Gdm not starting and no virtual consoles

System:
  Kernel: 6.16.8-zen3-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.2.1 clocksource: tsc
    avail: hpet,acpi_pm parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
    root=UUID=0ee0a020-b833-41a3-9589-bf4abeaa95af rw rootflags=subvol=@ quiet quiet
    rd.udev.log_priority=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0 loglevel=3 nvidia-drm.modeset=1
  Console: pty pts/0 DM: GDM v: 49.0.1 Distro: Garuda base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: Gigabyte model: Z97P-D3 v: x.x serial: <superuser required>
    uuid: <superuser required> UEFI: American Megatrends v: F5 date: 05/30/2014
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i5-4590 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Haswell gen: core 4 level: v3
    note: check built: 2013-15 process: Intel 22nm family: 6 model-id: 0x3C (60) stepping: 3
    microcode: 0x28
  Topology: cpus: 1x dies: 1 clusters: 4 cores: 4 smt: <unsupported> cache: L1: 256 KiB
    desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x32 KiB L2: 1024 KiB desc: 4x256 KiB L3: 6 MiB desc: 1x6 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 800 min/max: 800/3700 scaling: driver: intel_cpufreq governor: schedutil
    cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800 bogomips: 26400
  Flags-basic: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics vendor: Gigabyte
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-7.5 process: Intel 22nm built: 2013 ports: active: none
    empty: HDMI-A-2,VGA-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0412 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: NVIDIA GM107 [GeForce GTX 750] vendor: eVga.com. driver: nvidia v: 580.82.09
    alternate: nouveau,nvidia_drm non-free: 550-580.xx+ status: current (as of 2025-08;
    EOL~2026-12-xx) arch: Maxwell code: GMxxx process: TSMC 28nm built: 2014-2019 pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16 link-max: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s ports: active: HDMI-A-1
    empty: DP-1,DVI-I-1 bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:1381 class-ID: 0300
  Display: unspecified server: X.org v: 1.21.1.18 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.8 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting,nvidia alternate: fbdev,intel,nouveau,nv,vesa dri: crocus
    gpu: nvidia,nvidia-nvswitch tty: 98x26
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 model: Wimaxit FHD serial: <filter> built: 2020 res: 1920x1080
    gamma: 1.2 size: 344x195mm (13.54x7.68") modes: max: 1920x1080 min: 720x405
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel crocus drv: nvidia platforms: device: 0 drv: nvidia device: 1
    drv: crocus device: 3 drv: swrast gbm: drv: crocus surfaceless: drv: nvidia
    inactive: wayland,x11,device-2
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: mesa v: 25.2.3-arch1.2
    note: console (EGL sourced) renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2), NVIDIA GeForce
    GTX 750/PCIe/SSE2, llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.8 256 bits)
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.321 layers: 7 device: 0 type: discrete-gpu name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750
    driver: nvidia v: 580.82.09 device-ID: 10de:1381 surfaces: N/A device: 1 type: integrated-gpu
    name: Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2) driver: mesa intel v: 25.2.3-arch1.2
    device-ID: 8086:0412 surfaces: N/A device: 2 type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.8 256 bits)
    driver: mesa llvmpipe v: 25.2.3-arch1.2 (LLVM 20.1.8) device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: N/A
  Info: Tools: api: eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo gpu: nvidia-settings,nvidia-smi
    x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel bus-ID: 00:03.0 chip-ID: 8086:0c0c class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Intel 9 Series Family HD Audio vendor: Gigabyte driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:8ca0 class-ID: 0403
  Device-3: NVIDIA GM107 High Definition Audio [GeForce 940MX] vendor: eVga.com.
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 01:00.1
    chip-ID: 10de:0fbc class-ID: 0403
  Device-4: Twinhan Mantis DTV PCI Bridge [Ver 1.0] driver: Mantis alternate: mantis
    bus-ID: 05:01.0 chip-ID: 1822:4e35 class-ID: 0480
  API: ALSA v: k6.16.8-zen3-1-zen status: kernel-api tools: N/A
  Server-1: sndiod v: N/A status: off tools: aucat,midicat,sndioctl
  Server-2: PipeWire v: 1.4.8 status: off with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: off 2: wireplumber
    status: off 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Gigabyte
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: d000 bus-ID: 03:00.0
    chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp3s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  Info: services: NetworkManager, sshd, systemd-timesyncd
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 6.03 TiB used: 3.94 TiB (65.4%)
  SMART Message: Required tool smartctl not installed. Check --recommends
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 960 EVO 500GB size: 465.76 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 tech: SSD
    serial: <filter> fw-rev: 1B7QCXE7 temp: 30.9 C scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 840 PRO Series size: 119.24 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s tech: SSD serial: <filter>
    fw-rev: 5B0Q scheme: GPT
  ID-3: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Western Digital model: WD60EFRX-68L0BN1 size: 5.46 TiB
    block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s tech: HDD rpm: 5700
    serial: <filter> fw-rev: 0A82 scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 118.95 GiB size: 118.95 GiB (100.00%) used: 87.12 GiB (73.2%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 300 MiB size: 299.4 MiB (99.80%) used: 604 KiB (0.2%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 465.76 GiB size: 457.38 GiB (98.20%) used: 290.88 GiB (63.6%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
  ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 118.95 GiB size: 118.95 GiB (100.00%) used: 87.12 GiB (73.2%)
    fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
  ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 118.95 GiB size: 118.95 GiB (100.00%) used: 87.12 GiB (73.2%)
    fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default) zswap: no
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 15.47 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100 comp: zstd
    avail: lzo-rle,lzo,lz4,lz4hc,deflate,842 dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 39.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nvidia temp: 32 C
  Fan Speeds (rpm): N/A
Info:
  Memory: total: 16 GiB available: 15.47 GiB used: 969.5 MiB (6.1%)
  Processes: 171 Power: uptime: 44m states: freeze,mem,disk suspend: deep avail: s2idle
    wakeups: 0 hibernate: platform avail: shutdown, reboot, suspend, test_resume image: 6.07 GiB
    Init: systemd v: 258 default: graphical tool: systemctl
  Packages: 1554 pm: pacman pkgs: 1539 libs: 386 tools: pacseek,pamac,paru,yay pm: flatpak
    pkgs: 15 Compilers: clang: 20.1.8 gcc: 15.2.1 alt: 14 Shell: Bash v: 5.3.3
    running-in: pty pts/0 (SSH) inxi: 3.3.39
Garuda (2.8.3-2):
  System install date:     2022-04-03
  Last full system update: 2025-09-26 ↻
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager mkinitcpio nvidia-dkms
  Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
  Failed units:            
--- System Health Check Report ---
23/24 checks run in 1.10 seconds ⌛
Powered by garuda-health 🦅

--- LOW ---
 - Old Btrfs snapshots found that can be deleted (fix available)

--- INFO ---
 - System is not using dracut for initramfs (fix available)
 - A reboot is pending (update applied since last reboot)

Run garuda-health --fix to apply fixes.

After updating this morning the system (gnome edition) hangs at “[ OK ] Started GNOME Display Manager” and does not show the login screen. Switching to virtual consoles only shows a black screen. The only way in is ssh. While the inxi above shows a system with nvidia, I have the same problem on a system with radeon.
According to systemd gdm should be running:

gdm.service - GNOME Display Manager
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/gdm.service; enabled; preset: disabled)
     Active: active (running) since Fri 2025-09-26 09:21:18 CEST; 55min ago
 Invocation: 35327113c8164fd291d61fd74ddad505
   Main PID: 680 (gdm)
      Tasks: 5 (limit: 18398)
     Memory: 3.4M (peak: 5.1M)
        CPU: 36ms
     CGroup: /system.slice/gdm.service
             └─680 /usr/bin/gdm

Sep 26 09:21:18 bordeaux3 systemd[1]: Starting GNOME Display Manager...
Sep 26 09:21:18 bordeaux3 systemd[1]: Started GNOME Display Manager.

When I restart gdm with systemctl I get in the logfile:

bordeaux3 gdm-launch-environment][2933]: pam_succeed_if(gdm-launch-environment:auth): requirement "user ingroup gdm:gnome-initial-setup" not met by user "gdm-greeter"

I have tried several proposed fixes having to do with nsswitch.conf and gdm-launch-environment which got rid of the error message but did not lead to a working login screen.

Suggestions?

Seconding this. I have been holding back updates for about 6 days now as everytime i update this exact thing is happening. I am also running gnome edition with an nvidia card. My best guess right now is that this is an issue with the proprietary video driver from nvidia possibly having an issue with a kernel update.

Hello :wink:

Did you try to load with a snapshot from boot menu ? or fallback?

otherwise maybe try to reinstall gdm to see if it helps.

Stop GDM to avoid conflicts due the reinstall

systemctl stop gdm

then remove it

sudo pacman -Rns gdm

and install it again

sudo pacman -S gdm

normally if you start gdm again the login screen should come back

systemctl start gdm

I am also running Garuda Gnome from SD card on my steam deck. Same problem, so probably not limited to Nvidia.

Will check if I can reproduce this.

I’m not sure if I can get my hands on an ISO file this old, but I’ll try my best. How old is the installation on your steam deck?

1 Like

Not much younger, 2022-07-23
For now I have installed sddm which allows me to log in to a gnome session (on the nvidia system, haven’t tried the steam deck yet). I think this rules out problems with graphics stack.

Reinstalling gdm does not help. I am using sddm for now.

Earliest I have is 230501. I’ll try updating that to the latest version.

i have gnome running with 48.3 had upgraded to 49 but x11 gone so i did snapper back and rebuild the inits with dracut and reboot was working.

Switched to dracut. Problem remains.

wired what did your journal sayed if you tryed with gdm login?

journalctl -u gdm -e -n 50

Can reproduce this exact issue:

Will be investigating this in detail. Thanks for the report @debb1046.

Edit: Will take me some time, I have some IRL things to take care of beforehand.

2 Likes
Sep 27 09:37:40 bordeaux3 systemd[1]: Starting GNOME Display Manager...
Sep 27 09:37:40 bordeaux3 systemd[1]: Started GNOME Display Manager.
Sep 27 09:37:40 bordeaux3 gdm-launch-environment][955]: pam_succeed_if(gdm-launch-environment:auth
): requirement "user ingroup gdm:gnome-initial-setup" not met by user "gdm-greeter"

I had read that Gnome 49 uses temporary users created via systemd. It was suggested to add systemd to nsswitch.conf. Apparently there should have been an update of this file in spring this year but I don’t have a pacnew. Anyway, I tried adding systemd, but that didn’t help. It has also been suggested to delete the lines in gdm-launch-environment that require user ingroup gdm:gnome-initial-setup. If I remember correctly that got rid of the error message but gdm would still not show the login window. How do your nsswitch.conf and gdm-launch-environment look? Do you have gdm-greeter in /etc/shadow?

2 Likes

Thanks, appreciate the effort. Since sddm is a usable work around it is not that urgent. BTW, my systems do not show the Failed messages.

yeah im not to much in nvidia or troubleshooting. i have a amd system . no i dont have or use gdm-greeter it is even not installed on my pc. It seems here it isnt starting the session.

my output for testing and reinstall

Sep 27 00:41:58 duke-gsystem systemd[1]: Stopping GNOME Display Manager...
Sep 27 00:42:00 duke-gsystem systemd[1]: gdm.service: Deactivated successfully.
Sep 27 00:42:00 duke-gsystem systemd[1]: Stopped GNOME Display Manager.
Sep 27 00:43:06 duke-gsystem systemd[1]: Starting GNOME Display Manager...
Sep 27 00:43:06 duke-gsystem systemd[1]: Started GNOME Display Manager.
Sep 27 00:43:26 duke-gsystem gdm-password][6637]: gkr-pam: unable to locate daemon control file
Sep 27 00:43:26 duke-gsystem gdm-password][6637]: gkr-pam: stashed password to try later in open session
Sep 27 00:43:26 duke-gsystem gdm-password][6637]: pam_unix(gdm-password:session): session opened for user duk>
Sep 27 00:43:26 duke-gsystem gdm-password][6637]: gkr-pam: unlocked login keyring
Sep 27 00:43:29 duke-gsystem gdm[5666]: Gdm: Child process -5715 was already dead.

ps. i can see xwayland and x11-server is running so these packages dont need to installed.

urprev 21:20, 22 September 2025 City-busz talk contribs 30,857 bytes −1,383 The Xorg session is no longer supported with GNOME 49.

but anyway wired becayse sddm is working. i dont have a older iso for testing :wink:
TNE will get it :wink:

nvidia-dkms for the older nvidia?

NVIDIA GM107 [GeForce GTX 750]

thought would be nvidia 470 driver for it?

Same problem here after updating a couple of day ago. However, I was lucky that I could fall back on the previous version using the latest snapshot in the boot menu. Won’t be updating until a fix has been issued (I’ll wait patiently ;-).

Heya, could I also get your garuda-inxi for the record? Also, are you seeing a fail message?

@debb1046 @Stephane I pushed an update to garuda-migrations that will automatically re-enable Wayland support. That seems to have fixed the issue on the VM, I’m interested to hear if this fixes it for you too.

3 Likes

No, #WaylandEnable=false was already in my custom.conf (could be that I had changed that manually some time ago because I’ve been on wayland for quite some time). Anyhow, I did a garuda-update just now and the problem persists.

I can’t reproduce this problem on the mentioned ISO version in that case. It works just fine on my virtualbox.