'Cannot open ControlKit...' - another annoying error message.

[PJJ]

To add insult to aggravation I am now also receiing this error message:

"Cannot open ConsoleKit:
Unable to open session:
Launch helper exited with unknown return code 1".

Hit OK and the computer boots normally.

Does anyone know how to get rid of this one, please?

[SteveRiley]

When do you see this?

[PJJ]

Whenever I cold-boot the computer. Right after logging in.

[SteveRiley]

What do you see if you type the following in a console window:

sudo /usr/sbin/console-kit-daemon --no-daemon

Also, please show the output of:

tail -n 30 /var/log/ConsoleKit/history

[PJJ]

pj@pjhost:~$ [B]sudo /usr/sbin/console-kit-daemon --no-daemon[/B]
[sudo] password for pj: 
missing action

console-kit-daemon[2244]: WARNING: Failed to acquire org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit
console-kit-daemon[2244]: WARNING: Could not acquire name; bailing out


pj@pjhost:~$ [B]tail -n 30 /var/log/ConsoleKit/history[/B]
1366049685.893 type=SEAT_ACTIVE_SESSION_CHANGED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id=''
1366049686.120 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session2' session-type='' session-x11-display=':0' session-x11-display-device='/dev/tty7' session-display-device='' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:14:46.109917Z'
1366049686.127 type=SEAT_ACTIVE_SESSION_CHANGED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session2'
1366049703.973 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session3' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:15:03.951386Z'
1366049704.015 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session3' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:15:03.951386Z'
1366049720.624 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session4' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:15:20.614082Z'
1366049726.309 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session4' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:15:20.614082Z'
1366049737.595 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session5' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:15:37.551470Z'
1366049737.665 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session5' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:15:37.551470Z'
1366049754.201 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session6' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:15:54.186641Z'
1366049754.269 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session6' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:15:54.186641Z'
1366049771.045 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session7' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:16:11.027795Z'
1366049771.089 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session7' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:16:11.027795Z'
1366049787.750 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session8' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:16:27.731105Z'
1366049787.792 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session8' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:16:27.731105Z'
1366049804.498 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session9' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:16:44.476965Z'
1366049804.547 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session9' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:16:44.476965Z'
1366049821.249 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session10' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:17:01.231936Z'
1366049821.304 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session10' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:17:01.231936Z'
1366049838.022 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session11' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:17:17.997431Z'
1366049838.066 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session11' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:17:17.997431Z'
1366049854.057 type=SEAT_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' seat-kind=0
1366049854.795 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session12' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:17:34.774053Z'
1366049854.838 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session12' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:17:34.774053Z'
1366049871.500 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session13' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:17:51.485169Z'
1366049871.561 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session13' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:17:51.485169Z'
1366049888.425 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session14' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:18:08.388190Z'
1366049888.486 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session14' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:18:08.388190Z'
1366049905.114 type=SEAT_SESSION_ADDED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session15' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:18:25.081745Z'
1366049905.176 type=SEAT_SESSION_REMOVED : seat-id='Seat1' session-id='Session15' session-type='' session-x11-display='' session-x11-display-device='' session-display-device='/dev/???' session-remote-host-name='' session-is-local=TRUE session-unix-user=1000 session-creation-time='2013-04-15T18:18:25.081745Z'

[SteveRiley]

Hm. Looks like it's starting. What's the output of

ps -ef | grep console

and

ck-list-sessions

I'll be stumbling along with you here, because I haven't had to (yet) explore the guts of ConsoleKit.

[PJJ]

[B]ps -ef | grep console[/B]
root      1532     1  0 14:09 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/console-kit-daemon --no-daemon
peter     2862  2812  0 14:20 pts/0    00:00:00 grep --color=auto console

[B]ck-list-sessions[/B]
Session1:
        unix-user = '1000'
        realname = 'Peter XXX'
        seat = 'Seat2'
        session-type = ''
        active = FALSE
        x11-display = ':0'
        x11-display-device = '/dev/tty8'
        display-device = ''
        remote-host-name = ''
        is-local = FALSE
        on-since = '2013-04-16T21:09:34.507122Z'
        login-session-id = ''

BY the way, this is also a problem with other recent kernel versions, including 3.8.6. But it does not affect Kubuntu 12.10.

There seems to be a major problem with permissions. I tried to access a flash drive today. Got "cannot read device. Authorization problem" or something to that effect. Dolphin did not read any files at all.
Windows XP did. the files are all still there.

[SteveRiley]

Hm. Here's mine:

steve@t520:~$ ck-list-sessions
Session1:
        unix-user = '1000'
        realname = 'Steve Riley'
        seat = 'Seat1'
        session-type = ''
        active = TRUE
        x11-display = ':0'
        x11-display-device = '/dev/tty7'
        display-device = ''
        remote-host-name = ''
        is-local = TRUE
        on-since = '2013-04-16T16:43:08.043142Z'
        login-session-id = '4294967295'

Important differences: my is-local is true, yours isn't; I have a login-session-id, you don't. Now, I'm using KDM, not LightDM, but I can't imagine this would make a difference.

You mention permissions...maybe something's messed up in your home directory? What's the output of

find ~ -uid 0

This will display all files owned by root.

[Snowhog]

Now, I'm using KDM, not LightDM, but I can't imagine this would make a difference.

I am using LightDM, and here is my output:

paul@tanagra:~$ ck-list-sessions
Session2:
        unix-user = '1000'
        realname = 'Paul'
        seat = 'Seat1'
        session-type = ''
        active = TRUE
        x11-display = ':0'
        x11-display-device = '/dev/tty7'
        display-device = ''
        remote-host-name = ''
        is-local = TRUE
        on-since = '2013-04-17T02:54:15.382315Z'
        login-session-id = '4294967295'

I have no issues of any kind.

[SteveRiley]

Thanks, Paul, at least we can rule out differences in the display manager.

A couple other interesting bits I've noticed in PJJ's output: the session is starting on Seat 2 and using display device /dev/tty8. These appear to be clues of some kind. Perhaps X thinks Seat 1 and /dev/tty7 are in use? Or X can't start them for some reason, and ConsoleKit hasn't got that sorted out yet?

This is a weird one...I wonder if any of the ConsoleKit gurus over on the Ubuntu forums might have an answer more quickly.

[Snowhog]

I "think" what's happening, is that both KDM and LightDM (parts of) are being initialized, but only one is controlling. The one that isn't controlling takes possession of tty7. I had something similar (not the problem specified in this thread), in that X was identified as running on tty8, not tty7. I couldn't figure out why, until I realized that at some point, when Kubuntu was updated (dist-upgrade), KDM was 'replaced' with LightDM. That process by the package manager was 'sloppy', and the replacement from the one to the other wasn't clean. I believe that what I did was to re-install both KDM and LightDM, then run sudo dpkg-reconfigure KDM and select which I wanted to use. This returned X to running on tty7.

[SteveRiley]

Well, if PJJ's box is a straight-up Raring build, it will never have seen KDM. But your fix is certainly interesting, because the process would force a re-execution of the package configuration scripts, which just might return ConsoleKit's behavior to normal. It's certainly worth a shot.

1. Install KDM:

sudo apt-get install kdm

2. During installation, debconf (used when packages have to ask questions) will prompt you to select a display manager. Choose KDM.

3. Reboot when the installation is finished.

4. Log in.

5. Switch back to LightDM:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure lightdm

6. debconf will prompt you to select a display manager. Choose LightDM.

7. Reboot and log in again. Does the problem go away?

8. Uninstall KDM:

sudo apt-get purge kdm

[PJJ]

Thank you and Steve for your assistance in this matter. Your hints are beginning to set a good path to a correction of this problem.

Did you read my latest post regarding being logged in "failsafe"?

I noticed that i cannot log in at all without using the failsafe feature. All options are greyed out and 'failsafe' is used by default. This could account for some of the problems and inconsistencies I have experienced recently.

As a matter of fact I was set to backup my data and configurations and then format the partition and re-install 13.04 by upgrading from 12.10. AS I said, my CD/DVD drive is not reading DVDs and therefore I must update/upgrade. Like it or not.

I have read the discussion about KDM and LightDM with great interest, because in the process of tinkering with the system I installed LightDM, I believe. Or KDM, if I had Light DM before. So, you have a point there.

This morning I could not log in at all because the error 'cannot load session gnome' prevented that. As soon as I have navigated around that I will follow SteveRiley's instructions.
Then you will hopefully hear me announce a positive result.

By the way (and out of thread of sorts) the 'gnome session' most likely is a remnant of my attempts to get the network plasma widget to appear again. Gnome network-manager gave me more and better control over my broadband?Wimax setup than the KDE component. I uninstalled it but there might be some files hanging around.

[PJJ]

"SteveRiley: What's the output of

find ~ -uid 0.

Hold on to your seat. Here it is:

pj@pjhost:~$ find ~ -uid 0
/home/pj/usb-modeswitch-1.2.5/usb_modeswitch_dispatcher
/home/pj/usb-modeswitch-1.2.5/usb_modeswitch

I am baffled.

[SteveRiley]

Hm, well, you have two files owned by root in your home directory. I have never needed to use the USB modeswitch thing so I have no knowledge of what to predict there. But it seems safe to think that you don't have problems with permissions elsewhere.

I wonder if some of the tinkering you described in your previous post might have ended up leaving your system in something of a confused state?