Plenty of individuals are utilizing Gnome Shell as of late, as many mainstream Linux initiatives are adopting the desktop surroundings as their default person interface. Total, that is a good transfer, as Gnome is dependable, straightforward to use, and getting quicker with each launch. Nevertheless, even nice desktops like Gnome have points.
Maybe probably the most obvious and debilitating subject that Gnome suffers from (even with fast patches enhancing the desktop with each launch) is freezing. It doesn’t matter what, typically, Gnome is destined to freeze and lock up. So, on this information, we’ll present you what to do when you will have a frozen Gnome desktop session. Let’s get began!
Technique 1 – X11 restart fix
Gnome Shell has a built-in restart operate that customers can execute to restart a frozen desktop whereas in use shortly. The one catch is it doesn’t work with the brand new Wayland show protocol, so that you want to be utilizing the “Gnome on Xorg” session for this to work.
To restart the Gnome Shell session whereas all the things is frozen, begin by urgent Alt + F2 on the keyboard. Executing this keyboard combo will carry up a window within the heart of the display screen by which you’ll give you the option to enter instructions.
Within the command field, sort in ‘r.’ This command will totally restart the session, re-launch the Gnome Shell, and even fix any window supervisor points you could be having (although it primarily simply restarts the session with out logging you out).
r
Press enter to execute the command. Be happy to re-run this command greater than as soon as if a single restart doesn’t clear up the issue. Often, working the re-launch command a couple of occasions in a row fixes issues.
Technique 2 – Wayland restart fix
Wayland is the brand new trendy show protocol for Linux, and Gnome Shell embraced it early. For those who’re utilizing Intel open-source, or different supported GPU drivers, whereas working Gnome, you’re almost definitely utilizing Wayland.
The Wayland session for Gnome has tons of efficiency enhancements, however crashes can nonetheless occur. Sadly, the restart characteristic doesn’t work on this session. So, should you’ve run into a frozen Gnome desktop session, you want to do one thing else to regain management of your pc.
To restart a Wayland Gnome session, you gained’t be working throughout the Gnome desktop surroundings. As an alternative, you’ll want to entry the TTY console and drive the desktop supervisor that handles Gnome to restart, forcing your session to reboot. Press Ctrl + Alt + F2 or Ctrl + Alt + F3 to acquire entry to the TTY console.
As soon as within the TTY console window, you could log in. Write out your username in all lower-case letters and press Enter. Following the username, write in your password. Upon coming into your password efficiently, you’ll acquire entry to the Linux command-line in TTY mode.
From right here, observe the step-by-step directions to restart your Gnome Shell session.
Step 1: Utilizing the systemctl cease command, cease the Gnome show supervisor from working. Doing this may robotically finish your Gnome Shell session and trigger it to shut.
sudo systemctl cease gdm
Or, should you use LightDM with Gnome, run this command as an alternative.
sudo systemctl cease lightdm
Step 2: By working the cease command, the Gnome (or LightDM supervisor) will cease working. From right here, run the begin command and re-launch the login supervisor.
sudo systemctl begin gdm
Or, for LightDM, run this command as an alternative.
sudo systemctl begin lightdm
Assuming the command is profitable, your Linux PC ought to present you the Gnome login display screen, and also you’ll give you the option to use it to log into Gnome Shell once more, with out a frozen session!
Technique 3 – Show substitute fix
For those who’ve tried the Xorg and Wayland fixes and located they haven’t labored to your wants, there’s a third approach to restart the Gnome Shell session whereas it’s frozen, utilizing the Shell’s built-in “replace” operate.
The “replace” command works comparable to the Gnome Wayland fix, in that it should be launched within the TTY window. So, press Ctrl + Alt + F2 or Ctrl + Alt + F3 to entry it.
Observe: this fix works with all variations of Gnome Shell, together with Wayland.
Within the TTY space in your Linux PC, write in your username and password to acquire entry to the command-line interface. Then, observe the step-by-step directions under to find out how to reset your Gnome session with this methodology.
Step 1: Create a file known as “gnome-restart” utilizing contact.
contact gnome-restart
Step 2: Utilizing the echo command, add the restart code to the gnome-restart file.
echo '#!/bin/bash' > gnome-restart
echo 'DISPLAY=:0 gnome-shell --replace &' >> gnome-restart
Step 3: Replace the permissions to the “gnome-restart” file in order that it may be executed as a program from the terminal utilizing the chmod command.
sudo chmod +x gnome-restart
Step 4: Transfer the “gnome-restart” file into /usr/bin/ in order that the system can name it like a program.
sudo mv gnome-restart /usr/bin/
Step 5: From the TTY terminal, write gnome-restart to restart your Gnome Shell session.
Observe: the gnome-restart command will also be run immediately from the Gnome desktop. To do it, press Alt + F2 to open the command window on the desktop, and run the command within it.
gnome-restart
Upon working the command efficiently from TTY, return to your Gnome desktop by urgent Ctrl + Alt + F2 or Ctrl + Alt + F3. Your session must be usable once more!
