessions-directory = Directory to find X sessions
# remote-sessions-directory = Directory to find remote sessions
# xgreeters-directory = Directory to find X greeters
# disable-guest-wrapper = Disable using guest session wrapper (temporary? required to make tests work without installing)
#
[LightDM]
#start-default-seat=true
#greeter-user=lightdm
#minimum-display-number=0
#minimum-vt=7
#lock-memory=true
#user-authority-in-system-dir=false
#guest-account-script=guest-account
#log-directory=/var/log/lightdm
#run-directory=/var/run/lightdm
#cache-directory=/var/cache/lightdm
#xsessions-directory=/usr/share/xsessions
#remote-sessions-directory=/usr/share/lightdm/remote-sessions
#xgreeters-directory=/usr/share/xgreeters
#disable-guest-wrapper=false

#
# Seat defaults
#
# type = Seat type (xlocal, xremote)
# xserver-command = X -dpi $DPI server command to run (can also contain arguments e.g. X -special-option)
# xserver-layout = Layout to pass to X server
# xserver-config = Config file to pass to X server
# xserver-allow-tcp = True if TCP/IP connections are allowed to this X server
# xdmcp-manager = XDMCP manager to connect to (implies xserver-allow-tcp=true)
# xdmcp-port = XDMCP UDP/IP port to communicate on
# xdmcp-key = Authentication key to use for XDM-AUTHENTICATION-1 (stored in keys.conf)
# greeter-session = Session to load for greeter
# greeter-hide-users = True to hide the user list
# greeter-allow-guest = True if the greeter should show a guest login option
# greeter-show-manual-login = True if the greeter should offer a manual login option
# greeter-show-remote-login = True if the greeter should offer a remote login option
# user-session = Session to load for users
# allow-guest = True if guest login is allowed
# guest-session = Session to load for guests (overrides user-session)
# session-wrapper = Wrapper script to run session with
# display-setup-script = Script to run when starting a greeter session (runs as root)
# greeter-setup-script = Script to run when starting a greeter (runs as root)
# session-setup-script = Script to run when starting a user session (runs as root)
# session-cleanup-script = Script to run when quitting a user session (runs as root)
# autologin-guest = True to log in as guest by default
# autologin-user = User to log in with by default (overrides autologin-guest)
# autologin-user-timeout = Number of seconds to wait before loading default user
# autologin-session = Session to load for automatic login (overrides user-session)
# exit-on-failure = True if the daemon should exit if this seat fails
#
[SeatDefaults]
#type=xlocal
xserver-command=X -dpi $DPI
#xserver-layout=
#xserver-config=
xserver-allow-tcp=false
#xdmcp-manager=
#xdmcp-port=177
#xdmcp-key=
greeter-session=lightdm-greeter
#greeter-hide-users=true
#greeter-allow-guest=true
#greeter-show-manual-login=false
#greeter-show-remote-login=true
#user-session=default
#allow-guest=true
#guest-session=UNIMPLEMENTED
session-wrapper=/etc/X11/Xsession
display-setup-script=/usr/local/bin/early-bg
#greeter-setup-script=
#session-setup-script=
#session-cleanup-script=
#autologin-guest=false
#autologin-user=james
autologin-user-timeout=0
#autologin-session=UNIMPLEMENTED
#exit-on-failure=false

#
# Seat configuration
#
# Each seat must start with "Seat:".
# Uses settings from [SeatDefaults], any of these can be overriden by setting them in this section.
#
#[Seat:0]

#
# XDMCP Server configuration
#
# enabled = True if XDMCP connections should be allowed
# port = UDP/IP port to listen for connections on
# key = Authentication key to use for XDM-AUTHENTICATION-1 or blank to not use authentication (stored in keys.conf)
#
# The authentication key is a 56 bit DES key specified in hex as 0xnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.  Alternatively
# it can be a word and the first 7 characters are used as the key.
#
[XDMCPServer]
#enabled=false
#port=177
#key=

#
# VNC Server configuration
#
# enabled = True if VNC connections should be allowed
# command = Command to run Xvnc server with
# port = TCP/IP port to listen for connections on
# width = Width of display to use
# height = Height of display to use
# depth = Color depth of display to use
#
[VNCServer]
#enabled=false
#command=Xvnc
#port=5900
#width=1024
#height=768
#depth=8

There is only one instance of "[SeatDefaults]" that is not commented out, and I have not altered it to [Seat:*], which I suspect should actually be [Seat:0], because I do not want to mess with something I do not really understand without advice from a more knowledgeable person, and because I suspect this is not the real issue anyway.

The probably more important issue that showed up during debug is:

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[+0.00s] DEBUG: XServer 1: Can't launch X server Xephyr, not found in path

So, I searched around; Xephyr does not appear to be installed. The Mx Package Installer did not offer Xephyr, but I was able to use Synaptic to install xserver-xephyr.
Didn't work, no change.
It's 3 AM now. I'll check back every hour or so to see when you are back to looking at this. Again, I really appreciate the help, especially since it is now Saturday.
And if you don't get back until Monday, no worries.

[Charlie Brown]

In fact (normally) I'd suggest this earlier, but did not for it's a double card system. Since you say you don't want Intel we (need to) make it behave as a single card (Nvidia-only) system and prevent Intel and force Nvidia:

• "MX Boot Options" (from menu) , add into Kernel Parameters box:
  

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  i915.modeset=0

  If you like only (and I suggest) while you're at it add also nosplash and do it as :
  

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  quiet nosplash i915.modeset=0

  Apply ...

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  sudo tee /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-nvidia.conf <<!
  Section "Device"
       Identifier "Nvidia Card"
       Driver "nvidia"
       VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
       Option "RegistryDwords" "EnableBrightnessControl=1
  EndSection
  !

  P.S. It's normal that the terminal warns you about security, just click "paste" then press Enter. (This creates such a file for you with 2 clicks only.)
  

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  echo -e 'nvidia\nnvidia-drm\nnvidia-modeset\n\nloop' | sudo tee /etc/modules

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  sudo modprobe -r i915 ; sudo update-initramfs -uk all

... Kind of "Belts and Braces" :)


Reboot.

[Charlie Brown]

... saw your 7:16 PM post ...

Actually it was 02:16 AM :D

(GMT +3 here, currently 15:57 :) )

[james]

Sorry, I forgot an "end CODE" slash and part of my discussion got included as code and even missed it in the preview. Perhaps the moderator will be kind enough to remove the one above, in the meantime here is how it was supposed to look...

Charlie Brown: "Actually it was 02:16 AM :D" Where are you? Somewhere in Europe?

OK, back to grindstone for me. I'm going to save money on haircuts because I've pulled all my hair out at this point.

By the way, the only cards, in the sense of cards inserted into the motherboard are a NIC card that I had to install in order to load Ubuntu, because Ubuntu at the time didn't support the motherboard network chip, and the GEFORCE RTX 3070 Ti graphics card. There is no Intel graphics card. There may be Intel chips on the motherboard itself, but not an actual card - that is what you meant, right?

Thanks for the latest stuff to try, and here is what happened:

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$ echo -e 'nvidia\nnvidia-drm\nnvidia-modeset\n\nloop' | sudo tee /etc/modules
nvidia
nvidia-drm
nvidia-modeset

loop
[~]
$ sudo modprobe -r i915 ; sudo update-initramfs -uk all
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.7.9-1-liquorix-amd64
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amd/amd_sev_fam19h_model1xh.sbin for module ccp
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.7.8-1-liquorix-amd64
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amd/amd_sev_fam19h_model1xh.sbin for module ccp
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.6.12-1-liquorix-amd64
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amd/amd_sev_fam19h_model1xh.sbin for module ccp
[~]

Rebooted. Same as before.

A few thoughts...
First, I was getting errors about every other reboot recently that said:

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mdadm no arrays found in config file
Alert! /dev/nvme2n1p2 does not exist

I then recalled I had uncommented a grub entry:

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# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

So, I went back in, commented it back out, updated grub, and then reboot 3 times in a row to make sure that was it. It hasn't happened again since I fixed my foolishness.

Secondly, this problem DOES seem to be caused by lightdm or the XServer not launching, yes? And if we can get that fixed it should fix the Keyring stuff as well?

Thanks again for your patience and help.
James

[james]

Thank you, moderator!

[Charlie Brown]

The keyring opens when you login (normally it shouldn't appear and ask again. Once it was a real trouble with especially Chrome and derivatives). Shortly that's related to this issue.

We can reinstall lightdm to make sure, nothing to lose at least (your settings look normal btw.):

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sudo apt update ; sudo apt reinstall lightdm-gtk-greeter-mx23 lightdm-gtk-greeter-settings lightdm-gtk-greeter lightdm-modified-init lightdm -y

Reboot.

... Somewhere in Europe?..

Yep :)

[james]

Well, I was going to paste in the code you put above. I brought up chroot-rescue-scan, typed in my password, and this appeared:

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[sudo] password for james:            
===============================================================================
Starting chroot-rescue-scan
===============================================================================
Scanning partitions ...
Scanning directories ...
Warning: No Linux systems were found
Paused at exit
Press <Enter> to continue

OK: what's going on? An hour ago I was able to boot up to the blank screen with blinking cursor, then CNTRL-ALT-F1 brought me to a login prompt. I logged in with password, then typed "startx" and now the screen looks like it should, the resolution is fine, I've been surfing the web, everything APPEARs to be OK other than the machine doesn't just boot up into this. Now suddenly how can it NOT find Linux when it's RUNNING Linux?

[james]

OK, I think I found the (latest) problem. The Linux drive USED TO BE nvme2n1, it is now nvme0n1, and the long, long UUID string is now: D572-4275. This may have been caused by the grub edit I mentioned above, but like I said, I put grub back EXACTLY like it was, updated grub, then rebooted THREE times to make sure it was OK, and only THEN logged in an hour ago. If it is related to that, WHY NOW? And why would the OS shuffle around the nvme designations anyway?

[xaol]

if you are currently booted into the installed system, do you need to use chroot rather than a regular terminal? on my system with just mx 23 installed, chroot also finds no other system to chroot into. that seems normal.