# Unable to reconfigure my system anymore: Gdm hangs

**URL:** <https://forum.systemcrafters.net/t/unable-to-reconfigure-my-system-anymore-gdm-hangs/2105>\
**Category:** Guix\
**Created:** [August 31, 2026, 10:16am UTC](https://forum.systemcrafters.net/t/unable-to-reconfigure-my-system-anymore-gdm-hangs/2105 "2026-08-31T10:16:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Folaht](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.systemcrafters.net/folaht/32/1145_2.png) [@Folaht](https://forum.systemcrafters.net/u/Folaht)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 10:16am UTC](https://forum.systemcrafters.net/t/unable-to-reconfigure-my-system-anymore-gdm-hangs/2105/1 "2026-08-31T10:16:53Z")

</div>

When I try to I try to reconfigure my system config file after reboot, Gdm hangs.  
Where should I look?

_/etc/config.scm_

```scheme
(use-modules (gnu)
             (gnu system accounts)
             (guix download)
             (guix packages))
(use-package-modules xorg)
(use-service-modules containers
                     cups
                     desktop
                     networking
                     ssh
                     virtualization
                     xorg)

(operating-system
  (locale "fr_BE.utf8")
  (timezone "Europe/Amsterdam")
  (keyboard-layout (keyboard-layout "us" "dvorak"))
  (host-name "xxx")

  (users (cons* (user-account
                  (name "folaht")
                  (comment "Folaht")
                  (group "users")
                  (home-directory "/home/folaht")
                  (supplementary-groups '("wheel" "netdev" "audio" "video"
                                          "libvirt"))) %base-user-accounts))

  (packages (append (specifications->packages '("alsa-utils" 
                                                "bat"
                                                "dbus"
                                                "fish"
                                                "git"
                                                "gst-plugins-good"
                                                "kitty"
                                                "lua"
                                                "lua-language-server"
                                                "make"
                                                "node"
                                                "neovim"
                                                "python-lsp-server"
                                                "ripgrep"
                                                "rust"
                                                "tree-sitter"
                                                "unzip"
                                                "virt-manager"
                                                "xclip")) %base-packages))

  (services
   (append (list
            (service cups-service-type)
            (service libvirt-service-type
                     (libvirt-configuration (tls-port "16514")
                                            (unix-sock-group "libvirt")
                                            (unix-sock-rw-perms "0770")))
            (service openssh-service-type)
            (service rootless-podman-service-type
                     (rootless-podman-configuration (subgids (list (subid-range
                                                                    (name
                                                                     "folaht"))))
                                                    (subuids (list (subid-range
                                                                    (name
                                                                     "folaht"))))))
            (service virtlog-service-type
                     (virtlog-configuration (max-clients 1000)))
            (service xfce-desktop-service-type)
            (set-xorg-configuration
             (xorg-configuration
               (keyboard-layout keyboard-layout))))
           %desktop-services))

  (bootloader (bootloader-configuration
                (bootloader grub-efi-bootloader)
                (targets (list "/boot/efi"))
                (keyboard-layout keyboard-layout)))
  (mapped-devices (list (mapped-device
                          (source (uuid "XXX"))
                          (target "cryptroot")
                          (type luks-device-mapping))))

  (file-systems (cons* (file-system
                         (mount-point "/")
                         (device "/dev/mapper/cryptroot")
                         (type "btrfs")
                         (dependencies mapped-devices))
                       (file-system
                         (mount-point "/boot/efi")
                         (device (uuid "XXX"
                                       'fat32))
                         (type "vfat")) %base-file-systems)))

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Folaht](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.systemcrafters.net/folaht/32/1145_2.png) [@Folaht](https://forum.systemcrafters.net/u/Folaht)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.systemcrafters.net/t/unable-to-reconfigure-my-system-anymore-gdm-hangs/2105/2 "2026-08-31T16:07:10Z")

</div>

This seems to be an issue with gdm.

> **[gdm seems to require gnome-desktop-service-type](https://codeberg.org/guix/guix/issues/10929)**
>
> My config used to have no \`(service gnome-desktop-service-type)\` in it, and then \`gdm\` failed to start.
> 
> From \`/var/log/gdm/greeter.log\`:
> \`\`\`
> Uncaught exception in task:
> In fibers.scm:
> 179:8 6 (\_)
> In shepherd/service.scm:
> 985:28 5 (\_)
> In...