GDM fails to start

[mdhill]

System: ThinkPad G41 with nVidia 173-era video

After failed attempts using the Alpha 2 LiveCD, I successfully installed the Alpha 2 i586 DVD. GDM worked but nouveau video only permitted GNOME 3 fallback mode. After updating and installing task-gnome, I get the sad-faced computer telling me to contact my administrator, so now I do all my software updates from Console 2.

What information can I provide to be more specific?

Mike

[wilcal]

GDM worked but nouveau video only permitted GNOME 3 fallback mode.

I have found that the only way to get Cauldron
to support my Gnome 3 nVidia based test system
is to first install KDE and once that is installed
install the nVidia drivers. Reboot back into
KDE then run task-gnome from the MCC. Reboot
again back into KDE and check to make sure
everything is fine up to that point. Then go to

MCC -> Boot -> Set up autologin -> set Default desktop to GNOME

reboot again

and you should boot up into Gnome 3 correctly
and not the fall back mode. That's what works
for me.

[doktor5000]

@wilcal: Doesn't it achieve the same thing if you install nvidia drivers via drakx11, reboot and then install task-gnome?

@mdhill: Installed all updates? cauldron has been rather active since Alpha 2 was released to the public ...

[mdhill]

@wilcal: Thanks... I'd be happy with fallback mode at this point (the proprietary 173 legacy driver doesn't support xorg 1.11?). I may wait for Alpha 3 before reinstalling.

@doktor5000: installed from DVD, added task-gnome and ran urpmi --auto-update, on or about Thursday this week. dmesg says this at the end:

gnome-shell[3116]: segfault at bf0e9ffc ip b67f21f7 sp bf0ea000 error 6 in libcogl.so.6.0.0[b67a8000+7c000]
gnome-shell[3131]: segfault at bf71af90 ip b67d2881 sp bf71af90 error 6 in libcogl.so.6.0.0[b6785000+7c000]

[doktor5000]

(the proprietary 173 legacy driver doesn't support xorg 1.11?)

Nope, not at the moment. Let's hope nvidia will put out an update before Mageia 2 is release, but i fear it will take longer.

gnome-shell[3116]: segfault at bf0e9ffc ip b67f21f7 sp bf0ea000 error 6 in libcogl.so.6.0.0[b67a8000+7c000]
gnome-shell[3131]: segfault at bf71af90 ip b67d2881 sp bf71af90 error 6 in libcogl.so.6.0.0[b6785000+7c000]

If the problem persists, either this is a bug with gnome-shell or the graphics driver you're using (i assume this is nouveau?)
and it should be reported then: https://bugs.mageia.org/index.cgi

But seems to happen also for other distros, i'd say this is a gnome upstream bug:
http://bugs.sabayon.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2839

[wilcal]

@wilcal: Doesn't it achieve the same thing if you install nvidia drivers via drakx11, reboot and then install task-gnome?

Agreed, but I'm get'n back into my old habit of installing
both KDE and Gnome onto my platforms. More tools
and toys. KDE is always first to be installed.

[mdhill]

Nope, not at the moment. Let's hope nvidia will put out an update before Mageia 2 is release,
but i fear it will take longer.

Nouveau has worked for me on other distros on this hardware, but not always perfectly. My desktop machine with
nouveau on a much newer nvidia card works well.

If the problem persists, either this is a bug with gnome-shell or the graphics driver you're
using (i assume this is nouveau?) and it should be reported then: https://bugs.mageia.org/index.cgi

Yes, it's nouveau. I'll try the alternatives and then see where to submit a bug.

But seems to happen also for other distros, i'd say this is a gnome upstream bug:
http://bugs.sabayon.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2839

Thanks, I'll keep an eye on this.

[mdhill]

Further information: using drakx11 I've switched from nouveau to nv and I get the GDM login again. Logging in brings up the fallback desktop, which is far preferable to the console for troubleshooting.

[mdhill]

If the problem persists, either this is a bug with gnome-shell or the graphics driver you're using (i assume this is nouveau?)
and it should be reported then: https://bugs.mageia.org/index.cgi

https://bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=4088