Can't log in (with correct password) in Virtual Machine

Before I get in to it - the username should give you an idea. I'm absolutely clueless ... so in short I'll need my hand holding through any steps because I'm certainly not fluent with anything Linux based. Anyway on to it....

I run ZorinOS in a Virtual Machine (VMware Workstation 16 Player). I'm not 100% on which version ZorinOS but I think lite. It's been that long since I installed it & when I used it I just went on & used it tbh.

Anyway Zorin has worked for me just fine. I came to log on this afternoon & it wont allow me to. It's not that I'm entering an incorrect password or I'm hitting lower instead of upper case. I'm entering the password correctly I can assure you. Once I do this the screen goes black like it's about to bring up the desktop but then it just sends me back to the log in page.
If I enter an incorrect password then it tells me so.

It worked last night & also this morning just fine ... but not this afternoon.

I should point out that no I haven't installed an update during this morning that may have brought on some change.

I've tried Google but I keep finding this question being asked .... by people who've forgotten their password. I haven't forgotten my password, I know it, it's just not working.

I smashed a load of keys which brought up a different menu talking about recoveries & various options (see ... told you I don't have a clue) but anyway right now I'm at the position where I can't get in & would really appreciate help in logging in again.

Can you access GRUB when you boot and use the 'recovery' option?
I would do that and make sure networking is enabled, and then drop to a root prompt in Terminal and enter:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get full-upgrade

See if it installs any packages. If it does, fine. But once complete, don't select continue from the Menu option but reboot your VM. To be clear with you, I rarely use Windows these days and only used VMWare Player many years ago. I prefer running VM's using Virtual Machine Manager in GNU/Linux where possible.

Hi. Thanks for the reply.
I've accessed a menu which I assume is GRUB? Basically 2 generic options and 2 generic (recovery mode) options. I assume I'm needing recovery mode which brings me to the question...

5.15.0-86-generic (recovery mode)
or
5.15.0.78-generic (recovery mode)

?

The first one as that is the newest kernel. I am wondering if this is a kernel issue. Try booting normally in earlier kernel.

Just to update - I tried booting normally in earlier kernel & got the same result.

I tried running the command you mentioned but I'm out of space. I need to free up more space which will take a bit of time as I either need to buy a total new hard drive or go through various folders & files to see what needs to stay/go.

Edit to add - Hmm, I just increased the hard drive from 50 to 70GB. I ran the above command you gave me & the end result was

" need to get 368mb of archives.
After this operation, 654MB of additional disk space will be used.
E: You don't have enough free space in /var/cache/apt/archives/"

OK open Files | Computer, search for var folder, then subfolder cache, then subfolder apt, then in turn, subfolder archives. You won't be able to delete anything there, but you can view what is present there. Make a note of anything that is App related not system related. You will need to open a Terminal then:

cd ..
cd ..
cd var
cd cache
cd apt
sudo chown [your username] archives

Once you are in archives:

dir

This should list all the contents in archives then:

sudo apt-get remove [name of file/directory]

Once you have managed to delete some files and directories:

cd ..
sudo chown root archives

Hey, thanks for the reply as it's been a little bit since I posted the thread. Can I just clarify when you say...

"OK open Files | Computer, search for var folder, then subfolder cache, then subfolder apt, then in turn, subfolder archives."

You mention open files | computer but as mentioned at the start - I can't even access the desktop. I can't log in so I can't open anything.

Or is that what those commands do?

Sorry for the dim question here but like I say, I don't really know anything about this so I know I'm going to end up asking a few dim questions.

My bad. Boot with media you used to install Zorin and use the File browser to access the folders I told you.

If you are using multiple languages, perhaps you've changed the keyboard layout without noticing? You can enable a in-screen keyboard from the accessibility icon on the top-right corner, and use the cog icon to change between languages from there.
Using the the keyboard in this way may also help spotting any typos... I know, you already said you double checked, but the simplest solution tends to be the correct one.


EDIT: Maybe this issue is related to:

Hmm, says it doesn't recognise me as a user. I entered [Name] as you said but then I wondered if I should delete the so I tried that also but got the same result.

You said boot with the media I used to install Zorin. I downloaded the .iso & installed to my Virtual Machine ages ago and then deleted the .iso. Not sure how it can be done.

I thank you for your help but I feel that the limitations of my knowledge here are going to have me losing a ton of files.

I tried reinstalling Zorin but it said there wasn't enough free space. I knew I'd ran the hard drive to the wire but didn't realise how close to the wire. If I could just delete some files then I could free up space ... but obviously can't access it in order to delete anything.

This may be a stupid question - but could I just install Zorin to a new VM, find whatever files is stored on the host that contains my files & then somehow access my files that way?
I'm guessing as that's not been suggested then it isn't an option but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Or is it possible to create another user, perhaps with admin rights & gain access that way?

Hi, hoping this might help.

https://www.howtogeek.com/313102/how-to-shrink-a-vmware-virtual-machine-and-free-up-disk-space/

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