[Solved] Stuck in loop asking for password before desktop. Check your .profile

[piglet]

Hi All,

This is the second time I've had this problem. Last time I gave up and rebuilt from a new download of Rasbian.

Expected functionality: Pi3 (Raspbian, Stretch, up to date) is set to "Boot to desktop". When I turn on I get to the desktop and can do stuff. No password required. I have been using the pi this way since 23rd August with no problems whatsoever.

Symptoms after a reboot today - different to every other reboot I've done:

1) Through SSH I can log in using default word "raspberry".

2) When connected to HDMI/keyboard/mouse instead getting to the desktop I get to a login prompt for pi on desktop screen3)
3) If I enter the correct password "raspberry" I get a black screen and then the login prompt comes back
4) If I enter an incorrect password deliberately it tells me, correctly, that I got it wrong.

5) Over SSH I added a new user with useradd, and using that user I can login successfully to the desktop at the login prompt .
6) Over SSH I changed the password for user pi, however when I try to use that to get to the desktop I get the symptoms in 3 above.

Please can someone help me find out what has gone wrong and how to correct it so that I can log in as "pi"?

If this has happened to me twice, it seems likely that this is probably happening to other people.

[wh7qq]

I can't really see why your system should have changed overnight like that. Did you do any updates or other changes?

I have seen some weirdness in the login/password process pretty much ever since RPF got security conscious about ssh logins (basically a good thing to do but confusing in the implementation). I have found that it is necessary to change the password in both the desktop Preferences>Raspberry Pi Configuration utility and in the terminal using

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passwd pi

. I can't recall if I used "sudo" with that or not and it may make a difference. Of course,I did use the sudo to get into raspi-config from the terminal. I have changed it every way I could think of. I don't think the LXDE desktop talks to the underlying Linux in every case.

Several suggestions:
1..Be sure to put the empty file called ssh in the top directory of the boot partition before your first boot.
2. Change to your new password in raspi-config from the terminal window. Do the same from your LXDE configuration utility as I stated in the last paragraph.
3. If you still have difficulties, change the password using passwd pi as outlined above.
4 Good Luck!

[piglet]

Hi, no. All I did was reboot. It's not that the pi user password is wrong - I can log in with it over ssh or from another terminal session (ctrl-alt-Fn). I've changed passwords with no effect. I can't do it whilst on the desktop - as the problem stops me from getting there.

In searching I see lots of other people have had this problem - 2014 to 2016 so it looks to me like there's a bug here that hasn't been fixed: viewtopic.php?t=28521

https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/q ... cant-login
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKJw4YUt0ho
http://engineer2you.blogspot.co.uk/2016 ... login.html
http://forum.erlerobotics.com/t/raspber ... creen/1376

[piglet]

Here's the /var/log/lightdm/lightdm.log output from a BAD login:

It goes wrong starting at "[+1007.22s] DEBUG: Session pid=1375: Exited with return value 0"

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[+1006.56s] DEBUG: Continue authentication
[+1006.75s] DEBUG: Session pid=1375: Authentication complete with return value 0: Success
[+1006.75s] DEBUG: Authenticate result for user pi: Success
[+1006.75s] DEBUG: User pi authorized
[+1006.81s] DEBUG: Greeter requests session lightdm-xsession
[+1006.81s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Stopping greeter; display server will be re-used for user session
[+1006.81s] DEBUG: Session pid=1342: Sending SIGTERM
[+1006.85s] DEBUG: Greeter closed communication channel
[+1006.86s] DEBUG: Session pid=1342: Exited with return value 0
[+1006.86s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Session stopped
[+1006.86s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Greeter stopped, running session
[+1006.86s] DEBUG: Registering session with bus path /org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Session5
[+1006.86s] DEBUG: Session pid=1375: Running command /etc/X11/Xsession default
[+1006.86s] DEBUG: Creating shared data directory /var/lib/lightdm/data/pi
[+1006.86s] DEBUG: Session pid=1375: Logging to .xsession-errors
[+1006.98s] DEBUG: Activating VT 7
[+1006.98s] DEBUG: Activating login1 session c15
[+1007.05s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 changes active session to
[+1007.05s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 changes active session to c15
[+1007.05s] DEBUG: Session c15 is already active
[+1007.22s] DEBUG: Session pid=1375: Exited with return value 0
[+1007.22s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Session stopped
[+1007.22s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Stopping display server, no sessions require it
[+1007.22s] DEBUG: Sending signal 15 to process 1329
[+1007.23s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 changes active session to
[+1007.23s] CRITICAL: session_get_login1_session_id: assertion 'session != NULL' failed
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: Process 1329 exited with return value 0
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: DisplayServer x-0: X server stopped
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: Releasing VT 7
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: DisplayServer x-0: Removing X server authority /var/run/lightdm/root/:0
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Display server stopped
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Active display server stopped, starting greeter
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Creating greeter session
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Creating display server of type x
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: Using VT 7
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Starting local X display on VT 7
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: DisplayServer x-0: Logging to /var/log/lightdm/x-0.log
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: DisplayServer x-0: Writing X server authority to /var/run/lightdm/root/:0
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: DisplayServer x-0: Launching X Server
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: Launching process 1434: /usr/bin/X :0 -seat seat0 -auth /var/run/lightdm/root/:0 -nolisten tcp vt7 -novtswitch
[+1007.39s] DEBUG: DisplayServer x-0: Waiting for ready signal from X server :0
[+1007.93s] DEBUG: Got signal 10 from process 1434
[+1007.93s] DEBUG: DisplayServer x-0: Got signal from X server :0
[+1007.93s] DEBUG: DisplayServer x-0: Connecting to XServer :0
[+1007.93s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Display server ready, starting session authentication
[+1007.94s] DEBUG: Session pid=1447: Started with service 'lightdm-greeter', username 'lightdm'
[+1007.99s] DEBUG: Session pid=1447: Authentication complete with return value 0: Success
[+1007.99s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Session authenticated, running command
[+1007.99s] DEBUG: Session pid=1447: Running command /usr/sbin/pi-greeter
[+1007.99s] DEBUG: Creating shared data directory /var/lib/lightdm/data/lightdm
[+1007.99s] DEBUG: Session pid=1447: Logging to /var/log/lightdm/seat0-greeter.log
[+1008.13s] DEBUG: Activating VT 7
[+1008.13s] DEBUG: Activating login1 session c16
[+1008.13s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 changes active session to c16
[+1008.13s] DEBUG: Session c16 is already active
[+1008.29s] DEBUG: Greeter connected version=1.18.3 resettable=false
[+1009.53s] DEBUG: Greeter start authentication for pi
[+1009.53s] DEBUG: Session pid=1476: Started with service 'lightdm', username 'pi'
[+1009.55s] DEBUG: Session pid=1476: Got 1 message(s) from PAM
[+1009.55s] DEBUG: Prompt greeter with 1 message(s)

This is output from a good login on the same machine for the test user "me" I added earlier:

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[+1191.52s] DEBUG: Continue authentication
[+1191.72s] DEBUG: Session pid=1478: Authentication complete with return value 0: Success
[+1191.72s] DEBUG: Authenticate result for user me: Success
[+1191.72s] DEBUG: User me authorized
[+1191.78s] DEBUG: Greeter requests session lightdm-xsession
[+1191.78s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Stopping greeter; display server will be re-used for user session
[+1191.78s] DEBUG: Session pid=1447: Sending SIGTERM
[+1191.83s] DEBUG: Greeter closed communication channel
[+1191.83s] DEBUG: Session pid=1447: Exited with return value 0
[+1191.83s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Session stopped
[+1191.83s] DEBUG: Seat seat0: Greeter stopped, running session
[+1191.83s] DEBUG: Registering session with bus path /org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Session6
[+1191.84s] DEBUG: Session pid=1478: Running command /etc/X11/Xsession default
[+1191.84s] DEBUG: Creating shared data directory /var/lib/lightdm/data/me
[+1191.84s] DEBUG: Session pid=1478: Logging to .xsession-errors
[+1192.09s] DEBUG: Activating VT 7
[+1192.09s] DEBUG: Activating login1 session c17
[+1192.09s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 changes active session to
[+1192.09s] DEBUG: Seat seat0 changes active session to c17
[+1192.09s] DEBUG: Session c17 is already active

[piglet]

Got it at last! Hint found here: https://askubuntu.com/a/246858

Something in the .profile wasm't right. Odd, as nothing unusual there.

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pi@raspberrypi:~ $ cat .xsession-errors
Xsession: X session started for pi at Fri  6 Oct 22:21:25 BST 2017
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DISPLAY=:0
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XAUTHORITY=/home/pi/.Xauthority
localuser:pi being added to access control list
/etc/X11/Xsession: 25: /home/pi/.profile: Syntax error: "(" unexpected

Removed the .profile and I can log in as pi again.

[vybhav]

Hi
I am facing the same problem ,could anyone help me out please .

Thank You
Vybhav

[thebarless]

Ran into this issue. It turned out that I ran out of space on my SD card. Can diagnose by accessing the pi via SSH and running "df -h"

[nekvt]

Piglet: thanks for posting this helpful information. I have run into this problem three times - I am on my fourth complete restart - and this is the first useful info I have found, after searching for many days.

But, please tell us exactly what you did to correct the problem. Did you completely remove /home/pi/.profile?

Thanks, again.

[jlnrgrs]

Just like thebarless, I ran into this issue and I had run out of space. I was using the Pi as a picture frame and had loaded too many jpegs. Soon as I deleted some the password request went away.

[subtlenv]

Try this might solve. https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/q ... cant-login

[b_i_l_b_o]

Another reason:
I had a /home/pi/.xsession file like this:

#fluxbox
#matchbox-desktop

with an empty third line.
Funny, isn't it?

[Connorboris]

For my pi zero W I used sudo apt-get install lxsession followed by a sudo reboot and I was able to get out of the loop and actually boot to desktop

[BalooRM]

Connorboris Your excellent suggestion fixed the issue on my Pi 3b+. Thank you!

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sudo apt-get install lxsession

I had done an update and upgrade and found myself in exactly the same situation as piglet.

The output from the lxsession install indicates the likely cause:
...
Setting up lxsession (0.5.3-2+rpi1) ...
update-alternatives: warning: forcing reinstallation of alternative /usr/bin/startlxde-pi because link group x-session-manager is broken
...

[reekerder]

Howdy everyone!

I'm having the same exact issue as OP. I've done my research, yet only two relevant articles are pulled up on Google - and this is one of them.
In both instances, people commonly advise to do X or Y through the tty, but I can't even pull up a tty! So if I'm stuck on the Login/Shutdown screen loop, how do I open a terminal(hotkeys, of course. I've tried ctrl+alt+F1/F2/F3, ctrl+alt+t), or do you have any other ways of me gaining access to my Pi oncemore, and delete the new usr I've added? Thanks a ton!

[knute]

I had the same thing happen just now and it was a bad uSD card. When they die sometimes they go into read only so they'll boot but you can't login. The only solution is a new card.

[mraspberry]

Howdy everyone!

I'm having the same exact issue as OP. I've done my research, yet only two relevant articles are pulled up on Google - and this is one of them.
In both instances, people commonly advise to do X or Y through the tty, but I can't even pull up a tty! So if I'm stuck on the Login/Shutdown screen loop, how do I open a terminal(hotkeys, of course. I've tried ctrl+alt+F1/F2/F3, ctrl+alt+t), or do you have any other ways of me gaining access to my Pi oncemore, and delete the new usr I've added? Thanks a ton!

After I wrote this, I got stuck on the loop. Please don’t make my mistake.

$ sudo nano /etc/rc.local
>> add command befor “exit 0” in the script
$ su –pi –c ‘/user/bin/vncserver :1’
>> Cnrl X and save by y

For solving it:
First, you must access the command line. Putty worked for me. Just make sure, you use a local network and port 22. You need to just check the Pi’s IP address by accessing your router. For your router, Check your gateway and write it on your browser. It will show you all the IP address based on the different router which is connected to your router. Please check your router to find it. There is some tutorial on how to use Putty.

After connecting to command line, I tried “sudo chown” and it worked for me, but I faced some other troubles after that, and I didn’t have a taskbar, etc. But I could fix it as follows. I explain it after “sudo chown”. I tried this.

https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/q ... cant-login

reset permissions on your home folder (Maybe, it is better to follow the second command instead of this one):

$ sudo chown -R pi /home/pi

(Specifically, the .Xauthority file may have the incorrect permissions. In this case, you may only need
to correct the issue as follows.)

$ sudo chown pi:pi .Xauthority

Problem: After that, I couldn’t see anything on my screen with HDMI cable. For solving it, I update and upgrade raspberry pi.

$ sudo apt-get update & sudo apt-get upgrade
$ sudo reboot

I solved the HTMI problem. Still, I couldn’t see any taskbar.

I don’t think the following commands were helpful for me, but I followed it.
Maybe, some configuration files have been overwritten and some changes have been lost.
To update an existing Jessie image, type the following at the command line:

$ sudo apt-get install -y rpi-chromium-mods
$ sudo apt-get install -y python-sense-emu python3-sense-emu
$ sudo apt-get install -y python-sense-emu-doc realvnc-vnc-viewer

Please check:

$ cd .config/lxpanel/LXDE-pi/panels/
$ sudo nano (hit the tab button)

Check if
$ monitor=0

The following step worked for me. I tried as follows.

Raspbian Missing Menu Bar: https://www.kirkmakse.com/raspberry-pi- ... -menu-bar/

$ sudo rm -r ~/.config/lxpanel
$ sudo reboot

And That’s it. Hope works for you.

[JGwinner]

Connorboris You fixed my problem with a Pi 4.

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sudo apt-get install lxsession

I *think* but can't remember that I may have not installed the desktop environment. Did this several months ago.

Ironically, you DO get a desktop environment, or at least there was a graphical desktop background, and a graphical login page, when I expected just text if I hadn't installed the desktop.

Doing the install lxsession fixed it.

Something is broken, there should have been an error message or SOMETHING, but my guess is, it'll never get fixed as most people either do the install or don't do the install and never hookup a monitor. All hail Linux, land of the google searches.

== John ==

[cooljeffro]

$ sudo chown pi:pi .Xauthority

This solved it for me!

[zoom]

"sudo apt-get install lxsession" run in a ssh remote terminal session, resulted in my next entry of username and pw, at the GUI login prompt (the one that had been looping up till now) to bring me to the desktop.

[swiftclimb]

I had this problem. Login panel keeps coming up. And this was because of an update I made to the .profile file in my home directory. So, I used putty to open a terminal, vi (old skool) to remove the addition and rebooted and now I am in.

[RottenRonnie]

For my pi zero W I used

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sudo apt-get install lxsession

followed by a sudo reboot and I was able to get out of the loop and actually boot to desktop

Thanks. That was exactly what I needed for the fix, and I didn't have to reboot

[GlowInTheDark]

I had this problem. Login panel keeps coming up. And this was because of an update I made to the .profile file in my home directory. So, I used putty to open a terminal, vi (old skool) to remove the addition and rebooted and now I am in.

Yeah, this is pretty much a "known feature" of the way X is setup on Unix/Linux.
If there are any bugs in the .profile, the GUI fails to load. It is very annoying - and the lack of any kind of useful error message is typical Unix-thinking.

I get bit by this every so often because I use "bash-isms" in my .profile. This turns into a problem for X because X runs your .profile with /bin/sh rather than with /bin/bash. So, if there are any bash-isms in the .profile, it aborts the loading of the X GUI.

My fix is to include the following line in the .profile, fairly early, before any of my own additions/customizations:

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[ "$BASH_VERSION" ] || return 0

This causes it to exit before getting to any bash-isms.

[zmxsoft]

I had the same problem. Deleting .profile worked for me.

[GlowInTheDark]

I had the same problem. Deleting .profile worked for me.

Kind of a blunt force fix.

Reformatting the SD card would probably have worked, too.

[basiegrandchild]

First thank you to all the posters on this thread. None of those solutions worked for me, but pointed me in the right direction.

My issue was the .Xauthority file for "pi" user belonged to "root". I solved the problem using:

chown pi:pi .Xauthority

Hope this helps.