Found and solved the issue.
/var/log/upstart/gdm.log.1.gz contained the log entries:
/proc/self/fd/9: 31: /etc/profile: [[: not found
/etc/profile ended with the invalid line:
[[ -f "/etc/autopackage/paths-bash" ]] && . "/etc/autopackage/paths-
bash"
I.e. it was caused by installing autopackage.
** Changed in: gdm (Ubuntu)
Status: New => Invalid
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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1169640
Title:
GDM fails to start after system crash
Status in “gdm” package in Ubuntu:
Invalid
Bug description:
My system hangs every once in a while when exiting the game HoN.
Usually it was fine just to reset the system, now GDM fails to start
and I can't seem to fix it. We narrowed it down to what appears to be
an upstart issue after some tracking with the help of a gnome dev.
I can start gdm manually as root, but during boot it only gives me
"[failed]". This happens even before gdm is actually started so there
are no gdm logs created. I've altered /etc/init/gdm.conf by including
echo's but it never even gets to the script part on line 24. I.e. the
part in which gdm actually gets started.
I've installed lightdm to get a running system again and that does
work. I do, however, prefer to get gdm back, without a drastic
complete system reinstall measure.
Please see the original upstream bug report for more details and
things I've tried so far.
Why is upstart failing to launch gdm while it does manage to launch
lightdm? What could be the cause of the problem and how do I fix it?
OS: Ubuntu 12.10 GNOME remix (x64), with all gnome3 ppa packages updated.
Upstream bug report: https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=696551
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