Ubuntu 11.10 Login Loop
- January 5th, 2012
- By Dean Harris
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Today I had my first Ubuntu induced headache in a long time and I thought I would share my experience with you in case anyone else suffers the same woes!
The Problem:
Following a routine update of Ubuntu 11.10, I was prompted for a restart due to a kernal update. On restarting my system all seemed well with the world as I was presented with the usual LightDM X display manager login screen. When entering my username and password the screen quickly went to a console, text flashed rapidly on the screen (concern flashed rapidly through my brain), then returned promptly back to the login page once again. ‘Strange’ thinks I, so I promptly retry again… and again… and again but to no avail. The same thing keeps happening. I then attempt to login using the guest account but, once again, with the same results.
I then fire up another of my PC’s and promptly hit Google for answers. I find various different solutions: ‘It’s a security issue, delete ~/Xauthority’, I do this to no avail; ‘reconfigure LightDM’, I do this to no avail; ‘It’s a driver problem’, no it’s not! I intently watch the console flash again and again trying to discover the secret of it rapidly vanishing text as I keep trying to login to the desktop. Eventually I read what is displayed, ‘System V runlevel compatibility’. Bugger, that could be bloody anything!
Google frantically again but bothing that has been currently posted has ceased my pain! In the end, I decide to go old school (well, not really, just decide to metaphorically put a bullet in the head of LightDM!
The Solution:
At the login screen, I brought up a virtual console by pressing CTRL+ALT+F2
I log into Ubuntu using the console and all is well. Next I type:
When prompted I enter my password and gdm downloads and installs (old friend, you served me well in the past, sorry I had forsaken you but I need you now). When asked for a default manager I select ‘gdm’. Installation completes!
Next I type:
My old friend the gdm login screen returns and displays himself to me proudly. Oh how I’ve missed you!
I enter my username (well, click on it) and enter my password. Angels begin to sing as Ubuntu loads up and everything seems to be working as it should. Cynically, I restart and login about a trillion times to ensure that I wasn’t being tricked. All is once again right with the world, apart from the usual wars, famine, economic meltdown and global warming but I can handle that!
The Cause:
Don’t know, don’t care, can’t be arsed to find out! Anyway, this worked for me.
The Conclusion:
Maybe there are other out there having this same issue and, if so, hopefully this simple solution may help them seek the peace that they are desperately searching for.




