How can I get kubuntu-desktop to come up?

I just upgraded my Kubuntu server to Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS. Now it only gives me the console login on boot - no desktop. It previously booted into kubuntu-desktop. I tried

sudo apt-get purge kubuntu-desktop
sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

(this worked before) but now it still boots to console login only. What do I need to do to get it to boot into kubuntu-desktop?

I can get a root kubuntu-desktop with

sudo startx

but I want a normal, safe, ordinary user desktop.

With many thanks,

Adam

Solution 1:

To disable the command line interface as default login mode, we need to modify the /etc/default/grub file. TO do so, do the following:

• Login to your session from the command line (introduce your username, Enter, then the password, Enter again)

• Open the above file using your default text editor. It could be gedit, or nano. Do so like this:

  sudo gedit /etc/default/grub
  

• If you don't know your text editor, try installing any of the above and repeat, as usual:

  sudo apt-get install gedit
  sudo gedit /etc/default/grub
  

• Once you are in, look for this line:

  GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash text"

You have to delete the text bit, so it looks like this:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

• Then, save that file (look for he short-cuts at the bottom of the editor).

• Finally, update the grub:

Then update Grub:

sudo update-grub

Now, restart. There you have the GUI back!

Solution 2:

luchonacho's solution above nearly works - it boots the X server with the Kubuntu splash, but never brings on the login screen. So I restored the text login, and found that if I correct the ownership of the files in my $HOME/.configure I can bring up my regular, non-root Kubuntu desktop with startx. Not a clean solution, but it works.