1

Using Ubuntu 16.04 with GNOME (which I added later, the original version has Unity), with a Dell Inspiron 15-3531.

After I turn off my computer (with the power button), or make it sleep (shut the lid), at the GNOME login screen which shows the profiles, I click mine, then enter my password. For about 2 seconds it seems like the computer will unlock as usual, but it then loops back to the gray screen with the profiles. It still responds to an extent, as it tells me if my password is incorrect.

I've only been able to temporarily fix it by a full shutdown, or by removing the battery for a minute. Granted, my laptop is old so it could just be that.

Edit: my .Xauthority file is not owned by root but by my user. Creating a new profile does work, however I would not necessarily want to use this new profile as my main. Any suggestions on how to change that? Renaming .Xauthority on my main profile returns "invalid user".

Improve this question
8
  • @Redbob My post has been edited after testing out those solutions.
    – 9voltWolfXX
    Sep 9, 2017 at 21:22
  • 1
    So even after renaming .Xauthority didn't solved? Have you tried to create another account to see if you have the same problem?
    – Redbob
    Sep 9, 2017 at 21:26
  • @Redbob .Xauthority did not have the issue as described, and even attempting it did not work. I will try to make another account.
    – 9voltWolfXX
    Sep 10, 2017 at 0:11
  • 1
    It's strange... when we rename .Xauthority, then a new gui session automatically creates a new .Xauthority file. Perhaps some files or some folders are not accessible. If you ls ~ -lha, is there any file owned to root?
    – Redbob
    Sep 10, 2017 at 1:02
  • 1
    So you must chown all of them to your account. Execute this: sudo chown username /home/username -hR, where username is the name of your account.
    – Redbob
    Sep 10, 2017 at 1:17

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

Usually, graphical interfaced (GUI) session is not successfully due to several situations, the most common are:

  • Corruption of ~/.Xauthority file: this should be corrected by just renaming or deleting this file; at next gui-login, this file is automatically recreated;

  • Inaccessibility of some config files and/or folders within $HOME folder: It can be corrected by chowning this files for user owner. Typing

    sudo chown username /home/username -hR

will grant all contents within $HOME folder to be accessible to username account;

  • Not enough space for /home partition: It's necessary to delete not-necessary content or resize this partition, to allow a successful gui-session.
Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .