Ubuntu 14.04 Returns to Login Screen After Login

Question

When I type in my password to my newly installed Ubuntu 14.04 computer, it returns me to the login screen. I've seen other answers but those were to Ubuntu 13.04 and older and didn't work.

Solution 1

Press Ctrl + Alt + F1 and log in there and run:

sudo chown -R $USER:$USER $HOME

Then press Ctrl + Alt + F7 and try to log in.

Solution 2

I had same issue i was setting up oracle and messed up with .bashrc PATH variable, with this i could not get past the login screen. Thing that solved my issue was that, in .bashrc, I accidentally did not append $PATH: in PATH variable.

I wrote:

PATH=<other paths>

Correct format:

PATH=$PATH:<other paths>

This worked for me, if this is the case it should work for you too.

Solution 3

Look at here: Can't login to Ubuntu 14.04 after upgrade maybe can help you.

1. Check the $HOME permission and owner, chown $USER:$USER -R $HOME; chmod +x -R $HOME, or try to use a Guest Session, or try adduser to create a user then login.

2. Try reinstall Ubuntu Desktop, sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop ubuntu-session.

3. If all above can't work, maybe the lightdm is break, try to fix sudo apt-get install lightdm --reinstall.

4. Or, just try to use kdm & Kde desktop: sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop kde-standard. (。・_・。)

Solution 4

I had similar issue on fresh 18.04 install. Safemode worked well, normal mode kept kicking me out after logging in. UI also lagged during animations, so it was clear that was a graphics issue. So I just updated my Nvidia drivers and it worked.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install nvidia-390

View more solutions

Comments

[s3lph]

Ctrl+Alt+F1, login, rm .Xauthority, Alt+F7, login and report back.

[jjjhfam]

But where is the .Xauthority file, I've seen that answer before but on Ubuntu 13.04 and older.

[user68186]

It is a hidden file in /home/username folder also known as your (username's) home folder. The rm command deletes the file. It will be recreated the next time you login using the GUI.

[jjjhfam]

As I said, I've never been in my account so when I am in that directory and type 'ls -a' I do not see it.

[jjjhfam]

You seem to be having trouble typing "reinstall", but I was able to add another user account and then add myself to the sudo file. Thanks!

[scue]

Thx. Does it that mean you can login ubuntu with another account? If so, just backup your old $HOME directory, and create a new $HOME directory then replace it. (´・ω・｀)

[jjjhfam]

Yep, I just went into the virtual terminal and moved the files I wanted from old to new account.

[Minras]

Don't execute chmod +x -R $HOME, it will make ALL files in $HOME executable. Please change this in the original comment.

[Minras]

Why chmod +x -R $HOME? it will make ALL files in $HOME executable.

[Anton Matosov]

This worked like charm on Ubuntu 18.04 with a difference of hitting Ctrl + Alt + F2 to get to text terminal session and Ctrl + Alt + F1 to get back to GUI session

[nixkuroi]

I was able to ssh into my account, and execute the reinstall of Unbuntu Dekstop from there. I restarted the VM and it was fixed.

[PascalVKooten]

WARNING: chmod +x should not be excecuted on $HOME, a mod should FIX THIS please!

[Kurankat]

You are answering a question from 2015. Your answer does not provide anything useful to the poster of the original question and sounds more like a rant.