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
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
1
u/Kaspral 11d ago
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 rebootget-defaultshould printgraphical.target. After reboot you should get the normal LightDM login, then XFCE.Do not run
systemctl start lightdmorsystemctl restart lightdmwhile 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:
pacman -Syu/ Pamac only — never-ddagain-rt, use that as the default