Bug#785782: Issue re-sighted: gdm3 starts but no login prompt after fresh installs

[Tim Day]

I have a sighting of this.  Interested in helping to diagnose it... but
someone more expert than I about PAM and systemd etc will have to tell me
what to type to generate any useful logging!

In fact I realise I've seen it twice now: a few weeks ago I was using the
32bit Debian9 installer to nuke the HD on an old long unused Thinkpad T22 I
was giving away.  Out of interest I thought I'd do a whole install.  When
gdm3 didn't come up with anything but the dark-grey textured "wallpaper"
(but no dialog prompting for who's logging in) I thought the ageing
Thinkpad's graphics HW just couldn't cope and switched to lightdm, which
worked fine.  With hindsight I realize it was probably this issue.

And now just this morning I'm doing a 64bit Debian9 install on a shiny new
7700K system.  And see the same problem.  A bit of googling led to this
issue.

FWIW, a few things:

Output of systemctl status gdm3:

gdm.service - GNOME Display Manager
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/gdm.service; static; vendor preset:
enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Tue 2017-09-26 15:18:54 BST; 11min ago
  Process: 916 ExecStartPre=/usr/share/gdm/generate-config (code=exited,
status=0/SUCCESS)
  Process: 912 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c [ "$(cat
/etc/X11/default-display-manager 2>/dev/null)" = "/usr/sbin/gdm3" ]
(code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
 Main PID: 925 (gdm3)
    Tasks: 3 (limit: 4915)
   CGroup: /system.slice/gdm.service
           └─925 /usr/sbin/gdm3

Sep 26 15:18:54 everest systemd[1]: Starting GNOME Display Manager...
Sep 26 15:18:54 everest systemd[1]: Started GNOME Display Manager.
Sep 26 15:18:54 everest gdm-launch-environment][932]:
pam_unix(gdm-launch-environment:session): session opened for user
Debian-gdm by (uid=0)

Tail end of /var/log/syslog after boot:

Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Started Network Manager Wait Online.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Reached target Network is Online.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: apt-daily.timer: Adding 1h 17min
31.447421s random time.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Started Daily apt download activities.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: apt-daily-upgrade.timer: Adding 29min
15.620376s random time.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Started Daily apt upgrade and clean
activities.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Reached target Timers.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Starting keep memory of all UPnP
devices that announced themselves...
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Started keep memory of all UPnP devices
that announced themselves.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Reached target Multi-User System.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Reached target Graphical Interface.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Starting Update UTMP about System
Runlevel Changes...
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Started Update UTMP about System
Runlevel Changes.
Sep 26 15:34:25 everest systemd[1]: Startup finished in 2.818s (kernel) +
9.195s (userspace) = 12.014s.
Sep 26 15:34:47 everest systemd-timesyncd[529]: Synchronized to time server
176.58.109.199:123 (2.debian.pool.ntp.org).
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[1]: Created slice User Slice of local.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[1]: Starting User Manager for UID 1000...
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[1]: Started Session 2 of user local.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Reached target Paths.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic
agent (access for web browsers).
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic
agent (ssh-agent emulation).
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic
agent and passphrase cache.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Reached target Timers.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Starting D-Bus User Message Bus
Socket.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic
agent and passphrase cache (restricted).
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Listening on D-Bus User Message Bus
Socket.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Reached target Sockets.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Reached target Basic System.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Reached target Default.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[856]: Startup finished in 10ms.
Sep 26 15:35:33 everest systemd[1]: Started User Manager for UID 1000.

And then after a systemctl restart gdm3:

Sep 26 15:37:49 everest systemd[1]: Stopping GNOME Display Manager...
Sep 26 15:37:49 everest gnome-shell[671]: Connection to xwayland lost
Sep 26 15:37:49 everest org.a11y.atspi.Registry[707]: XIO:  fatal IO error
11 (Resource temporarily unavailable) on X server ":1024"
Sep 26 15:37:49 everest org.a11y.atspi.Registry[707]:       after 21
requests (21 known processed) with 0 events remaining.
Sep 26 15:37:49 everest kernel: [  216.033849] traps: gnome-shell[671] trap
int3 ip:7f8f62c41261 sp:7ffd06d36bb0 error:0
Sep 26 15:37:49 everest kernel: [  216.033861]  in
libglib-2.0.so.0.5000.3[7f8f62bf1000+112000]
Sep 26 15:37:49 everest gdm3: Child process -659 was already dead.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[1]: Stopping User Manager for UID 117...
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopping Sound Service...
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopped target Default.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopping Accessibility services bus...
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopping D-Bus User Message Bus...
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopped D-Bus User Message Bus.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopped Accessibility services bus.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopped target Basic System.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopped target Sockets.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Closed GnuPG cryptographic agent
(access for web browsers).
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Closed GnuPG cryptographic agent and
passphrase cache.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Closed GnuPG cryptographic agent and
passphrase cache (restricted).
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Closed D-Bus User Message Bus Socket.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest gdm3: GLib: g_hash_table_find: assertion 'version
== hash_table->version' failed
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Closed GnuPG cryptographic agent
(ssh-agent emulation).
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopped target Timers.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Stopped target Paths.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Closed Sound System.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Reached target Shutdown.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Starting Exit the Session...
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[1]: Stopped GNOME Display Manager.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[654]: Received SIGRTMIN+24 from PID 890
(kill).
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[1]: Starting GNOME Display Manager...
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[1]: Stopped User Manager for UID 117.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[1]: Removed slice User Slice of Debian-gdm.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[1]: Started GNOME Display Manager.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[1]: Created slice User Slice of Debian-gdm.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[1]: Starting User Manager for UID 117...
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[1]: Started Session c2 of user Debian-gdm.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Starting D-Bus User Message Bus
Socket.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Reached target Paths.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic
agent and passphrase cache.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic
agent (ssh-agent emulation).
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Listening on Sound System.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic
agent (access for web browsers).
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Reached target Timers.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic
agent and passphrase cache (restricted).
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Listening on D-Bus User Message Bus
Socket.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Reached target Sockets.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Reached target Basic System.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Reached target Default.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Startup finished in 24ms.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[1]: Started User Manager for UID 117.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest systemd[912]: Started D-Bus User Message Bus.
Sep 26 15:37:51 everest org.gnome.Shell.desktop[929]: glamor: EGL version
1.4 (DRI2):
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest dbus-daemon[919]: Activating via systemd: service
name='org.a11y.Bus' unit='at-spi-dbus-bus.service'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[912]: Starting Accessibility services bus...
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest dbus-daemon[919]: Successfully activated service
'org.a11y.Bus'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[912]: Started Accessibility services bus.
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest at-spi-bus-launcher[946]: Activating service
name='org.a11y.atspi.Registry'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest at-spi-bus-launcher[946]: Successfully activated
service 'org.a11y.atspi.Registry'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest org.a11y.atspi.Registry[951]: SpiRegistry daemon is
running with well-known name - org.a11y.atspi.Registry
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[912]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[912]: Started Sound Service.
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest dbus[568]: [system] Activating via systemd: service
name='org.freedesktop.locale1' unit='dbus-org.freedesktop.locale1.service'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[1]: Starting Locale Service...
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest gnome-shell[929]: JS LOG: Failed to launch
ibus-daemon: Failed to execute child process "ibus-daemon" (No such file or
directory)
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest dbus[568]: [system] Activating via systemd: service
name='org.freedesktop.GeoClue2' unit='geoclue.service'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[1]: Starting Location Lookup Service...
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest dbus[568]: [system] Successfully activated service
'org.freedesktop.GeoClue2'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[1]: Started Location Lookup Service.
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest dbus[568]: [system] Activating via systemd: service
name='org.freedesktop.realmd' unit='realmd.service'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[1]: Starting Realm and Domain
Configuration...
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest dbus[568]: [system] Successfully activated service
'org.freedesktop.realmd'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[1]: Started Realm and Domain Configuration.
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest gnome-session-binary[921]: Entering running state
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest xbrlapi.desktop[987]: openConnection: connect: No
such file or directory
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest xbrlapi.desktop[987]: cannot connect to braille
devices daemon brltty at :0
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest dbus[568]: [system] Activating via systemd: service
name='org.freedesktop.hostname1' unit='dbus-org.freedesktop.hos
tname1.service'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[1]: Starting Hostname Service...
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest dbus[568]: [system] Successfully activated service
'org.freedesktop.locale1'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[1]: Started Locale Service.
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest dbus[568]: [system] Successfully activated service
'org.freedesktop.hostname1'
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest systemd[1]: Started Hostname Service.
Sep 26 15:37:52 everest gnome-settings-[969]: g_task_return_error:
assertion 'error != NULL' failed

I've tried the various solutions proposed here, but no improvement.

FWIW, output of apt-show-versions | grep 'pam\|systemd':

libpam-cap:amd64/stretch 1:2.25-1 uptodate
libpam-gnome-keyring:amd64/stretch 3.20.0-3 uptodate
libpam-modules:amd64/stretch 1.1.8-3.6 uptodate
libpam-modules-bin:amd64/stretch 1.1.8-3.6 uptodate
libpam-runtime:all/stretch 1.1.8-3.6 uptodate
libpam-systemd:amd64/stretch 232-25+deb9u1 uptodate
libpam0g:amd64/stretch 1.1.8-3.6 uptodate
libsystemd0:amd64/stretch 232-25+deb9u1 uptodate
systemd:amd64/stretch 232-25+deb9u1 uptodate
systemd-sysv:amd64/stretch 232-25+deb9u1 uptodate

Install was a graphical expert install.  Nothing unusual except RAID1-ing a
pair of disks, and also selecting ssh-server in tasksel (precisely because
I like to have a way into the machine if this sort of graphics problem
happens).

But let me know what else you want/need to see/try...
For now I'm switching to lightdm (which does put up a useful login prompt)
but I can easily hop back to gdm3 to try things.

Tim
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