Can't switch to gdm3 using sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

Question

I was looking for a way to switch to gdm3 from lightdm, when I found this answer. So I tried to apply it, and entered sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3, then a selection screen appeared with 2 options: gdm3 and lightdm. It was the same screen that appeared during the installation of GNOME (using sudo apt install ubuntu-gnome-desktop && gnome-shell). I chose gdm3 then pressed Enter, then I got this error:

gdm.service is not active, cannot reload.
invoke-rc.d: initscript gdm3, action "reload" failed.

Any ideas?

UPDATE

It turns out that it just required a reboot to work. But I still want to know the meaning of that error I got. Does anyone have any explanation?

Solution 1

re: sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3 error message.

Just reboot and you should be running gdm3.

The error that you're receiving just means that gdm3 wasn't already running, so it couldn't reload it.

Solution 2

Use this sudo dpkg-reconfigure lightdm in place of sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3 this and then choose gdm3.

Solution 3

Works for my WSL2 Ubuntu Desktop install - thanks:-

sudo systemctl start gdm3.service    
sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

Comments

[Tooniis]

do you know what that error means though?

[Boris Hamanov]

It just means that gdm3 wasn't already running, so it couldn't reload it. Kind of a bogus error.

[salouri]

this didn't work for me

[Boris Hamanov]

@trust_words please start a new question and we'll try and help you.

[Kulfy]

Can you please explain how would that make any difference? When either of them is used, options are shown to switch default DM.

[Vardaan Shukla]

But there is something different between both of them as I tried it work, When I work on lightdm I use dpkg-reconfigure lightdm and on gdm use gdm in place of lightdm and it works without any error

[Organic Marble]

I agree, you should specify the one you are using at the moment. Don't know why but it's always worked for me.

[VidathD]

This does not answer the question after the Update but it may help future users.

[Arpit Anand]

This should be the accepted answer!

[M at]

Awesome as it does not need reboot