Grey Screen after Login ElementaryOS

Operating Systems & Open Source Linux
,
1

Complete Linux newb here, this would be my first install. I just installed elementaryOS to dual boot with Windows 10 on my Dell Inspiron 5520.

Everything appeared to work fine, until I had to login in with my password, where it wouldn't accept the correct password for the user account. I went through a guide online through the recovery menu to reset the password and it successfully changed the password. Then, when rebooting, I was brought to the login screen where after inputting my password one of two things happen

  • The login is accepted and the entire screen goes grey
  • The login screen is "refreshed" and I'm brought back to the login screen.

Both the Windows partition, and strangely the guest elementaryOS account is working fine.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

2

I'm guessing is you're trying to start a wayland session on your main account, try choosing different environments from the login screen.

3

That is odd. Usually in Linux when the screen turns grey, that means the program is not responding. But, you should have seen a box giving you the option to kill or wait. Elementary does not have a Wayland session, so that's not it. I did find something in the Ubuntu forums that I hope will work. It's confusing and there are a dozen solutions here with intensive commands in the terminal. It will probably be quicker and easier to do a reinstall.

4

I thought this too, but when I went to the Windows side to delete the Linux partition, I found no seperation of my hard drive, even though I specifically allocated 240GB during the install.

5

Okay. This is getting weird. Try your live cd/usb elementary again. Click on install and for the options: click "something else". This will show your partition set up from the Linux side. Hit the "print screen" button. This will take a screenshot. Post your screen shot and let's have a look.

1 Like
6

It went from weird to worse I'm afraid. As I was tinkering with the Windows partition, I managed to find and delete the Linux partitions, and expand the Windows partition to it's original size. I then left the room to get a drink and my brother had restarted my PC as he wanted to borrow it.

I come back and all I see is the grub recovery, so I can't launch into Windows (and I have no installer disk) or elementary (as it's been deleted.) So I try to reinstall elementary from USB as before, however after detecting Windows on my previous attempt, it no longer detects the Windows operating system installed.

WP_20160301_17_14_48_Pro.jpg1965x1105 634 KB

This is what I see when partitioning. The only reason I don't wipe completely and install from scratch is that I have licenced software installed on the Windows side I need for college (Microsoft Office suite and Solidworks)

7

You still have your Windows. You just can't access it. If I was there in your room, I could fiddle and play with it. But, explaining something like this over the internet is not possible for me. If you had a disk, I might be able to walk you through it.

As I see it, you have two options:

1) Make another post and mark it under Windows. Maybe you will find someone who can explain it better. I would put @DeusQain in your description.

2) Take it to the shop.

I'm sorry that this happened and I wish I could have helped you more.

Edit: Try booting in through Bios

8

I understand completely, it's difficult to troubleshoot both blind while having to rely on the comprehension of both parties as to what the issue is.

You've been very helpful.

I've been able to verify the fact that I still have Windows by borrowing a used Windows 8.1 install disk, and through troubleshooting command line 

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos

I see an identified windows install, however when I attempt

bootrec /rebuildbcd

I see "The requested system device cannot be found"

9

It looks like you got cut off. What were you able to verify?

10
1 Like
11

Another solution is to boot into Elementary from the usb and follow the steps from the 2nd option here
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair

12

I would try the Ubuntu boot repair option. I'm still trying to sort through Goalkeeper's link. I'm being cautious here. I don't want you to lose your essential apps. That's why I recommended you take it to the shop.

13

I tried Baz's link, the Ubuntu Boot Repair program, which said it succeeded.

Upon reboot, nothing has changed.

14

Would you please this for us? I've read this post three or four times and cannot make any sense of it. I apologize.

15

I have a doctor's appointment. I'll check up on you when I get back.

16

https://sourceforge.net/p/boot-repair/home/Home/

Launch Boot-Repair, then click the "Recommended repair" button. When
repair is finished, note the URL (paste.ubuntu.com/XXXXX) that appears
on a paper, then reboot and check if you recovered access to your OSs.

Link the url, might be useful

17

So grub keeps some of its files on your root or boot partition since you deleted that Grub is now no Bueno.

If you want to keep windows the best thing to do at the moment is to restore the windows boot loader, you should be able to do that with a Windows DVD or USB.

After you fix Windows then you can look at shrinking the NTFS partition and reinstalling Linux.

18

He doesn't have one. That's the main problem. I don't know if he can fix this without one. Why don't they package these computers with disks anymore? Can they get any cheaper?

19

Download it MS gives it out

20

That's handy. I had no idea that they did that:)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO