Distro-sync crashed desktop session, now can't boot to desktop [low-priority]

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1

Hello,

I got into a bit of a pickle. I did distro-sync from the pinned system tray upgrade icon and about 3/4 of the way through installing packages, the display crashed. I was able to pull up a tty terminal and I waited until the hard disk quit being active, but I couldn’t log in with my username. I could however log in with root, and then killed dnf and attempted to patch up the mess. The problem was that distro-sync now said it couldn’t proceed as it would remove a protected system package, systemd (LOL… how / why).

Long story short, I think I’ve got all the latest packages now, but my config is still messed up and when I boot I see the OM logo, then get dropped to a terminal (where I can now log in as my normal user).
Here is the story from .bash_history (keep in mind I was using an AI search result on my phone which has a broken screen when doing this, I’m sure there’s a better way but at least now distro-sync says there’s nothing to do and autoremove says there’s no old packages):

root bash_history:

#1763350059
dnf history list | head -20
#1763350074
dnf history list
#1763350076
ls
#1763350085
ls /home
#1763350120
ls /var/lib/rpm/.rpm.lock 2>/dev/null
#1763350402
ps aux | grep dnf
#1763350541
pkill -9 -f dnf
#1763350558
pkill -9 -f '/usr/bin/python.*dnf'
#1763350576
rm -f /var/lib/rpm/.rpm.lock
#1763350592
rm -f /var/cache/dnf/*.lock 2>/dev/null
#1763350597
dnf clean all
#1763350613
dnf upgrade --refresh -y
#1763350981
pkill -9 -u joshua
#1763350988
systemctl restart sddm

dnf5_log_5.txt (722.9 KB)

dnf5_log_4.txt (1023.9 KB)

dnf.rpm.log.txt (148.9 KB)

dnf_log_2.txt (320.4 KB)

dnf_log_1.txt (296.7 KB)

dnf5_log_3.txt (1023.9 KB)

dnf5_log_2.txt (1023.9 KB)

dnf5_log_1.txt (1024.0 KB)

my bash_history:

#1763348973
dnf list --upgrades --refresh
#1763351573
dnf history list | head -20
#1763351600
uname -r
#1763351705
sudo dnf clean all  ; dnf clean all ; dnf repolist
#1763351737
sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing
#1763351861
sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --upgrade
#1763351870
sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh upgrade
#1763351891
sudo dnf --refresh upgrade
#1763351915
sudo dnf clean all
#1763351923
sudo dnf --refresh upgrade
#1763351933
sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh upgrade
#1763351937
sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --upgrade
#1763351946
sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing
#1763352205
sudo dnf --refresh --allowerasing distro-sync
#1763352215
sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing
#1763352257
sudo dnf list installed | grep -i broken
#1763352275
sudo dnf list | grep -i broken
#1763352283
sudo dnf list installed
#1763352353
sudo dnf list --installed | grep -i broken
#1763352367
sudo dnf list --installed | grep "broken"
#1763352371
sudo dnf list --installed | grep broken
#1763352374
sudo dnf list --installed
#1763352397
sudo dnf list --installed | head 20
#1763352402
sudo dnf list --installed | head -n 20
#1763352505
sudo rpm --verify --all
#1763352672
sudo dnf --refresh --allowerasing distro-sync
#1763352686
sudo dnf --refresh distro-sync
#1763352792
sudo dracut
#1763352843
sudo dnf clean all && dnf clean all && dnf repolist
#1763352876
sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing
#1763352892
sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing --skip-broken
#1763352970
sudo dnf install kernel
#1763353080
sudo dracut --force --kver 6.17.7-1.x86_64
#1763353136
ls /lib/modules
#1763353208
sudo dracut --force --kver 6.17.7-desktop-1omv2590
#1763353237
sudo update-grub
#1763353261
sudo reboot
#1763353488
sudo dnf reinstall $(rpm -qa)
#1763353646
sudo dnf clean all
#1763353657
dnf clean all
#1763353661
sudo dnf clean all
#1763353705
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing 2>&1 | tee dsync2-log.txt
#1763353803
dnf history list --reverse
#1763353833
sudo dnf history list --reverse
#1763353896
sudo dnf history undo 1
#1763353925
sudo dnf history undo 1 --skip-unavailable
#1763354004
startx
#1763354038
xwayland
#1763354250
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf --refresh --allowerasing distro-sync
#1763354325
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing
#1763354357
dnf --help
#1763354438
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing --best
#1763354866
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh $(rpm -qa --qf "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763355120
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh $(rpm -qa --qf --skip-unavailable --skip-conflicting "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763355131
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh $(rpm -qa --qf --skip-unavailable --skip-broken "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763355158
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh --skip-unavailable --skip-conflicting $(rpm -qa --qf "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763355166
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh --skip-unavailable --skip-broken $(rpm -qa --qf "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763356309
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing --best
#1763356339
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --best
#1763356378
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --skip-broken
#1763356436
sudo dnf uninstall lib64yui-qt-4.6.2-8.x86_64
#1763356447
sudo dnf remove lib64yui-qt-4.6.2-8.x86_64
#1763356526
sudo dnf remove lib64yui-mga-qt-1.2.0-3.x86_64
#1763356561
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --best
#1763356573
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --skip-broken
#1763356595
sudo dnf remove systemd
#1763356604
sudo dnf remove systemd --force
#1763356609
sudo dnf remove systemd --help
#1763356624
man dnf
#1763356628
dnf --help
#1763356635
dnf --help | more
#1763356734
sudo dnf reinstall systemd
#1763356773
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing --best
#1763356817
sudo dnf clean all
#1763356826
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing
#1763356848
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing --best
#1763356857
sudo reboot
#1763356958
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing --best
#1763356994
sudo dracut --force --kver 6.17.7-desktop-1omv2590
#1763357040
sudo dnf reinstall kernel
#1763357130
sudo reboot
#1763357453
sudo dnf clean all ; dnf clean all ; dnf repolist
#1763357483
sudo dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing
#1763357495
startx
#1763357605
sudo dnf dsync --allowerasing --refresh
#1763357673
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh $(rpm -qa --qf "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763357718
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh $(rpm -qa)
#1763357738
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh $(rpm -qa -qf "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763357745
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh $(rpm -qa --qf "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763357802
sudo dnf clean all
#1763357807
sudo dnf autoremove
#1763357838
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh $(rpm -qa --qf "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763357853
sudo dnf autoremove
#1763357889
sudo dnf install gpg-pubkey
#1763357899
sudo dnf remove gpg-pubkey
#1763357915
sudo dnf remove plasma6-ark
#1763357932
sudo dnf reinstall --refresh $(rpm -qa --qf "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763358091
sudo dnf reinstall --skip-unavailable --refresh $(rpm -qa --qf "%{NAME}\\n" | sort -u)
#1763358973
sudo reboot
#1763359088
sudo dnf reinstall sddm
#1763359129
sudo dnf install sddm
#1763359146
startx
#1763359230
sudo dnf history userinstall
#1763359282
sudo dnf autoremove
#1763359330
start xlibre
#1763359335
kstart
#1763359475
rstart
#1763359504
startx --help
#1763359524
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log
#1763359567
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | more
#1763360034
sudo rpm -Va | grep '^..5'
#1763360123
cat /etc/sddm.conf
#1763360132
sudo reboot
#1763360195
sudo rpm -Va | grep '^..5' > modified_config.txt
#1763360422
cat modified_config.txt
#1763360479
sudo mv /etc/sddm.conf /etc/sddm.conf.backup
#1763360539
sudo dnf reinstall sddm
#1763360551
cat /etc/sddm.conf
#1763360566
sudo rpm -Va | grep '^..5'
#1763360620
cat /etc/plymouth/plymouthd.conf
#1763360636
sudo reboot
#1763360692
cat modified_config.txt
#1763360715
sudo mv /etc/plymouthd.conf /etc/plymouthd.conf.backup
#1763360740
sudo mv /etc/plymouth/plymouthd.conf /etc/plymouth/plymouthd.conf.backup
#1763360753
sudo dnf reinstall plymouth
#1763360771
cat /etc/plymouth/plymouthd.conf
#1763360785
cat /etc/plymouth/plymouthd.conf.backup
#1763360852
cat modified_config.txt
#1763360924
sudo reboot

S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-2omv2590/modules.alias
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-2omv2590/modules.alias.bin
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-2omv2590/modules.dep
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-2omv2590/modules.dep.bin
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-2omv2590/modules.symbols
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-2omv2590/modules.symbols.bin
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-3omv2590/modules.alias
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-3omv2590/modules.alias.bin
..5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-3omv2590/modules.builtin.alias.bin
..5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-3omv2590/modules.builtin.bin
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-3omv2590/modules.dep
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-3omv2590/modules.dep.bin
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-3omv2590/modules.symbols
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.14.2-desktop-3omv2590/modules.symbols.bin
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/100dpi/fonts.dir
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/100dpi/fonts.scale
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/75dpi/fonts.dir
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/75dpi/fonts.scale
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/OTF/fonts.dir
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/OTF/fonts.scale
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/Speedo/fonts.dir
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/Speedo/fonts.scale
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/TTF/fonts.dir
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/TTF/fonts.scale
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/Type1/fonts.dir
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/Type1/fonts.scale
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/cyrillic/fonts.dir
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/cyrillic/fonts.scale
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/misc/fonts.dir
S.5....T.    /usr/share/fonts/misc/fonts.scale
S.5....T.  c /etc/xml/catalog
S.5....T.  c /usr/share/sgml/docbook/xmlcatalog
S.5....T.  c /boot/grub2/grub.cfg
S.5....T.  c /etc/default/grub
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.17.7-desktop-1omv2590/modules.alias
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.17.7-desktop-1omv2590/modules.alias.bin
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.17.7-desktop-1omv2590/modules.dep
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.17.7-desktop-1omv2590/modules.dep.bin
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.17.7-desktop-1omv2590/modules.symbols
S.5....T.    /lib/modules/6.17.7-desktop-1omv2590/modules.symbols.bin
S.5......  d /usr/share/man/man5/passwd.5.zst
S.5....T.  c /etc/plymouth/plymouthd.conf
..5....T.  c /etc/yum.repos.d/openmandriva-rolling-x86_64.repo
S.5....T.  c /etc/sddm.conf

Requirements:

I have Searched the forum for my issue and found nothing related or helpful
I have checked the Resources category (Resources Index)
I have reviewed the Wiki for relevant information
I have read the the Release Notes and Errata

OpenMandriva Lx version:

ROME

Desktop environment (KDE, LXQT…):

KDE

Description of the issue (screenshots if relevant):

update borked display manager

Relevant informations (hardware involved, software version, logs or output…):

logs attached

2

Try:

sudo systemctl enable sddm
sudo systemctl start sddm
3

Info for other users: Users should be able to avoid this:

Upgrading ROME(rolling) after Nov. 9, 2025 upgrade

4

That worked like a charm, posting this from OpenMandriva. Thanks so very much.
Separately, I’m curious why sddm got disabled, but who knows.

If anyone wants any logs or whatever that may be present for troubleshooting or morbid curiosity feel free to ask.

For the record, the system was updated using the System > System Update applet I had pinned to the taskbar, here it is (I believe this matches the prescribed update method, hence my pinning it):

[joshua@openmandriva-KP9USMC ~]$ cat /usr/share/om-welcome/apps/updatesys.run
#!/bin/sh
konsole -e pkexec sh -c "dnf clean all ; dnf repolist ; dnf distro-sync --refresh --allowerasing ; echo 'Press
enter to close konsole'; read"

EDIT: Hang on, @ben79 are there still things I should apply from the workaround to complete this update so it doesn’t break again the next time I update it? How would I check? I can probably figure it out on my own eventually but I really don’t like being stuck in the terminal.