My settings and changes disappear after reboot

Hello! A linux newbie here.

Looking for similar threads but coulnt find a solving for my problem. Every time after I log out or restart my costomizations, wallpapers even docks are restored to previous mode. It doesn't save anything and I'm little worried for the stability on my machine. I'm pretty new in Linux overall so any advices are welcomed. Am I doing something wrong ?

System:
Kernel: 6.1.11-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.1
parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
root=UUID=3a9196a7-ac18-4cbf-a0f1-608535d55b43 rw [email protected]
quiet quiet splash rd.udev.log_priority=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0
loglevel=3 ibt=off
Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.26.5 tk: Qt v: 5.15.8 info: latte-dock
wm: kwin_x11 vt: 1 dm: SDDM Distro: Garuda Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
Type: Desktop Mobo: Micro-Star model: B450 TOMAHAWK MAX II (MS-7C02) v: 3.0
serial: <superuser required> UEFI: American Megatrends LLC. v: H.90
date: 07/25/2022
CPU:
Info: model: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Zen 3+ gen: 4
level: v3 note: check built: 2022 process: TSMC n6 (7nm) family: 0x19 (25)
model-id: 0x21 (33) stepping: 2 microcode: 0xA20120A
Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 6 tpc: 2 threads: 12 smt: enabled cache:
L1: 384 KiB desc: d-6x32 KiB; i-6x32 KiB L2: 3 MiB desc: 6x512 KiB
L3: 32 MiB desc: 1x32 MiB
Speed (MHz): avg: 3690 high: 4014 min/max: 2200/4650 boost: enabled
scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: performance cores: 1: 3700 2: 3594
3: 3700 4: 3700 5: 3700 6: 3591 7: 3700 8: 3700 9: 4014 10: 3600 11: 3700
12: 3592 bogomips: 88807
Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
Device-1: NVIDIA GA104 [GeForce RTX 3060] vendor: PNY driver: nvidia
v: 525.89.02 alternate: nouveau,nvidia_drm non-free: 525.xx+
status: current (as of 2023-02) arch: Ampere code: GAxxx
process: TSMC n7 (7nm) built: 2020-22 pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16
link-max: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s bus-ID: 26:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:2487
class-ID: 0300
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.8
compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X: loaded: nvidia unloaded: modesetting
alternate: fbdev,nouveau,nv,vesa gpu: nvidia display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 6960x1920 s-dpi: 109 s-size: 1622x447mm (63.86x17.60")
s-diag: 1682mm (66.24")
Monitor-1: DP-0 pos: bottom-r res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 92
size: 531x299mm (20.91x11.77") diag: 609mm (23.99") modes: N/A
Monitor-2: DP-2 pos: top-left res: 1200x1920 hz: 60 dpi: 94
size: 324x518mm (12.76x20.39") diag: 611mm (24.05") modes: N/A
Monitor-3: DP-4 pos: primary,top-center res: 3840x1600 hz: 60 dpi: 111
size: 879x366mm (34.61x14.41") diag: 952mm (37.49") modes: N/A
API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 525.89.02 renderer: NVIDIA GeForce RTX
3060/PCIe/SSE2 direct-render: Yes
Audio:
Device-1: NVIDIA GA104 High Definition Audio vendor: PNY
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 5-1.1:4 pcie: chip-ID: 0499:170f
gen: 3 class-ID: 0103 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 link-max: gen: 4
speed: 16 GT/s bus-ID: 26:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:228b class-ID: 0403
Device-2: AMD Starship/Matisse HD Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16
bus-ID: 28:00.4 chip-ID: 1022:1487 class-ID: 0403
Device-3: Yamaha Steinberg UR22mkII type: USB driver: snd-usb-audio
Device-4: Intel USB PnP Sound Device type: USB
driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid bus-ID: 5-2:3 chip-ID: 8086:0808
class-ID: 0300
Sound API: ALSA v: k6.1.11-zen1-1-zen running: yes
Sound Server-1: PulseAudio v: 16.1 running: no
Sound Server-2: PipeWire v: 0.3.65 running: yes
Network:
Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s
lanes: 1 port: f000 bus-ID: 22:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
IF: enp34s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
Device-1: TP-Link UB500 Adapter type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8
bus-ID: 3-1.4:3 chip-ID: 2357:0604 class-ID: e001 serial: <filter>
Report: bt-adapter ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter>
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 4.1 TiB used: 1.57 TiB (38.3%)
SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Western Digital model: PC SN520
SDAPNUW-512G-1014 size: 476.94 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B
logical: 512 B speed: 15.8 Gb/s lanes: 2 type: SSD serial: <filter>
rev: 20110000 temp: 42.9 C scheme: GPT
ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Seagate model: ST2000DM008-2FR102
size: 1.82 TiB block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s
type: HDD rpm: 7200 serial: <filter> rev: 0001 scheme: GPT
ID-3: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Toshiba model: HDWD120 size: 1.82 TiB
block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: HDD
rpm: 7200 serial: <filter> rev: ACF0 scheme: GPT
Partition:
ID-1: / raw-size: 476.64 GiB size: 476.64 GiB (100.00%)
used: 16.8 GiB (3.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 300 MiB size: 299.4 MiB (99.80%)
used: 608 KiB (0.2%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
ID-3: /home raw-size: 476.64 GiB size: 476.64 GiB (100.00%)
used: 16.8 GiB (3.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 476.64 GiB size: 476.64 GiB (100.00%)
used: 16.8 GiB (3.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 476.64 GiB size: 476.64 GiB (100.00%)
used: 16.8 GiB (3.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
Swap:
Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 31.27 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100
dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 39.4 C mobo: N/A gpu: nvidia temp: 59 C
Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A gpu: nvidia fan: 0%
Info:
Processes: 309 Uptime: 1h 43m wakeups: 0 Memory: 31.27 GiB
used: 6.04 GiB (19.3%) Init: systemd v: 252 default: graphical
tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.1 clang: 15.0.7 Packages: pm: pacman
pkgs: 1605 libs: 442 tools: octopi,pamac,paru Shell: fish v: 3.6.0
default: Bash v: 5.1.16 running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.25
Garuda (2.6.14-1):
System install date:     2023-02-14
Last full system update: 2023-02-14 ↻
Is partially upgraded:   No
Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager mkinitcpio nvidia-dkms
Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
Failed units:

PS: I have only one user - my admin profile, so I think I've not messed up users.

I have some questions. There are more experience guys here but maybe this leads you forward.

Is this happening with a fresh install?
Did you tweak or do anything to the system that might cause that?
Did you do a standard install on an empty disk? Without errors?

User configs are stored in your home folder called .config (Folders starting with . are hidden, so you need to display hidden folders to see them)

You can enter this folder with the commend cd ~/.config/ and have a look around.

For some reason your system is not able to write these settings to the config files or something is overwriting them.

I'd try a reinstall, and do a fresh install on a single Drive. It should not be happening, unless its hardware / driver related. I doubt that it is hardware related.

3 Likes

Welcome to the Forums!
Sorry in such a situation, though.

First thing, even though that will most probably not help, plz reboot.

Second thing, after reboot, open up a Terminal window (Konsole) and type ls -l ~

Plz copy-paste the output.

This will allow us to make sure of files/folders permissions in your Home (although I doubt that is the issue but having a good basis to start with is important).

EDIT: Also plz try to answer at best of your knowledge/memory @aegir221 questions. :slight_smile:

4 Likes

Hi! Thanks for the quick response!

Yes, I followed the website installation procedure and created a bootable flashdrive with the Garuda downloader. I boot it in my SSD which had only my first and last OS there so I deleted it and installed Garuda. There's nothing else on that drive.

Not that I'm aware of. No. Anything installed on my system is either from Pamac package manager or the Garuda Asisstant. Only couple of customization tweaks - themes or icons. Nothing else I think.

I get there. I see the content. Should I post it here?There are a lot of things there, but mainly software which I've installed.

For now an ls -l ~ from Terminal window would suffice.

1 Like
ls -l ~
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 13 фев 23:42  .anydesk
drwx------    - ahbh 14 фев 10:11  .aqbanking
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 22:57  .cache
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 13 фев 22:48  .cargo
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 22:57  .config
drwx------    - ahbh 14 фев 22:57  .firedragon
drwx------    - ahbh 14 фев 10:44  .gnupg
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 06:06  .icons
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 02:12  .java
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 19 окт  2022  .kde4
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 13 фев 20:50  .local
drwx------    - ahbh 13 фев 22:39  .mozilla
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 13 фев 22:47  .npm
drwx------    - ahbh 13 фев 21:58  .pki
drwx------    - ahbh 14 фев 07:03  .putty
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 10:15  .skrooge
drwx------    - ahbh 14 фев 22:13  .ssh
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 09:36  .themes
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 13 фев 23:33  .wine
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 04:42  .xdman
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 10:47  Applications
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 13 фев 20:50  Desktop
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 13 фев 23:41  Documents
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 10:46  Downloads
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 21:16  Music
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 14 фев 06:31  Pictures
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 13 фев 20:50  Public
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 13 фев 20:50  Templates
drwxr-xr-x    - ahbh 13 фев 23:41  Videos
.rw-r--r--   21 ahbh  8 яну  2022  .bash_logout
.rw-r--r--   57 ahbh  8 яну  2022  .bash_profile
.rw-r--r--  141 ahbh  8 яну  2022  .bashrc
.rw-r--r-- 1,5k ahbh 24 юни  2022  .bashrc_garuda
.rw-r--r-- 3,8k ahbh 13 фев 21:30  .face
lrwxrwxrwx   16 ahbh 13 фев 21:30  .face.icon -> /home/ahbh/.face
.rw-r--r--  529 ahbh 14 фев 03:48  .fonts.conf
.rw-r--r--  312 ahbh 14 фев 22:57  .gtkrc-2.0
lrwxrwxrwx   16 ahbh 13 фев 21:30  .icon -> /home/ahbh/.face
.rw-r--r-- 2,9k ahbh 14 фев 00:52  .nvidia-settings-rc
.rw-r--r--  207 ahbh 11 окт  2022  .profile
.rw-------   58 ahbh 14 фев 22:57  .Xauthority
.rw-r--r--    0 ahbh 14 фев 22:57  .xdm-global-lock
.rw-r--r--  433 ahbh 13 фев 21:31  .xinitrc
.rw-r--r-- 2,2M ahbh 14 фев 06:58  Dafoe, Amin Ravelle - Unlogic - Unlogic.mp3
.rw-r--r-- 1,7M ahbh 14 фев 06:58  Dave Aju - Circus Company 005 - Drivethru.mp3
.rw-r--r--  11k ahbh 14 фев 05:54  Dr460nized.layout.latte

This is your user?
That's what I see but I want to confirm.

Yes. It's my username. There's no other user using this PC

1 Like

Maybe I should mention that this is my second clean install in three days. I decided to reinstall it yesterday, because the first time I've maybe over-bloated it with software which I'm not sure that I'm gonna use and overall I wanted to test some stuff (software only. I don't touch hardware stuff which I don't understand). So I just wanted to start over and do it the right way. But no luck for me.

And btw, I think that the first install - things runned smoothly than this one. And I even kept myself this time for installing this and that.

Maybe the third time will be the lucky one ?

What is the output of

ls -l ~/.config/plasma*

I wonder if for some reason these files don't get written properly and reset themselves or something. They contain a lot of valuable Plasma configuration settings.

╰─λ ls -l ~/.config/plasma*
.rw-------   27 ahbh 13 фев 20:50  /home/ahbh/.config/plasma-localerc
.rw------- 9,8k ahbh 14 фев 22:57  /home/ahbh/.config/plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc
.rw-------   62 ahbh 13 фев 23:43  /home/ahbh/.config/plasma_workspace.notifyrc
.rw-------  238 ahbh 13 фев 23:43  /home/ahbh/.config/plasmanotifyrc
.rw-r--r--   80 ahbh 14 фев 10:04  /home/ahbh/.config/plasmarc
.rw------- 5,5k ahbh 14 фев 22:57  /home/ahbh/.config/plasmashellrc

/home/ahbh/.config/plasma-workspace:
drwxr-xr-x - ahbh 13 фев 21:56  env
drwxr-xr-x - ahbh 13 фев 21:56  shutdown
1 Like

I don't know if its related, but my konsole starts with this at the top.

Cannot find the mcfly binary, please make sure that mcfly is in your path before sourcing mcfly.fish

Does it start with that msg every single time you open it or only the first time?

No. I didn't look there the first time, sorry. But I see it everytime now.

Also I should say that my main problem are not even the settings and changes. I don't mind to change my wallpaper or smth every day. The main thing is that I work through anydesk so I use it 5-10 hours every day. My first experiance with Garuda was like 'wow anydesk is flying and I've installed it and other stuff without even use the terminal! thats amazing!'

But now, one reinstall later, it goes back like before. I've wasted around a week in my last distro and now in changing settings and trying to run it without glitches and lags. And I don't want to go back to that miscrosoft thing just for the sake of anydesk.

And one last thing. Sorry for spamming that much. Should I be worried about this? I've found it in firmware security center.

WARNING: UEFI capsule updates not available or enabled in firmware setup
  See https://github.com/fwupd/fwupd/wiki/PluginFlag:capsules-unsupported for more information.
Host Security ID: HSI:INVALID:missing-data

HSI-1
✔ TPM empty PCRs:                Valid
✔ TPM v2.0:                      Found
✔ UEFI platform key:             Valid
✘ Supported CPU:                 Failed

HSI-2
✔ IOMMU:                         Enabled
✔ TPM PCR0 reconstruction:       Valid

HSI-3
✘ Pre-boot DMA protection:       Disabled
✘ Suspend-to-idle:               Disabled
✘ Suspend-to-ram:                Enabled

HSI-4
✘ Encrypted RAM:                 Not supported

Runtime Suffix -!
✔ Linux swap:                    Encrypted
✔ fwupd plugins:                 Untainted
✘ Linux kernel:                  Tainted
✘ Linux kernel lockdown:         Disabled
✘ UEFI secure boot:              Disabled

This system has a low HSI security level.
 » https://fwupd.github.io/hsi.html#low-security-level

This system has HSI runtime issues.
 » https://fwupd.github.io/hsi.html#hsi-runtime-suffix

I am not familiar with UEFI, but it's good you posted that here, if someone knows about this that person will respond.

For your customizations not being saved after a reboot, if I were to have that issue, apart from swearing, here's what I'd do:

  • Create a new user, logout the main user and log in to the new user. Change say the wallpaper, reboot, log in that new user and see if the wallpaper is there.
  • If it's there, maybe you have an issue with your main user. This will yield to a different troubleshooting.
  • If it's not there, google for the symptoms of your issue. There is probably a solution somewhere already for this, I am sure you are not the only one.

Trying to point in some directions that would be beneficial.
If someone else has a good idea what to look for, feel free to add.

3 Likes

Thanks you for trying, anyway! Appreciated!

Can you, please, recommend me the most clean way to completely purge my SSD with all the files and install Garuda again on clean surface? Is there any way of not reinstalling it on the top of the old OS?

A convenient way is:

  • Boot with the Live ISO USB
  • Open KDE Partition Manager
  • Select your disk
  • Delete the Partition Table (or each partition individually), click APPLY to proceed, then install with the option ERASE MY DISK from the Garuda Installer.
4 Likes

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