Problem since installing Dual Boot (SOLVED)

Degsy · 12 January 2016 19:31

Found a live DVD and booted to it, the output you requested is as follows:
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders, total 234441648 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0001c80a

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 2048 172790376 86394164+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 172791806 234440703 30824449 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 231317504 234440703 1561600 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 172791808 231317503 29262848 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

Mark_Greaves_PCNetSp · 12 January 2016 20:11

OK, boot to the LiveDVD, don’t do anything that might mount any partitions, just open a terminal and run:

sudo fsck /dev/sda1

and

sudo fsck /dev/sda6

then see if it’ll boot

if not, you’re going to have to check the log files for the unbootable distro

in particular the
/var/log/lightdm/lightdm.log
and
/var/log/Xorg.0.log
logs

Be sure to be getting them from the partition containing the unbootable distro, and NOT the live session.

and find some way to host them online somewhere, then provide a link

SeZo · 12 January 2016 20:29

This sounds more like that it is a lightdm issue.
What happens if you try this from the login screen:
press CTR+ALT+F1
you will get to the terminal then login to your normal user
once logged in enter

startx

Does that starts your normal session?

Degsy · 12 January 2016 21:04

Hi Mark & SeZo,
Thanks for you help,
First, tried your suggestion Mark, no joy at all, both did mention being “clean” when I ran the commands but no boot.
I would not have the first idea where to start with checking the log files.
Secondly, tried your suggestion SeZo and a lot of writing flashed up the screen but nothing happened after that, thanks again guys.

Finally said on screen xinit giving up,
Xinit unable to connect to X server, resource temporarily unavailable
Waiting for X server to shut down (EE) server terminated successfully (o) closing log file
Xinit server error

Degsy

Mark_Greaves_PCNetSp · 12 January 2016 23:15

try this from the text console

sudo mv -v /tmp /tmp-old

then

sudo mkdir /tmp

then

sudo chmod 777 /tmp

then

sudo service lightdm restart

anything ?

Degsy · 13 January 2016 13:40

Hi Mark,
Tried your suggestion, this is as far as it got
mv: cannot move ‘/tmp’ to ‘/tmp-old’: Device or resource busy,
Then returned me to the usual prompt.

Degsy

Mark_Greaves_PCNetSp · 13 January 2016 23:26

Okay, that’s even more making me think it’s something in Ubuntu’s /tmp directory.

I take it you can still boot Peppermint ?

if so, can you boot to Peppermint and post the output from:

mount

Degsy · 14 January 2016 10:46

Hi Mark,
From Peppermint 6:
degsy@degsy-MM061 ~ $ mount
/dev/sda6 on / type ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
none on /sys/fs/cgroup type tmpfs (rw)
none on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/debug type debugfs (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/security type securityfs (rw)
udev on /dev type devtmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=0620)
tmpfs on /run type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,size=10%,mode=0755)
none on /run/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,size=5242880)
none on /run/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
none on /run/user type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,size=104857600,mode=0755)
none on /sys/fs/pstore type pstore (rw)
systemd on /sys/fs/cgroup/systemd type cgroup (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,none,name=systemd)
gvfsd-fuse on /run/user/1000/gvfs type fuse.gvfsd-fuse (rw,nosuid,nodev,user=degsy)

Thanks again for your help,

Degsy

Mark_Greaves_PCNetSp · 14 January 2016 15:42

OK, from within Peppermint run:

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

then

sudo mv -v /mnt/tmp /mnt/tmp-old

then

sudo mkdir /mnt/tmp

then

sudo chmod 777 /mnt/tmp

now try rebooting into Ubuntu

if it still loops at the login screen, are there any clues (error messages) given if you drop to a text console, then run:

sudo service lightdm restart

Degsy · 14 January 2016 17:55

Hi Mark,
Carried out your instructions from within Peppermint, all commands went through no problem, logged back into Ubuntu but got the looping log in screen again, tried the lightdm suggestion but no clues came up, just responded with "stop/waiting then went back to the looping log in screen.

Thanks,
Degsy

Mark_Greaves_PCNetSp · 14 January 2016 19:47

OK, boot peppermint and run:

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

then

cd /mnt/var/log

then

sudo tar cvf ~/Desktop/degsy-logs.tar.gz dmesg kern.log syslog Xorg.0.log lightdm/lightdm.log lightdm/x-0.log lightdm/x-0-greeter.log

then

sudo chown $USER:$USER ~/Desktop/degsy-logs.tar.gz

you’ll then find a file on the Peppermint desktop … can you host that online somewhere and post a link

Degsy · 14 January 2016 20:40

Hi Mark,
Link is as follows:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jrcrm6m2hx6pcju/degsy-logs.tar.gz?dl=0

Please note for sake of accuracy all commands copied and pasted into the Terminal

Hope this helps,

Regards,
Degsy

Mark_Greaves_PCNetSp · 14 January 2016 22:03

in Peppermint, run

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

then post the contents of

gedit /mnt/home/derek/.xsession-errors

and the output from:

df -h

Degsy · 15 January 2016 16:02

HI Mark,
As requested:
degsy@degsy-MM061 ~ $ sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
[sudo] password for degsy:
degsy@degsy-MM061 ~ $ gedit /mnt/home/derek/.xsession-errors
degsy@degsy-MM061 ~ $ df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
udev 742M 4.0K 742M 1% /dev
tmpfs 151M 1.3M 150M 1% /run
/dev/sda6 28G 4.1G 22G 16% /
none 4.0K 0 4.0K 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
none 5.0M 0 5.0M 0% /run/lock
none 752M 20M 732M 3% /run/shm
none 100M 12K 100M 1% /run/user
/dev/sda1 81G 29G 49G 37% /mnt
degsy@degsy-MM061 ~ $

The gedit returned a blank file with just a blinking cursor in the top left corner.

Degsy

Mark_Greaves_PCNetSp · 15 January 2016 16:08

in peppermint run:

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

then post the output from:

ls /mnt/home

and

ls -a /mnt/home/derek

Degsy · 15 January 2016 16:12

AS requested:
degsy@degsy-MM061 ~ $ ls /mnt/home
degsy derek
degsy@degsy-MM061 ~ $ ls -a /mnt/home/derek
. Documents Music
… Downloads .openshot
.adobe .dropbox Pictures
All Genealogical Data Dropbox .pki
.arista .dropbox-dist .PlayOnLinux
.avidemux .fonts PlayOnLinux’s virtual drives
.bash_history .gconf .profile
.bash_logout .gksu.lock Public
.bashrc .gnome2 .ssh
.cache .gnome2_private Templates
.cinnamon .gnupg .themes
.compiz .gphoto .thunderbird
.config .gstreamer-0.10 Videos
.conky .hplip .winff
Conky-HTC-Updated-Enfield.zip .ICEauthority .Xauthority
.dbus .local .Xauthority-old
derek-MM061 .macromedia .xinputrc
Desktop .mozilla .xsession-errors
.dmrc .mplayer .xsession-errors.old
degsy@degsy-MM061 ~ $

Degsy

Mark_Greaves_PCNetSp · 15 January 2016 16:14

Does

gedit /mnt/home/derek/.xsession-errors

still open a blank file ?

Degsy · 15 January 2016 16:23

Yes, Mark, still opens a blank file, sorry.

Degsy

SeZo · 15 January 2016 16:25

Would it be a good idea to replace lightdm with gdm and see if that behaves the same?
Having two users affected (brand new and old) would point to a lightdm problem.

Mark_Greaves_PCNetSp · 15 January 2016 17:47

First let’s give reinstalling lightdm a shot … then if necessary we’ll give gdm or possibly Mints mdm a go
(IIRC gdm brings in a lot more dependencies than mdm)

In Peppermint run these commands in sequence

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

then

for i in /dev /dev/pts /proc /sys /run; do sudo mount -B $i /mnt$i; done

then

sudo chroot /mnt

then

apt-get install --reinstall lightdm

then hit Ctrl+D to exit the chroot environment

Then reboot and see if you can log into Ubuntu.