Well, not quite.
I am running Ubuntu 14 on a 64-bit home-built desktop and created two administrator accounts for safety.
This morning I ran a manual update and decided to logout and log in to the other account just to remind myself of what I had done with it.
I was rewarded with a black screen - well, not black just very dark grey. And no new login screen appeared so after a while I pressed a few few keys such as Ctrl+Alt+Del, but all to no avail. Hmmm.
Any ideas, anyone?
Ctrl+Alt+Del doesn’t work with Linux.
If you want to reboot the system (soft start) you need to use Ctrl’+‘Alt’+'SysRq and while holding them down type REISUB.
I can’t help with the cause of your problem but I’m sure someone who can will be along shortly.
Ctrl’+‘Alt’+'SysRq+REISUB rings a bell. Unfortunately my keyboard doesn’t boast a SysRq key.
But thank you for the suggestion.
Keith
[EDIT] Just out of curiosity I tried Ctrl+Alt+Del on my Peppermint 3 laptop and it offered to log me out. I learn something new every day. On a good day, anyway.
HI Keith
I’m not at a Linux PC right now but I’m sure Ctrl+Alt+F12 will reboot the system
Graeme
SysRq = PrtScr (PrintScreen)
Did you log off whilst it was updating ?
Ah! Print-Screen, thank you for that - I would never have thought of it.
No, I waited for the update to finish.
Just tried the Ctrl’+‘Alt’+PrntScr+REISUB and it worked OK - though it’s just as well that I have long fingers.
The problem may be related to the update, though, as the PC is still reminding me that the update will finish next time I reboot.
Is this solved now, or are you still having problems ?
the PC is still reminding me that the update will finish next time I reboot.
If after a reboot you’re still getting that message, try running:
sudo apt-get install -f
No, I didn’t receive that message again. I tried your command, as it wouldn’t hurt, but it’s up-to-date.
The screen still goes black after logging out.
OK, I’m a little lost as to what’s happening here.
The screen only goes blank if you select “logout” ?
is it immediately after you select logout ?
or is it only when you attempt to login to the other account ?
As soon as I select “logout” the screen goes black then dark grey but fails to get back to the log-in screen.
Try running:
sudo apt-get install --reinstall lightdm-gtk-greeter
or
Hit Ctrl+Alt+F3 … and if it displays a text console, login in text mode with your username them password … then what happens if you run:
sudo service lightdm restart
Hi, I thought the command was AltGr+SysRq+REISUB ?
@Mark
Installed OK, then:
@Don
You need very long fingers to do that on my keyboard!!!
And it really ought not to be necessary, I feel.
[edit] Ah! “AltGr”. I’ll try it. But still feel it ought not to be needed.
Can you give me the EXACT wording of the message about updates being done at next boot.
Do you get any errors from:
sudo apt-get update
and
sudo apt-get upgrade
and is there any output from:
cat /var/run/reboot-required.pkgs
Maybe try:
sudo apt-get install --reinstall lightdm-gtk-greeter
then
sudo reboot
or
sudo apt-get install --reinstall lightdm-gtk-greeter
then
sudo shutdown -r now
Once rebooted, see if logout works.
Can you give me the EXACT wording of the message about updates being done at next boot.
The logout window looks like this:
Logout
Are you sure that you want to close all programs and log out?
Some software updates won’t be applied until the computer next restarts.
[Cancel] [Logout]
Do you get any errors from:
sudo apt-get update
and
sudo apt-get upgrade
There are no errors reported
and is there any output from:
cat /var/run/reboot-required.pkgs
Output = “No such file or directory”
Maybe try:
sudo apt-get install --reinstall lightdm-gtk-greeter
then
sudo reboot
Result = normal reboot.
Logging out still gives a grey screen
or
sudo apt-get install --reinstall lightdm-gtk-greeter
then
sudo shutdown -r now
Result = normal reboot.
Logging out still gives a grey screen
The login screen now has a small box in the centre screen rather than at the LHS and provides no choice of desktop.
As this is a spare PC with nothing on it, I am happy to just re-install Ubuntu, if you think that’s the easiest option.
so this is Ubnbtu not Peppermint ?
If so, try:
sudo apt-get remove lightdm-gtk-greeter
then
sudo apt-get install --reinstall unity-greeter
Yep, Ubuntu 14.04, as mentioned earlier.
The removal and re-installation of the greeter has made no improvement.
I don’t mind if you want to abandon this, Mark.
Your call ?
As the PC is a spare with nothing on it yet I feel that I am taking up your time unnecessarily when a simple re-install might fix the problem without any inconvenience to me.
You’ve been very patient as usual, for which I am grateful.
My thanks for everyone’s input.
Keith