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[SOLVED] Unable to Start Graphical Session

I applied some updates (pacman -Syu) to my two Artix VMs on the 22nd, and have been unable to use Xfce or LightDM ever since. When powering on the VMs normally (allowing the greeter/LightDM to start), I am met with a black screen and a blinking cursor. When attempting to manually start a graphical session (startxfce4) on one of them, I received the following output:







Since one of the VMs is running Docker containers, I checked to see if those services were still available. They are still reachable, which seems to indicate that this issue only impacts my ability to start a graphical session. Has anyone else ran into this issue recently? Should I try out a different DektopEnvironment/DisplayManager, to see if the issue only impacts Xfce and LightDM?Just curious...

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #1 –
is there a suid problem?

I would uninstall X and reinstall it with pacman, just to assure you are working from a sane baseline
 

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #2 –
Quote from: mrbrklyn – on
is there a suid problem?

I would uninstall X and reinstall it with pacman, just to assure you are working from a sane baseline


I tried reinstalling X, but I don't think anything changed:








Please let me know if you need more information/logs.

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #4 –
There is an error with /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so  

But also and (possibly more relevant?) also with /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/libvgahw.so
From a quick search libvgahw.so seems to be vmware specific. So I'd be investigating how vmware installs libvgahw.so in the guest and whether it could be updated or downgraded to possibly fix the issue.

But vesa_drv.so might actually be needed as well. I don't know about the inner workings of vmware so can't help much more than that.

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #5 –
I can't read these little pictures of massive amount of text.  The thing about the vesa error is that it is often a fallback module that should work... and it is not.  You reinstalled X and X does work.  I have it running on dozens of systems.  So the question is what is unique about your set up. 

I also thought it might be vmware but I know nothing about it, so I was quiet about what I don't know and hoping someone else would have a decent insight.

I would remove X and by hand delete all the configuration files.  and THEN try to reinstall.  Missing symbols for video drivers your not using is not a big deal.  Missing symbols from drivers you should be running... that is trouble.  My guess is you have an incompatibility with vmware  graphic drivers and the updated X.

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #6 –
Xorg drivers come from packages separate to the main xorg-sever package. And libvgahw.so may come directly from vmware ?
Have a look in your pacman log to see what got updated on the 22nd.

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #7 –
I am having exactly the same issue with my Artix Linux + XFCE VM on VirtualBox. I can't start the graphical session in my VM with startx after running pacman -Syu. Here is the Xorg.0.log:
Code: [Select]
[   130.239] 
X.Org X Server 1.21.1.16
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
[   130.239] Current Operating System: Linux ArtixLinux 6.14.6-artix1-1 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Sun, 11 May 2025 14:31:23 +0000 x86_64
[   130.239] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=dc6bbcaa-ccd4-4747-90bf-2663c2c9f58b rw loglevel=3 quiet
[   130.239]  
[   130.239] Current version of pixman: 0.46.0
[   130.239] 	Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
	to make sure that you have the latest version.
[   130.239] Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
	(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
	(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[   130.239] (==) Log file: "/home/username/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log", Time: Mon May 26 11:38:21 2025
[   130.322] (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
[   130.368] (==) No Layout section.  Using the first Screen section.
[   130.368] (==) No screen section available. Using defaults.
[   130.368] (**) |-->Screen "Default Screen Section" (0)
[   130.368] (**) |   |-->Monitor "<default monitor>"
[   130.368] (==) No monitor specified for screen "Default Screen Section".
	Using a default monitor configuration.
[   130.368] (**) Allowing byte-swapped clients
[   130.368] (==) Automatically adding devices
[   130.368] (==) Automatically enabling devices
[   130.368] (==) Automatically adding GPU devices
[   130.368] (==) Automatically binding GPU devices
[   130.368] (==) Max clients allowed: 256, resource mask: 0x1fffff
[   130.391] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/misc" does not exist.
[   130.391] 	Entry deleted from font path.
[   130.391] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/TTF" does not exist.
[   130.391] 	Entry deleted from font path.
[   130.391] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/OTF" does not exist.
[   130.391] 	Entry deleted from font path.
[   130.391] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/Type1" does not exist.
[   130.391] 	Entry deleted from font path.
[   130.440] (==) FontPath set to:
	/usr/share/fonts/100dpi,
	/usr/share/fonts/75dpi
[   130.440] (==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
[   130.440] (II) The server relies on udev to provide the list of input devices.
	If no devices become available, reconfigure udev or disable AutoAddDevices.
[   130.440] (II) Module ABI versions:
[   130.440] 	X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4
[   130.440] 	X.Org Video Driver: 25.2
[   130.440] 	X.Org XInput driver : 24.4
[   130.440] 	X.Org Server Extension : 10.0
[   130.457] (++) using VT number 1

[   130.461] (II) systemd-logind: took control of session /org/freedesktop/login1/session/_31
[   130.464] (II) xfree86: Adding drm device (/dev/dri/card0)
[   130.465] (II) Platform probe for /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card0
[   130.466] (II) systemd-logind: got fd for /dev/dri/card0 226:0 fd 13 paused 0
[   130.471] (--) PCI:*(0@0:2:0) 15ad:0405:15ad:0405 rev 0, Mem @ 0xe0000000/268435456, 0xf0000000/2097152, I/O @ 0x0000d010/16, BIOS @ 0x????????/131072
[   130.471] (WW) Open ACPI failed (/var/run/acpid.socket) (No such file or directory)
[   130.471] (II) LoadModule: "glx"
[   130.494] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libglx.so
[   130.628] (II) Module glx: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[   130.628] 	compiled for 1.21.1.16, module version = 1.0.0
[   130.628] 	ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 10.0
[   130.628] (==) Matched vmware as autoconfigured driver 0
[   130.628] (==) Matched modesetting as autoconfigured driver 1
[   130.628] (==) Matched fbdev as autoconfigured driver 2
[   130.628] (==) Matched vesa as autoconfigured driver 3
[   130.628] (==) Assigned the driver to the xf86ConfigLayout
[   130.628] (II) LoadModule: "vmware"
[   130.661] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vmware_drv.so
[   130.675] (II) Module vmware: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[   130.675] 	compiled for 1.21.1.16, module version = 13.4.0
[   130.675] 	Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[   130.675] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 25.2
[   130.675] (II) LoadModule: "modesetting"
[   130.675] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/modesetting_drv.so
[   130.726] (II) Module modesetting: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[   130.726] 	compiled for 1.21.1.16, module version = 1.21.1
[   130.726] 	Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[   130.726] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 25.2
[   130.726] (II) LoadModule: "fbdev"
[   130.726] (WW) Warning, couldn't open module fbdev
[   130.726] (EE) Failed to load module "fbdev" (module does not exist, 0)
[   130.726] (II) LoadModule: "vesa"
[   130.727] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so
[   130.743] (EE) Failed to load /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so: undefined symbol: VBESetModeParameters
[   130.743] (EE) Failed to load module "vesa" (loader failed, 0)
[   130.743] (II) vmware: driver for VMware SVGA: vmware0405, vmware0710
[   130.743] (II) modesetting: Driver for Modesetting Kernel Drivers: kms
[   130.743] xf86EnableIO: failed to enable I/O ports 0000-03ff (Operation not permitted)
[   130.743] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for modesetting
[   130.743] (WW) VGA arbiter: cannot open kernel arbiter, no multi-card support
[   130.743] (II) vmware(0): Driver was compiled without KMS- and 3D support.
[   130.743] (WW) vmware(0): Disabling 3D support.
[   130.743] (WW) vmware(0): Disabling Render Acceleration.
[   130.743] (WW) vmware(0): Disabling RandR12+ support.
[   130.743] (--) vmware(0): VMware SVGA regs at (0xd010, 0xd011)
[   130.743] (II) Loading sub module "vgahw"
[   130.743] (II) LoadModule: "vgahw"
[   130.743] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libvgahw.so
[   130.755] (II) Module vgahw: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[   130.755] 	compiled for 1.21.1.16, module version = 0.1.0
[   130.755] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 25.2
[   130.755] (EE) 
[   130.755] (EE) Backtrace:
[   130.804] (EE) unw_get_proc_name failed: no unwind info found [-10]
[   130.804] (EE) 0: /usr/lib/Xorg (?+0x0) [0x5aac138a8d4d]
[   130.805] (EE) unw_get_proc_name failed: no unwind info found [-10]
[   130.805] (EE) 1: /usr/lib/libc.so.6 (?+0x0) [0x7fb1de77b600]
[   130.806] (EE) 2: /usr/lib/libpciaccess.so.0 (pci_io_write8+0x7) [0x7fb1dead4927]
[   130.807] (EE) 3: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libvgahw.so (vgaHWSaveColormap+0x49) [0x7fb1ddccdbf9]
[   130.807] (EE) 4: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libvgahw.so (vgaHWSave+0x35) [0x7fb1ddccfd75]
[   130.807] (EE) unw_get_proc_name failed: no unwind info found [-10]
[   130.807] (EE) 5: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vmware_drv.so (?+0x0) [0x7fb1ddfb090c]
[   130.808] (EE) 6: /usr/lib/Xorg (InitOutput+0x1702) [0x5aac138c6502]
[   130.809] (EE) unw_get_proc_name failed: no unwind info found [-10]
[   130.809] (EE) 7: /usr/lib/Xorg (?+0x0) [0x5aac137868ce]
[   130.810] (EE) unw_get_proc_name failed: no unwind info found [-10]
[   130.810] (EE) 8: /usr/lib/libc.so.6 (?+0x0) [0x7fb1de76552e]
[   130.811] (EE) 9: /usr/lib/libc.so.6 (__libc_start_main+0x8a) [0x7fb1de7655ea]
[   130.811] (EE) 10: /usr/lib/Xorg (_start+0x25) [0x5aac13787f15]
[   130.811] (EE) 
[   130.811] (EE) Segmentation fault at address 0x8
[   130.811] (EE) 
Fatal server error:
[   130.811] (EE) Caught signal 11 (Segmentation fault). Server aborting
[   130.812] (EE) 
[   130.812] (EE) 
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support 
	 at http://wiki.x.org
 for help. 
[   130.812] (EE) Please also check the log file at "/home/username/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
[   130.812] (EE) 
[   130.822] (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #8 –
Quote from: zzyzx – on
I think that the recent update to the mesa package may be the cause of your problems. I am not totally sure, but it could be worth investigating.
https://forum.artixlinux.org/index.php/topic,8177.msg48874.html#msg48874
Does downgrading mesa solve the issue for people running VMs?
Code: [Select]
# pacman -U https://archive.archlinux.org/packages/m/mesa/mesa-1:25.0.5-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #9 –
Quote from: nous – on
Does downgrading mesa solve the issue for people running VMs?
Code: [Select]
# pacman -U https://archive.archlinux.org/packages/m/mesa/mesa-1:25.0.5-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
I downgraded mesa from mesa-1:25.1.1-1 to mesa-1:25.0.5-1 but the problem is still there and I still can't start the graphical session with startx. Reinstalling the guest additions and downgrading xf86-video-vesa-2.6.0-2 to xf86-video-vesa-2.6.0-1 also didn't solve the issue.

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #10 –
I fixed my problem by downgrading mesa-1:25.1.1-1 to mesa-1:25.0.5-1 and xf86-video-vmware 13.4.0-4 to xf86-video-vmware 13.4.0-3.

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #11 –
@Phosphate5 To clarify, downgrading only xf86-video-vmware wasn't enough?

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #12 –
Quote from: nous – on
@Phosphate5 To clarify, downgrading only xf86-video-vmware wasn't enough?
No. The VM acts weird with mesa-1:25.1.1-1. With mesa-1:25.1.1-1 installed, the VM has some graphical glitches.

Re: Unable to Start Graphical Session

Reply #14 –
Quote from: nous – on
Quote from: zzyzx – on
I think that the recent update to the mesa package may be the cause of your problems. I am not totally sure, but it could be worth investigating.
https://forum.artixlinux.org/index.php/topic,8177.msg48874.html#msg48874
Does downgrading mesa solve the issue for people running VMs?
Code: [Select]
# pacman -U https://archive.archlinux.org/packages/m/mesa/mesa-1:25.0.5-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst


I tried that a few minutes ago, but to no avail :(