Home / ubuntu / Questions / 557833
In Process
user215199
Asked: 2014-12-08 14:35:39 +0800 CST

How to unlock locked session?

  • 772

I'm using xubuntu 14.04 on AMD based hardware. It is configured not to lock a session and not to power down automatically on longer idle times.

There have been no recent changes or new software installations other than notified security updates.

I also have the kde desktop installed. The display manager is LightDM, AFAIK.

The system has been behaving nicely for some months, until a couple of days ago. Now, after about ten minutes idle the session is locked automatically. The screen presents a dialog with the caption "This session is locked".

Attempting to "unlock" with the session's username and password results with the message

"You'll be redirected to the unlock dialog in a few seconds" and the cycle starts over. Unable to log in, the only option seems to be to reboot. (I won't mention the work I have just lost":-( )

Does anyone have any idea what's going on here, bearing in mind that AFAIK the power managers are configured NOT to lock sessions and not to power down on idle?

Thanks

lock

6 Answers

  1. I do not have the answer to your bug, actually I experience the same thing, but I found here a way to recover the situation without reboot the machine/lightdm.

    In your tty1 (Ctrl+Alt+F1), as root, type loginctl unlock-session [id], where [id] is the session id you get by typing loginctl list-sessions.

    If it doesn't work with the first ID, try with the other session IDs of your user account.

    • 64

  2. I am not able to add comment. here are some words on Ubuntu. I boot Ubuntu 16.04.1 without login, then I close the lid for going out, and when I am back, reopen the notebook, not able to unlock (light display manager is shown on up-right corner, only password to enter, no user name)

    Ctrl+Alt+F1 brings tty1, login my account, then

    sudo -i loginctl list-sessions
sudo -i loginctl unlock-session id

    As in https://askubuntu.com/a/611611/485005, "If it doesn't work with the first ID, try with the other session IDs"

    • 14

  3. I think you can simply disable and change the default screensaver locker anyway. Firstly disable light-locker at [LightDM/Xfce] Power Management Preferences followed by:

    $ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install xscreensaver && sudo apt-get remove light-locker

    then after reboot (restart X) I got the xscreensaver as default screen locker manager.

    • 4

  4. This worked for me:

    sudo service lightdm restart
    • 4

  5. I had similar issues getting stuck on "You'll be redirected to the unlock dialog in a few seconds" screen in xubuntu 16.04.4 after booting up from a suspended session.

    The solve for me is to press Ctrl+Alt+F7

    I sometimes have to repeat the above command, but eventually it will allow me to login normally.

    • 2

  6. Ctrl + Alt + Backspace (pressed twice) will reset the X and kill/close everything you have open on current Desktop session.

    On a new log in, please check you screen saver settings and disable lock screen.

    • 2