Can't get out of unity

Support and Help
1

Ubuntu Version: 24.04
Installed unity DM, then switched to it via the icon at the lower right corner of login screen. Now, I can’t get out of it as the aforementioned icon does not appear.

I tried uninstalling unity by going to a tty from the login screen, but then the laptop froze during restart, but I was able to re-install unity by breaking out of the startup using a ctrl-alt;f1 switch to a tty and then doing a sudo apt install unity.

Am I stuck with unity?

2

Welcome to Ubuntu Discourse :slight_smile:

I cleaned up the template and removed the parts you seem not to have used.

Feel free to edit your post and add any additional information or screenshots, if relevant.

Hopefully, someone can come along with suggestions to help you fix the issue.

Thanks

3

No, not at all, you can download and install using any current Ubuntu family ISO :smile:

In the meantime, it seems that you installed unity on top of Ubuntu 24.04 (gnome 46)?
Did your login screen change (Unity uses lightdm and Gnome uses gdm3)?

Try and re-configure the login with:-

sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

Choose gdm3, save and reboot.

2 Likes
4

I entered:
$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3
$

No change after reboot.

Initially, there were two choices on the login-screen. After I installed unity, it showed up as a third choice, which I selected and logged on. After that, the choice icon doesn’t show.

This is a real problem for me. Unity doesn’t seem to be showing a lot of very important stuff, like a “Send” button in evolution.

5

After entering this command in the terminal, did you type your password?

6

Yes, I entered the sudoer password.

7

Can you open a terminal and enter:-
apt policy gdm3
Please post the results within code tags </>

8
gdm3: Installed: 46.2-1ubuntu1~24.04.3 Candidate: 46.2-1ubuntu1~24.04.3 Version table: *** 46.2-1ubuntu1~24.04.3 500 500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 46.0-2ubuntu1 500 500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages
9

Not sure how to use code tags:

<gdm3:
Installed: 46.2-1ubuntu1~24.04.3
Candidate: 46.2-1ubuntu1~24.04.3
Version table:
*** 46.2-1ubuntu1~24.04.3 500
500 Index of /ubuntu noble-updates/main amd64 Packages
100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
46.0-2ubuntu1 500
500 Index of /ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages>

10

$ sudo apt policy unity
<sudo apt policy unity
[sudo] password for kriebelw:
unity:
Installed: 7.7.0+23.04.20230222.2-0ubuntu7
Candidate: 7.7.0+23.04.20230222.2-0ubuntu7
Version table:
*** 7.7.0+23.04.20230222.2-0ubuntu7 500
500 Index of /ubuntu noble/universe amd64 Packages
100 /var/lib/dpkg/status/>

11

I wonder if lightdm is installed
Can you open a terminal again and enter
apt policy lightdm

Please use code tags for the output, it’s not really difficult.
Look at the icons at the top of the reply window e.g. </>

12 
lightdm:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1.30.0-0ubuntu14
  Version table:
     1.30.0-0ubuntu14 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 Packages

p.s. The "</> icon says “Preformatted text”.

13

Tried:
$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure lightdm

got:

dpkg-query: package 'lightdm' is not installed and no information is available
Use dpkg --info (= dpkg-deb --info) to examine archive files.
/usr/sbin/dpkg-reconfigure: lightdm is not installed
14

If I install lightdm now, is it going to break stuff?

15

Yes, that also refers to code tags - why not experiment without publishing?

I would not install lightdm at all.

It seems that gdm3 may not be behaving correctly at the moment.
Can you power off.
Then power on and arrive at the login screen (it should be gdm3)
Select your user
Do not enter user password yet
Do you see the gear wheel in the lower right corner?

Any options within the gear wheel?

16

Thanks for hanging in there.

No, the gear wheel never shows up.

I like to experiment, but I couldn’t find any way to preview a post before sending it.

17

That’s unusual.
Can you reboot, access grub and select an earlier kernel?

Any sign of the gear wheel at login?

18

Can you reboot, access grub and select an earlier kernel?

Any sign of the gear wheel at login?

This is a new computer and it goes directly to the login screen with no grub menu. There may not be any earlier kernels.

19

Let’s make grub appear anyway.

Terminal again

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Use the setting below for the respective lines

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10

Ctrl o to save
Ctrl x to exit

sudo update-grub

Any kernels?

If not, the next efforts will be more radical, therefore, please confirm that you have a backup of all users’ personal data

20

The reply window has a double chevron in the lower right corner

>> Show preview

<< Hide preview

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