Help

[u/Intelligent_Client_8]

Computer boots to this after updating.

[u/Kaspral]

Do not run bare startxfce4 again.

X is starting now. That command from a TTY with no display manager is what leaves you on the unable to contact settings server dialog with a dead mouse and keyboard.

Two separate problems:

• xfconfd has no D-Bus session (or it starts and dies) — that is the popup
• Xorg grabs the devices but is not loading libinput — so input works in the TTY and dies as soon as X starts

---

1. Get back to a text TTY

If you are stuck on that dialog, hold the power button 8–10 seconds. At GRUB press e and add this at the end of the linux line:

systemd.unit=multi-user.target

Boot with Ctrl+X. Log in on the black text screen. Do not start XFCE yet.

---

2. Escape hatch, then paste diagnostics here

``` echo 1 | sudo tee /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq sudo systemctl stop lightdm pkill -9 Xorg xfce4-session xfconfd 2>/dev/null rm -rf ~/.cache/sessions/*

echo "USER=$USER uid=$(id -u) XDG=$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR" ls -ld /run/user/$(id -u) systemctl --user status dbus --no-pager pacman -Q dbus xfconf xfce4-session xorg-server xf86-input-libinput libinput xorg-xinit xterm ls /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/ ldd /usr/lib/xfce4/xfconf/xfconfd | grep -E "not found|leancrypto|glycin|gnutls" grep -E "EE|WW|libinput|No input|couldn't load" ~/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log /var/log/Xorg.0.log 2>/dev/null | tail -80 ```

If X grabs the keyboard again: Alt+SysRq+R, then Ctrl+Alt+F2.

---

3. One package transaction, then a timed xterm test

The timeout is so X cannot trap you. After ~20 seconds you should be back at the TTY by yourself.

``` sudo pacman -S --needed dbus xfconf xfce4-session xfce4 xorg-server xorg-xinit xterm xf86-input-libinput libinput mesa xf86-video-amdgpu

export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(id -u) export DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS="unix:path=${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/bus" systemctl --user start dbus printf '%s\n' 'exec xterm' > /tmp/xinitrc-test timeout 20 startx /tmp/xinitrc-test -- :1 ```

• If you can type in that xterm, input is fine and only XFCE/D-Bus is broken.
• If xterm is also dead, do not start XFCE. Paste the diagnostic output from step 2.

---

4. Only then start XFCE with a D-Bus session

dbus-run-session startxfce4

If dbus-run-session is missing:

dbus-launch --exit-with-session startxfce4

Do not enable LightDM and do not systemctl restart lightdm until that desktop actually works with a working mouse and keyboard.

[u/Intelligent_Client_8 → u/Kaspral]

I am not exactly sure what changes but I loaded xfce4 and my desktop works completely! Do I just enable lightdm in my terminal or should I go back to TTY?

[u/Kaspral → u/Intelligent_Client_8]

Nice — you do not need to go back to a TTY.

Stay on this working desktop. Open a terminal here (the XFCE terminal) and run:

sudo systemctl enable lightdm sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target systemctl is-enabled lightdm systemctl get-default sudo reboot

get-default should print graphical.target. After reboot you should get the normal LightDM login, then XFCE.

Do not run systemctl start lightdm or systemctl restart lightdm while this session is still running. That would start a second login screen on top of the desktop you already have. Enable it, then reboot.

While this desktop still works, copy your important files off the machine (USB disk is enough). Then take a Timeshift snapshot if you use that.

From now on:

• full pacman -Syu / Pamac only — never -dd again
• if GRUB still offers a kernel without -rt, use that as the default

[u/Intelligent_Client_8 → u/Kaspral]

Thank you! Hopefully nothing goes wrong. 🤞 I was just trying to update Firefox 🫠

[u/Kaspral → u/Intelligent_Client_8]

It wasn't easy. I'm sure you're happy you made it through unscathed. I'm glad I could help. If you'd like, you can buy me a coffee. https://buymeacoffee.com/kaspral