[SOLVED] Login failure; slim + all fluxboxes but minimal

[Member sybok]

Hi,

I did an update on my antiX testing 64-bit (based on 19.b2) system in the morning and there was a problem that occurred when browsing while logged in using fluxbox in the evening.
The PC was either operating or suspended after the update.
The issue:
A)
I clicked into a Firefox panel and the cursor got distorted (as if repeated multiple times one on top of each other).
Attempting to restart fluxbox logged me off completely and I could not login anymore.
I did input my login credentials, pressed enter, something was going on, I could see some text (presumably the boot-output) for maybe a second and then I was returned back to the login screen.
Logged in into a console mode, rebooted (this might not have been necessary at all).
I wanted to login to fluxbox; all failed, with the same behavior, but ‘fluxbox-minimal’; I did not try the other environments yet.

B)
Recently, I found out that the ‘~/.desktop-session/startup’ seemed not to take effect; e.g. my numlock was always off despite the aforementioned startup file/script contained line ‘numlockx on &’ (now I guess the ‘&’ is completely unnecessary there).
This happened prior to the morning update.

More information can be found below.
I believe that there was a similar post/issue somewhere in the forum but I failed to find it so far.
If it solves the issue, would welcome pointing me there.
If it does not, any help is welcomed.
This is not critical for me, girlfriend will be away for few days and I can manage with fluxbox-minimal (or other desktops if they turn out to be accessible).

1) Output from ‘/var/log/apt/history.log’, last update (today in the morning):

Install: libcodec2-1.0:amd64 (1.0.1-3, automatic)
Upgrade: libavcodec-extra:amd64 (7:4.4.1-2, 7:4.4.1-2+b1), libavdevice58:amd64 (7:4.4.1-2, 7:4.4.1-2+b1), ffmpeg:amd64 (7:4.4.1-2, 7:4.4.1-2+b1), gir1.2-gtk-3.0:amd64 (3.24.30-3, 3.24.30-4), libpostproc55:amd64 (7:4.4.1-2, 7:4.4.1-2+b1), libavcodec-extra58:amd64 (7:4.4.1-2, 7:4.4.1-2+b1), libavutil56:amd64 (7:4.4.1-2, 7:4.4.1-2+b1), libswscale5:amd64 (7:4.4.1-2, 7:4.4.1-2+b1), libjxr-tools:amd64 (1.1-6+b1, 1.2~git20170615.f752187-3), libgtk-3-0:amd64 (3.24.30-3, 3.24.30-4), libswresample3:amd64 (7:4.4.1-2, 7:4.4.1-2+b1), gtk-update-icon-cache:amd64 (3.24.30-3, 3.24.30-4), libgtk-3-common:amd64 (3.24.30-3, 3.24.30-4), libavformat58:amd64 (7:4.4.1-2, 7:4.4.1-2+b1), libjxr0:amd64 (1.1-6+b1, 1.2~git20170615.f752187-3), linux-libc-dev:amd64 (5.15.3-1, 5.15.5-1), libavfilter7:amd64 (7:4.4.1-2, 7:4.4.1-2+b1)

2) slim(ski)? slim: 1.3.6.10.15, slimski: None

3) Output of ‘inxi -Fxz’ (shortened to avoid this post evaluated as a spam):
System: Kernel: 5.10.57-antix.1-amd64-smp x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 10.2.1 Desktop: Fluxbox 1.3.7
Distro: antiX-19.b2_x64-full Marielle Franco 13 July 2019 base: Debian GNU/Linux bookworm/sid
Machine: Type: Desktop System: Hewlett-Packard product: HP Compaq 6005 Pro MT PC v: N/A serial: <filter>
Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 3047h serial: <filter> BIOS: Hewlett-Packard v: 786G6 v01.17 date: 04/18/2012
CPU: Info: Dual Core model: AMD Phenom II X2 B57 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: K10 rev: 3 cache: L2: 1024 KiB
flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm bogomips: 12767
Speed: 800 MHz min/max: 800/3200 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 2500 2: 800
Graphics: Device-1: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] RS880 [Radeon HD 4200] vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: radeon v: kernel
bus-ID: 01:05.0
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.13 driver: loaded: ati,radeon unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa
resolution: 1280×1024~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: AMD RS880 (DRM 2.50.0 / 5.10.57-antix.1-amd64-smp LLVM 12.0.1) v: 3.3 Mesa 21.2.6
direct render: Yes
Info: Processes: 127 Uptime: 7m Memory: 3.35 GiB used: 1.02 GiB (30.6%) Init: SysVinit runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 11.2.0
Packages: 2152 Shell: Bash v: 5.1.12 inxi: 3.3.06

• This topic was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by sybok.
• This topic was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by sybok. Reason: Marked as solved

[Member PPC]

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I recently had a “similar” situation. You may be referring to my post (on a thread started by Koo, that was unable to use both the keyboard and the mouse).
The way I solved it was to log into icewm, purge fluxbox (I took note of all the packages that were removed), rebooted, installed fluxbox again (I think I did not have to add any extra package). Logged off icewn, and in the log in manager, I pressed F1 until I got “fluxbox” selected. Logged on, and all was well once again- that happened in antix 19.X sysv 64bits, and the problem was different because noticed that the script that changed the desktop was incrementally running, using more and more RAM, and using 100% of my CPU. Even so, reinstalling fluxbox may work for you too…

P.

[Member sybok]

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Hi, PPC,
thanks for the advice and directing my attention to your post.
https://www.antixforum.com/forums/topic/keyboard-mouse-stopped-working/page/2/#post-71931
I did proceed as you have suggested.

1) Log out from fluxbox
2) Backup my configuration (just for sure), purge the fluxbox and reboot

cp -r ~/.fluxbox ~/DOTfluxbox
sudo apt remove --purge fluxbox | tee ~/FLUXrem.txt
sudo reboot

Comment:
Save the output of apt using ‘tee’ utility for later to know which packages were removed.
(Some of) The information can also be recovered from ‘/var/log/apt/history.log’
3) Login to another desktop after reboot, reinstall fluxbox (all the packages removed in step 2))
4) Log-off from the other desktop, select session/environment using F1 and login to fluxbox.

BTW: I noticed afterwards ‘~/.fluxbox/startup’ was no longer executable and there was a “backup” file, sort of.
Perhaps, making it executable would solve the issue without a need of reinstall.

[Member sybok]

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Unfortunately, the issue has reappeared today. 🙁

1) I was able to log into fluxbox-minimal (or is it minimal-fluxbox?).
Exploring ‘~/.fluxbox/’ revealed the following:
– ‘~/.fluxbox/startup’ had no execution rights, again
– ‘~/.fluxbox/startup.disabled’ was present
I enabled the execution,
chmod ug+x ~/.fluxbox/startup
attempted to restart fluxbox (in the minimal session), reported error with ‘xmodmap’.
I did log off, log into ‘fluxbox’ which prompted me to select a supported version of window manager (I used ‘fluxbox’), then the screen from boot reappeared and I was logged out.

2) Log into minimal fluxbox again, I modified line containing ‘xmodmap’ (pointing to non-existent directory [or file?] ~/.Xmodmap) to read
[ -d "/home/sybok/.Xmodmap" ] && xmodmap "/home/sybok/.Xmodmap"
Then perhaps it should read ‘-f’ instead of ‘-d’ but if neither folder, nor file of such name exists, it is supposed not to matter all.

Log off, select ‘fluxbox’ at the login screen via repeated pressing of F1 and attempt to log into ‘fluxbox’ again.
Failed.

3) I did repeat the steps suggested by PPC and I failed to login into ‘fluxbox’ for the same reason.

Internet search ‘debian fluxbox “startup.disabled”‘ did not find anything reasonable, not even repeating without ‘debian’.
This is really odd.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by sybok. Reason: Xmodmap = file/directory?

[Forum Admin anticapitalista]

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I’m a bit confused.

Is it only fluxbox that you cannot use? What about IceWM, jwm?
Are you using slim or slimski or startx to login?

Philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways; the point is to change it.

antiX with runit - leaner and meaner.

[Member sybok]

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Hi and thank you for your interest.

I use ‘slim’ (version in item no. 2) of my 1st post) and IceWM or Minimal-JWM are accessible without problems.
Do you believe that switch to ‘slimski’ may solve the issue?

Seems that every failed attempt to login to fluxbox does some reset of ‘~/.fluxbox/startup’ (disable execution).

Output of ‘inxi -Fxr’:

Repos:
  Packages: 2153 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/antix.list 
  1: deb http://mirror.karneval.cz/pub/linux/mxlinux-packages/antix/testing testing nosystemd main nonfree
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/bullseye-backports.list 
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list 
  1: deb http://ftp.cz.debian.org/debian/ testing main contrib non-free
  2: deb http://security.debian.org/ testing-security/updates main contrib non-free
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/onion.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/teams.list 
  1: deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/ms-teams stable main # Version 1.4.00.4855 fucked up, go to previous older!
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list 
Info:
  Processes: 132 Uptime: 9h 4m Memory: 3.35 GiB used: 1.21 GiB (36.2%) 
  Init: SysVinit runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 11.2.0 Shell: Bash v: 5.1.12 
  inxi: 3.3.06

I hope that the inclusion of MS Teams repository does not lead to a Franken-antiX.

PS: Need to leave and will be back in an hour or two.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by sybok.

[Forum Admin anticapitalista]

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On default antiX, ~/.fluxbox/startup is not used. Instead we use ~/.desktop-session files. However, make sure ~/.fluxbox/startup has this line enabled

exec /usr/bin/fluxbox

Check that the following are installed (or re-install)

desktop-session-antix, desktop-menu-antix, desktop-defaults-antix, desktop-defaults-fluxbox-antix

What do the log files in ~/.desktop-session show?

Philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways; the point is to change it.

antiX with runit - leaner and meaner.

[Member sybok]

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OK, took longer than expected.
Thank you very much for your tips; will try them tomorrow and report back.

Just brief comments:
– All 4 packages you have suggested are installed.
– Only three of them were (re)installed using the method suggested by PPC because purge of fluxbox removed the below four:
desktop-defaults-fluxbox-antix fluxbox fluxbox-base-themes-antix fluxbox-themes-antix

[Member sybok]

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Hello,

the line ‘exec fluxbox’ or ‘exec /usr/bin/fluxbox’ was present in the ‘~/.fluxbox/startup’ script.
I’ve reinstalled the 4 packages suggested (from non-fluxbox desktop, I believe it was JWM).
I was able to login into fluxbox.
There was “Other Desktops” window informing the desktop was not one of the supported.
I selected ‘fluxbox’.

This ability to login into (normal) ‘fluxbox’ was not lost after reboot.

I found out that my older version did ‘~/.fluxbox/startup’ no longer contain the she-bang line (and the following line as revealed by vimdiff with the current ‘~/.fluxbox/startup’).
I added it back.
It seems that I have accidentally deleted the she-bang line (these things sometimes happen to me when editing [text] files in ‘vim’).
I guess that the cause of the problem was the she-bang and my stubbornness forcing (elements from) my messed up startup file back to poor ‘fluxbox’.
Which somehow surprises me because I am pretty sure I did vimdiff with the previously created “default” ‘~/.fluxbox/startup’ and I thought I would have noticed it.
But there’s been a lot of mental-work at my job lately and I admit I might have mixed it up. 🙁

If the problem does not return, I guess that’s it.

Well, thank you very much for the suggestions that lead to fix the startup file.
Sorry for any inconvenience.

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