black screen after upgrade and reboot

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server SLES Updates
1

Hello,
after i upgrade the SLES 11 SP4 into SLES 12 SP3 and reboot the system, I get only a black screen. No chance to login.
Only if I connect over ssh to the host, I get an connection.
Is there any option to set ?
As far as I know we using the gdm display manager.

I hope you can help me.

regards
Chris

2

[QUOTE=ChMueller;54553]Hello,
after i upgrade the SLES 11 SP4 into SLES 12 SP3 and reboot the system, I get only a black screen. No chance to login.
Only if I connect over ssh to the host, I get an connection.
Is there any option to set ?
As far as I know we using the gdm display manager.

I hope you can help me.

regards
Chris[/QUOTE]

Is this server running on esxi, then it might be this: https://www.novell.com/support/kb/doc.php?id=7018820

Thomas

3

Hi thomas, thanks I’ll try it next time. Yes our system was on VM onto esxi host.

4

Hi Chris,

after i upgrade the SLES 11 SP4 into SLES 12 SP3

what was your upgrade path? A direct jump? Was this a SLES11SP4 installation for the same architecture? Is this a physical or virtual server and what platform is it running on?

“black screen” is a bit ambiguous - is this just the X server displaying a black screen, while you are able to switch between consoles? Or do you have no console access at all, not even in text mode? Do you see some (X) cursor or, alternatively, text mode?

Are there any gettys running on the console ports? If you’re just missing X11 display manager login, do you actually have an X server running? Does it get started at all and if not, what’s your default systemd target (AKA “run level”)? I If the X server gets started but dies, what’s in its logs?

IOW: More details, please - only that way we’ll be able to truly help.

Regards,
J

5

OK, I’m trying to explain.
It’s about a cloned VM which runs on SLES 11 SP4 and is now to be updated to SLES 12 SP3. We work with ESXi 6.5.
Update runs through but after the final restart it takes forever until the system starts and then I see on the VM Remote Console only black and no login screen, no text cursor.
When I log in with ssh, I come to the server.
I changed the display manager of gdm to xdm, then I see a simple login screen and I can log in. After that I get the normal green desktop of SLES 12.

regards
Chris

6

Hi Chris,

but after the final restart it takes forever until the system starts

if that includes “until you can log in via ssh”, I’d look into the network configuration. But generally, a good starting point for analysis is “systemd-analyze blame”. From “man systemd-analyze”:

Of course, going through the journal (wrt the boot phase) may be of additional help.

Concerning the remote console staying black, if Thomas’ response isn’t already helping to resolve the issue, looking into the state of the X server may reveal further hints. But that KB article referenced by Thomas (https://www.suse.com/support/kb/doc/?id=7018820) may already have it covered.

Regards,
J

7

sorry but never help me, only if I change the display manager into XDM I get an login screen on the remote console to log me in. After that I get the normal screen.

8

Hi Chris,

concerning your boot delays: Have you noticed those time-out messages in the bottom left window? Now that sounds like an interesting hint :wink: (And I’d tackle that first, just for stability’s and reboot time’s sake.)

if I change the display manager into XDM I get an login screen

That’s good news, because that way you can rule out X11 per se as a cause to this: It’s an issue with the display manager. Have you checked the logs?

With regards,
J

9

Yes I’ve seen this hint but now I try to clone a new one the server host and before I update a new time I cancel all mounts in the /etc/fstab till only the root and swap partition.
I read this can also make problems with the update to SLES 12 SP 3.
After the work I send you the status. :wink:

Chris