Completely black screen after starting Gnome Desktop

[ZenBeam]

I'm running a VortexBox using Fedora 16 on my desktop. I had it set up to start the Gnome Desktop, and it worked fine. After an update in early March, it stopped working in several ways and I'm just now getting around to trying to fix it.

One problem was with forked-daapd failing to start, and I've switched to a different media server (not sure if it actually works, but at least it starts).

If I have it use /lib/systemd/system/graphical.target, it goes to an all-black screen when it tries to start the desktop. I've switched it to use /lib/systemd/system/multi-user.target instead, and that boots to a log-in prompt for a command line session.

If I run startx, which used to let me start the Gnome desktop, I just get to the all-black screen.

When I have the all-black screen, it's still running, and I can access it through its webpage, but nothing I do at the desktop with the mouse or keyboard does anything. If I push the power button, it will power down, with some apparently normal shutdown messages.

I have no idea what to try to see what the particular problem even is, let alone how to fix it. How do I get the Gnome desktop working again?

It's completely up-to-date, except possibly /usr/lib/libmad.so.0.2.1.

[satanselbow]

You can force fedora to boot a gnome-fallback session with the following command:

su - 
dbus-launch gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.session session-name 'gnome-fallback'
sudo reboot

To revert back to a "full" gnome session just rerun the command replacing "gnome-fallback" with "gnome"

Should at least get you a GUI from which to repair your session "libmad" is a Monkey's Audio codec so should not in itself bring your whole box to it's knees :$ I am not at all familiar with "VortexBox" so can't help there

[ZenBeam]

I tried the gnome-fallback, but I have the same problem. I do have more information. I found that if I log on with the Remote Desktop Viewer, a bunch of text shows up if I run startx. It gets immediately blanked out on the desktop, but stays visible on the RDV. I should also mention that I've got three possible kernels in the Grub screen, but all behave the same.

Here's the messages I get running startx:
xauth: file /home/ZenBeam/.serverauth.1910 does not exist


X.Org X Server 1.11.4
Release Date: 2012-01-27
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: x86-16 2.6.32-220.4.1.el6.x86_64
Current Operating System: Linux vortexbox.localdomain 3.3.0-8.fc16.i686.PAE #1 SMP Thu Mar 29 18:26:34 UTC 2012 i686
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.3.0-8.fc16.i686.PAE root=/dev/mapper/VolGroup-lv_root ro rd.md=0 rd.dm=0 rd.lvm.lv=VolGroup/lv_swap KEYTABLE=us quiet SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 rhgb rd.lvm.lv=VolGroup/lv_root rd.luks=0 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
Build Date: 08 March 2012 11:30:40PM
Build ID: xorg-x11-server 1.11.4-2.fc16
Current version of pixman: 0.22.2
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Sun Apr 1 16:09:03 2012
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(==) Using config directory: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d"
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
(WW) fglrx: No matching Device section for instance (BusID PCI:0@2:0:1) found
FATAL: Module fglrx not found.
(EE) fglrx(0): atiddxDriScreenInit failed, GPS not been initialized.
/usr/bin/X: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so: undefined symbol: GlxInitVisuals2D



The first error message is about .serverauth.1910 not existing. I have other versions (see below), but if I try copying one to .serverauth.1910, it complains about .serverauth.1591 not existing. Copying to that one, it complains about .serverauth.1656. (April Fools day, I guess.)

ls -l /home/ZenBeam/.serv*
-rw------- 1 ZenBeam ZenBeam 66 Dec 31 13:48 /home/ZenBeam/.serverauth.1516
-rw------- 1 ZenBeam ZenBeam 198 Jan 1 22:23 /home/ZenBeam/.serverauth.2753
-rw------- 1 ZenBeam ZenBeam 198 Jan 2 17:39 /home/ZenBeam/.serverauth.904