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ubuntu xterm termimal issue Error opening terminal:xterm . Unable to login into ezeelogin shell

Fixing the "Error opening terminal" Issue on Ubuntu


Overview: This article describes how to resolve the "Error opening terminal" issue on Ubuntu by recreating the terminfo symlink from /lib/terminfo to /usr/share/terminfo.


If you encounter the error "Error opening terminal" or similar terminal-related errors when trying to log in to ezsh(ezeelogin shell) on Ubuntu, it typically indicates a problem with terminal configurations. This issue can cause proper login and terminal access issues.

When attempting to access an ezeelogin shell, you may encounter errors like:

  • "Error opening terminal: linux"
  • "Error opening terminal: xterm"
  • "Error opening terminal: vt100"

These errors stem from mismatches or missing terminal definitions in the system’s terminfo database.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to resolve this problem:


Step 1: Remove the Existing terminfo Directory:

Open your terminal on the affected Ubuntu server and run the following command to remove the /usr/share/terminfo directory if it exists:

root@remote_server:~# rmdir /usr/share/terminfo

This command deletes the symlink to /lib/terminfo if it exists.

Step 2: Create a New Symlink:

Next, create a symlink from /lib/terminfo to /usr/share/terminfo.

root@remote_server:~# ln -s /lib/terminfo /usr/share/terminfo

This command ensures that /usr/share/terminfo points to the correct location where terminal information files (terminfo) are stored.

Step 3: Verify the Symlink:

To verify that the symlink has been created successfully, you can list the contents of /usr/share/terminfo.

root@remote_server:~# ls -l /usr/share/terminfo

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13 May 18 12:23 /usr/share/terminfo -> /lib/terminfo

This confirms that the symlink has been correctly set up.

Following these steps should resolve the "Error opening terminal" issue on your Ubuntu server, allowing you to log in successfully to the ezsh without encountering terminal-related errors. Ensure to verify the changes after applying them to confirm that the symlink is correctly set up and functioning as expected.


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