(Solved) cinnamon crashes login only in fallback mode

[mkg3103]

Dear Friends
I need urgent help because i am not able to login in my laptop with LM17.1 64 bit cinnamon, dual boot with win 8.1 since morning. I am getting following error:

/use/bin/X: error while loading shared libraries: Libixman-1.sa.0 -no such directory found,
Xinit:...

After trying recovery mode and using dpkg option I get some package details which need to be installed including libpixman as above.
But after sometime it says could not be installed due to unmet dependencies use -f install to resolve.
Now I have accessing internet from windows setup.
I have tried to install xserver-xorg software also but it is also giving the same message
Later i reinstalled xserver but no change. Cinnamon is only starting in fallback mode
Please help me

[Fred Barclay]

First, try

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get -f install

and post back here what happens.

[mkg3103]

Dear Barclay
I have first tried the command given by you and system updated some lib files. As problem was still there so I tried to reinstall the x server by command X -configure.
I am getting following error message'
"number of created screens does not match number of detected devices. Configuration failed. (EE) server terminated with error (2). Closing log file.
Now I am starting the computer in linux and after 3-4 minutes open a scree using command Alt-Ctr+F1 and login with my user id and password. after that getting into graphical mode with command "startx" where cinnamon getting crash and starting fallback mode.
Here I am also not able to use many applications like terminal, log out/shut down option etc.
In previous login attemp I was not able to read any thing on screen as fonts were white or any light colour on light background.
Is this whole problem occurred due to my effort to customise the themes.
"X -configure" command has created a file "xorg.conf.new". Please suggest what to do with that.

[Fred Barclay]

Ok, here's the first of a few ideas:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -f install
sudo apt-get --purge autoremove cinnamon
sudo apt-get install mint-meta-cinnamon

Is your home folder on a separate partition? Also, if reinstallation is necessary (as the easiest course of action), is there anything you have to have on Mint? Documents, music, games, etc?

Is this whole problem occurred due to my effort to customise the themes.
"X -configure" command has created a file "xorg.conf.new". Please suggest what to do with that.

. Without knowing exactly what you did, I can't say, but it is possible.
As for "xorg.conf.new", I wouldn't worry about it just yet. Maybe in a bit...

[mkg3103]

Thanks to Barclay for your support.
I have tried he commands suggested by but cinnamon still crashes.
Now I am trying to install mint-meta-xfce to try if I this problem is not occurring in xfce.
While using startx command I am getting the message that "xauth= could not access /home/mayank/.Xauthority "
I have given the chmod 775 command also to this file but no change.
I do not want to reinstall the linux mint because I shifted to Linux from windows to avoid formating and reinstalling each and every software again.
But if still this problem continues then there will no other option.
Besides that I have deleted all my customised themes to remove that problem.

[Fred Barclay]

I'm beginning to think that you've somehow removed needed files for X (basic info about it is [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System]here[/url). Without it, no desktop--not Cinnamon or Xfce--will work.
Before I try anything else, can you backup any documents or anything else you want to keep? I'd like to try removing X and reinstalling it, if you don't mind, and just in case something goes wrong...

[mkg3103]

Shoot it Sir, I am with you.I have taken the back up and free to follow your command.

Please guide me the next step and I will do that tomorrow evening and revert you.

After my last post I have mint-meta-xfce and its working fine.
I have also tried to reinstall the xserver from synaptic but no change. I am also not able to access the Software repositories option in Synaptic. I think I have lost some files with some security update.

[Fred Barclay]

Hmmm... Sounds like reinstallation might be the best option. It's your call, though.

If you want to try this first:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get --purge autoremove xorg xinit xserver-xorg-video-all

Reboot

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install xorg xinit xserver-xorg-video-all mint-meta-[i]whatever desktop you want[/i]

Reboot.

[mkg3103]

Hi Still no change after doing the commands given by you.Strange thing is XFCE is working fine.

If i go backwords..in past then I had done some these things :
1. Installed Moka icons and themes
2. Installed Bracket software through deb file.
3. tried to install sass as per instruction given on their website.
Now I have removed first two items. Dont know how to revert third action.
Still I am not able to access Update Manager, Software Sources in graphic mode.
Please suggest any other action.
I do not want to format linux partition because in last 11 years I have formated my PC/Laptop only four times.

[Fred Barclay]

How about reinstallation? I believe you can do that without reformatting the drive.

[mkg3103]

Hi Barclay
I used lm 17 cinnAmon dvd to reinstall and selectedthe option to over write existing Linux installation.
But now system is not showing windows 8.1 installation. Any idea how to recover that. I feel i messed ip more . Now i have lost windows partition and my whole data?
Now system is showing 495 gb ext4 partition.
Is it possible that installer will erase all the data without asking

Any idea how to recover...(i have backed up all the data on windows partition only)

[Fred Barclay]

You perhaps choose the wrong option on installation? Perhaps you choose the "Whole Disk" option, or something similar?
The installer should not have done this accidently, but it may have hit a fluke and done so. Anyway, since you backed it up (good job!), you can perhaps get it back.

Anyhow, please run

Code: Select all

sudo lsblk
fdisk -l

Also, do you know how the partitions were set up originally? And how much space did Windows and Linux have?

How exactly did you back up Windows? Do you know the registration code and/or have installation media (recover CD)?

[mkg3103]

I have lost the window partition so i am restoring it to factory stage. Once my windows will be working then i will install Linux.
I hope now we have to move afresh and start the life again

[Fred Barclay]

OK. Post back when you're ready and I'll help you through installing Mint.

[mkg3103]

Hi Barclay
Thanks for your support. I will install mint once i get new dvd which i have ordered.
I can understand where error happened while reinstalling. Installer Has identified the previous Linux installation but nit identified the Windows installation Because my system was in dual mode. Its has asked me whether i want to install lm17 along with existing lm 17.1 or overwrite existing 17.1 installation. I have chosen 2nd option that has erased my Windows installation.
I will comeback to you once i gat my new dvd.
Thanks for your support

[Fred Barclay]

You're welcome! I see what the problem was now--thanks for clarifying.
When you've got Mint reinstalled and "comeback to [me]", I'm going to provide instructions for a good backup method I use so if this happens again, you'll only need to spend 30 minutes or so recovering.

[mkg3103]

Hi Mr Barclay.
Yesterday I got my new dvd and able to reinstall LM 17,1 cinnamon on my laptop.
Sorry for my poor english. Please guide me the Back up which you follow which will help me in future.
Thanks in advance.

[Fred Barclay]

Okay:
First step:

Code: Select all

cd /
sudo mkdir backups
cd backups

This creates a directory to store the backup in.

Code: Select all

sudo gedit #or whatever text editor you use

Paste the following into it.

Code: Select all

tar -zcvpf /backups/fullbackup.tar.gz --directory=/ --exclude=proc
--exclude=sys --exclude=dev/pts --exclude=backups .

This is the commands for what to backup and what to exclude. To see why this is like this, go to here.
Save the file as fullserver.sh inside the "backups" directory that you created in the first step.

Now, right-click the file, choose "Properties", and allow it to execute.

You can now launch the backup by either double-clicking it and choosing "Run in terminal", or by cd-ing to the "backups" directory in Terminal and calling

Code: Select all

sudo fullserver.sh

This will backup your system. After the backup process completes copy the .tar.gz backup file onto a removable disk. I cannot emphasise enough how important this is!

To restore the backup (after a crash), reinstall Mint, and then plug in the removable drive that you copied the backup to. Copy the .tar.gz file to the root directory (/) and then run the following in terminal:

Code: Select all

sudo tar -xvpf /fullbackup.tar.gz

Now some hints. Unplug any removable disk before you backup, or else they'll be backed up too and increase the size of the backup .tar.gz file. Also, if you run

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get clean 
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get autoremove

you'll clean useless files out of the system, and reduce the backup time and size.

Let me know if you need help/clarification. I'm not in front of my machine at the moment, so a lot of this is from memory.

[mkg3103]

Thanks Barclay for your reply and support.
I have created a "fullbackup.sh" file as per your instruction and details given in your link but I am getting error "command not found" while executing fullbackup.sh command.
Please check and guide.

Code: Select all

tar -zcvpf /backups/fullbackup.tar.gz --directory=/ --exclude=/proc --exclude=/sys --exclude=/dev/pts --exclude=/backups

[Fred Barclay]

If this is a copy of the fullbackup.sh file, you have to have a period at the end.

Code: Select all

tar -zcvpf /backups/fullbackup.tar.gz --directory=/ --exclude=proc --exclude=sys --exclude=dev/pts --exclude=backups .