Score:0

Entering password doesn't do anything

it flag
GBG

I have a desktop running Ubuntu 20.04. I can start the computer and I am prompted for my password but when I enter the password nothing happens. My password has not changed. I do not get an 'incorrect password' message, the computer just goes back to the screen where I need to enter a password. I cannot get past this phase.

Recently I did get a message like this. Thinking that I had a graphics driver problem I entered the computer using the boot menu, got to a prompt and purged and reinstalled nvidia drivers. I do not know if all of this is related but I did do an update (as prompted to do) before all of this started.

How do I get logged into my computer?

Nmath avatar
ng flag
This is called a "login loop" and it sounds like you caused the problem when you "fixed" the other one. FYI, the original issue you tried to fix is a non-issue if the system continued to boot. I recommend repeating your process to drop to a root shell prompt and revert the changes that you made
guiverc avatar
cn flag
There are many reasons for a "login loop", I'd agree most with what Nmath has already suggested; however in my own circumstances (using a small disk size) I find lack of space in $HOME my most common cause... which can be detected & correct via logging via text terminal & verifying space exists (esp. in $HOME).. Adding packages will use more disk space so if $HOME isn't on a separate partition it may have created your space issue...
GBG avatar
it flag
GBG
@guiverc, Ah, I did try to download a massive file. That download failed when I got a error for no memory left. Are you suggesting that I remove files from my home directory?
guiverc avatar
cn flag
Yes, $HOME is shorthand for /home/$USER (ie. /home/guiverc for me) or your user directory (you can `echo $HOME` to confirm); if insufficient space exists there, a GUI login will fail & user is returned to greeter (DM login prompt) without error message; ie. login loop. Text logins don't require creation of gui-workfiles so will succeed; allowing you to use commands to explore the issue & correct (*erase files to create space*) allowing a GUI login to work. Alternatively you could do it from *live* media (if you needed to use a GUI).
mangohost

Post an answer

Most people don’t grasp that asking a lot of questions unlocks learning and improves interpersonal bonding. In Alison’s studies, for example, though people could accurately recall how many questions had been asked in their conversations, they didn’t intuit the link between questions and liking. Across four studies, in which participants were engaged in conversations themselves or read transcripts of others’ conversations, people tended not to realize that question asking would influence—or had influenced—the level of amity between the conversationalists.