no GUI after dist-upgrade from stable to testing [solved]

[linux001]

Hello. I enabled boot logging by bootlogd and this is the content of /var/log/boot

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Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Setting parameters of disc: (none).
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Setting preliminary keymap...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Activating swap...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Checking root file system...fsck from util-linux 2.20.1
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: /dev/sda5: clean, 324118/3055616 files, 4060080/12206848 blocks
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Loading kernel modules...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Activating lvm and md swap...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Checking file systems...fsck from util-linux 2.20.1
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Mounting local filesystems...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Activating swapfile swap...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Cleaning up temporary files....
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Setting kernel variables ...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Cleaning up ifupdown....
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Setting up networking....
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Configuring network interfaces...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Starting portmap daemon....
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Cleaning up temporary files....
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Setting up ALSA...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Setting console screen modes.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: ^[[9;30]^[[14;30]Skipping font and keymap setup (handled by console-setup).
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Setting up console font and keymap...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Setting sensors limits.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: INIT: Entering runlevel: 2
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Using makefile-style concurrent boot in runlevel 2.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Starting portmap daemon...Already running..
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Enabling additional executable binary formats: binfmt-support.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Starting enhanced syslogd: rsyslogd.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Enabling power management...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: PulseAudio configured for per-user sessions ... ^[[33m(warning).^[[39;49m
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Starting deferred execution scheduler: atd.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Starting anac(h)ronistic cron: anacron.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Starting periodic command scheduler: cron.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Starting system message bus: dbus.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Loading cpufreq kernel modules...done (acpi-cpufreq).
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: CPUFreq Utilities: Setting ondemand CPUFreq governor...CPU0...CPU1...CPU2...CPU3...done.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Starting network connection manager: NetworkManager.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Starting Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD Daemon: avahi-daemon.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: Starting bluetooth: bluetoothd.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:25 2012: saned disabled; edit /etc/default/saned
Tue Jan 31 17:37:26 2012: Starting MTA: exim4.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:26 2012: Starting ACPI services....
Tue Jan 31 17:37:26 2012: Starting Common Unix Printing System: cupsd.
Tue Jan 31 17:37:26 2012: Starting acpi_fakekey daemon...done.

Everything seems to be ok. There are some other messages that didn't get logged. I will copy these down manually by pausing the output. I will also try manually starting GNOME by issuing sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start. Please let me know if there are any other suggestions on how to get out of the console.

[linux001]

Here are the unlogged boot messages:

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modprobe: module unix not found in modules.dep
INIT: version 2.88 booting
Using makefile-style concurrent boot in runlevel S.
Starting the hotplug events dispatcher: udevd.
Synthesizing the initial hotplug events...done.
Waiting for /dev to be fully populated... [     4.085842] [drm:ironlake_update_pch_refclk] *ERROR* enabling SSC on PCH

[linux001]

Results of the following commands:

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# /etc/init.d/gdm start
  No such file or directory
# /etc/init.d/gdm3 start
# /etc/init.d/gdm3 restart

Nothing happened when the last two commands were executed.

[Bulkley]

I wonder if your upgrade removed a pile of stuff such as GDM. Try startx.

If I'm right - and there's no reason why I should be - you could treat this as a minimal install and start installing packages or meta-packages one at a time to see what builds up. Start with the kernel linux-image-3.1.0-1. Boot and make sure it works. Then xorg. Test it. Then your desktop or window manager. Again, test it. Assuming that your sources are good I would expect Apt to sort out the pieces.

[linux001]

Thanks Bulkley -- startx worked! How to I instruct the GUI to start by default?

Earlier, I issued the command update-rc.d gdm3 disable in order to enter single user mode, so this may be the reason the GUI is not starting by default. I have tried reversing this command with update-rc.d gdm3 enable and update-rc.d gdm3 defaults, and these commands indicate to me that dependent boot sequencing is in effect, but I still have nothing but a console on reboot.

[dilberts_left_nut]

There's probably a method in the FM, or somebody else here that knows, but quick & dirty is

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apt-get remove --purge gdm3
aptitude install gdm3

apt-get because aptitude will remove the (many) rdepends as well, apt-get will wait for an autoremove command.
--purge removes the config & aptitude will reinstall it as standard.

Check man apt-get if you like, as again this is all from memory and the apt-get syntax may have changed since last I took notice.

YMMV

[sqlpython]

Yes, per dilbert* that should insure that gdm3 resides in /etc/init.d/
..If this again does not start gdm3 on boot....
try this once

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su
service gdm3 start

then shutdown and start up..

[linux001]

sqlpython:

`service gdm3 start` had no effect, but thanks for the suggestion

dilbert:

`apt-get remove --purge gdm3` -- after a reboot, I could still run GNOME by typing `startx` on boot (confused). I will run aptitude install gdm3 anyways.. thanks

[linux001]

There's probably a method in the FM, or somebody else here that knows, but quick & dirty is

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apt-get remove --purge gdm3
aptitude install gdm3

Problem resolved! Debian up and running again =D Thanks so much Dilbert and to everyone else for their help.

[dilberts_left_nut]

That is expected, gdm3 is the display manager, that (among other things) gives a graphical login box, then starts the window manager (similar to you typing startx).
It is not required to have a DM to run a gui environment, but most find it convenient.

edit: nice!
lesson to learn from this: make sure your system is in a coherent state and sources are set appropriately BEFORE doing a dist-upgrade
... in fact I think it even says that in the instructions ...

[linux001]

Ah, wonderful. I didn't realize there was a display manager in addition to the GUI. Thanks!