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Cinnamon Fallback Mode Error Post Update Suggested Solution

Graphical Environments, Managers, Multimedia & Desktop questions.
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Crumbs516
Posts: 20
Joined: 2012-03-19 17:46

Cinnamon Fallback Mode Error Post Update Suggested Solution

#1 Post by Crumbs516 »

I am hoping that this helps someone else.

Symptoms
Post update with a NVidia driver change Debian Jessie Cinnamon falls into error loop asking user to run in fallback mode or reset.
  • System would boot to graphical login
  • Following login see the desktop background color but no icons, menus or applets appear
  • Some time passes and an error message appears:
    • Cinnamon just crashed. Your are currently running in Fallback Mode. Do you want to restart Cinnamon?
    • Selecting Yes results in the same message almost instantaneously
    • Selecting No results in a blank background, no headers, menus etc but the ability to right click to create new folders
Attempted Solutions
  • Note using ctrl+alt+F1 to get to alternate console for login
  • Reviewed boot log; noted that had modules not loading error
    • Code: Select all

      systemctl status systemd-modules-load
      journalctl _PID=1400 -l
    • Clear errors pointed at issue with video driver causing modules to not load
  • Purge and Reinstall NVidia Driver (just reinstall didn't seem to work for me)

    Code: Select all

    apt-get purge nvidia.
    aptitude install nvidia-detect
    nvidia-detect
    aptitude install nvidia-driver
    
  • Reboot and check (same symptoms with Cinnamon but no longer see modules errors)
  • Dug through Xorg.0.log but no obvious signal of why cinnamon was bad

    Code: Select all

    grep nvidia /var/log/Xorg.0.log
  • No clear lightdm error log entries for Cinnamon
  • Looked at cinnamon configuration but all web references pointed at applets being the problem, of which I have none
  • At this point I was down to 3 clear options (revert to nouveau, reinstalling cinnamon, switching to Mint and starting over).
Solution
  • Revert to Nouveau by Uninstalling NVidia Proprietary Driver
  • Note the Debian Wiki for Nouveau fallback from a bad NVidia install indicates a need to install xserver but the identified packages do not exist and the step is unnecessary.

    Code: Select all

    apt-get purge nvidia.
  • After restarting it works. No more Cinnamon fallback loop error with a non-functional desktop.
  • I don't remember at this point what forced me stop using Nouveau so we'll see when that issue crops back up if I take the plunge and just switch this machine to Mint for faster updates.

Crumbs516
Posts: 20
Joined: 2012-03-19 17:46

Re: Cinnamon Fallback Mode Error Post Update Suggested Solut

#2 Post by Crumbs516 »

I remember why I stopped using Nouveau. It corrupts/fills dmesg output and logs with a constant parade of seemingly repetitive useless messages.

Code: Select all

[12682.451264] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: LBREQ
[12682.451287] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: ch 1 [DRM] subc 5 mthd 0x0500 data 0x00000000
[12690.805910] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: LBREQ
[12690.805934] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: ch 1 [DRM] subc 5 mthd 0x0500 data 0x00000000
[12704.797267] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: LBREQ
[12704.797276] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: ch 1 [DRM] subc 5 mthd 0x0500 data 0x00000000
[12705.080506] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: LBREQ
[12705.080529] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: ch 1 [DRM] subc 5 mthd 0x0500 data 0x00000000
[12719.755324] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: LBREQ
[12719.755337] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: ch 1 [DRM] subc 5 mthd 0x0500 data 0x00000000
[12720.055493] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: LBREQ
[12720.055503] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: ch 1 [DRM] subc 5 mthd 0x0500 data 0x00000000
[12720.105511] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: LBREQ
[12720.105520] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: ch 1 [DRM] subc 5 mthd 0x0500 data 0x00000000
[12728.043284] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: LBREQ
[12728.043307] nouveau E[   PFIFO][0000:02:00.0] PBDMA0: ch 1 [DRM] subc 5 mthd 0x0500 data 0x00000000

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Head_on_a_Stick
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Joined: 2014-06-01 17:46
Location: London, England
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Re: Cinnamon Fallback Mode Error Post Update Suggested Solut

#3 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

Upgrade to stretch, the nouveau driver there is significantly better (apparently).

Or ditch NVidia :mrgreen:
deadbang

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