Software⏱️ 4 min read📅 2026-06-11

How to Fix: Ubuntu not booting - Error "sulogin: cannot open password database"

Ubuntu boot issue with sulogin error, unable to access password database.

Quick Answer: Try resetting the grub configuration by running "sudo grub-reinstall" in recovery mode.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 💡 Why You Are Getting This Error
  2. 🚀 How to Resolve This Issue
  3. 🎯 Final Words

Ubuntu 12.04 is experiencing an issue where it fails to boot, displaying a black screen with the error 'sulogin: cannot open password database'. This problem affects users who have set up their system to use a local login manager and are unable to access their desktop environment.

The frustration of this error lies in its inability to provide clear instructions for resolving the issue. However, by following the steps outlined below, you should be able to troubleshoot and fix the problem.

💡 Why You Are Getting This Error

  • The 'sulogin: cannot open password database' error is typically caused by a corrupted or incomplete password database. This can occur due to various reasons such as a failed system update, a power outage during boot, or an incorrect configuration of the local login manager.
  • Another possible cause could be an issue with the initramfs file, which is responsible for loading the necessary modules before the kernel boots. If this file becomes corrupted or incomplete, it can prevent the password database from being accessed.

🚀 How to Resolve This Issue

Boot into Recovery Mode and Repair the Password Database

  1. Step 1: Reboot your system and immediately press the Shift key to access the boot menu.
  2. Step 2: Select the 'Recovery mode' option and choose the 'root' or ' recovery' partition.
  3. Step 3: Once in the root console, run the command `sudo dpkg-reconfigure --reinstall lightdm` to reinstall the LightDM login manager.
  4. Step 4: Next, run the command `sudo dpkg-reconfigure --reinstall gdm3-fallback` to reinstall the GDM fallback login manager.
  5. Step 5: After reinstalling both login managers, run the command `sudo update-rc.d lightdm defaults` and `sudo update-rc.d gdm3-fallback defaults` to set up the default boot order for the login managers.
  6. Step 6: Finally, reboot your system to test if the password database is now accessible.

Boot into Recovery Mode and Rebuild the Initramfs File

  1. Step 1: Reboot your system and immediately press the Shift key to access the boot menu.
  2. Step 2: Select the 'Recovery mode' option and choose the 'root' or 'recovery' partition.
  3. Step 3: Once in the root console, run the command `sudo update-initramfs -u` to rebuild the initramfs file.
  4. Step 4: Next, run the command `sudo update-grub` to regenerate the GRUB boot loader configuration.
  5. Step 5: After rebuilding both the initramfs file and the GRUB configuration, reboot your system to test if the password database is now accessible.

🎯 Final Words

If you have followed the steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to troubleshoot and fix the 'sulogin: cannot open password database' error on Ubuntu 12.04. Remember to be patient and persistent when resolving system issues, as they can sometimes be complex and require multiple attempts to resolve.

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