Frequently asked questions

You can find the FAQ on this page

broken .xsession

A broken or defective ~/.xsession-file can make the direct login impossible: directly after the login the startscreen shows up again. On the first look it might seem like the account has been blocked.

If there is a risk that this problem is present, there are two ways of solving it:

  • Login on the pool-computers in the failsafe-mode: enter your username, click enter, enter password, click F1 instead of enter. This way you get access to the shell.
  • An alternative way is logging in via SSH, e.g. using the account of a friend.

If one of the ways works, you can be sure that the account is not blocked. The (possibly) defective ~/.xsession-file can be fixed using one of these three ways:

  • by editing the incorrect content – however, this requires some prior knowledge, which would lead too far here;
  • by shifting the file using mv ~/.xsession ~/.xsession.bak;
  • by deleting the file using rm ~/.xsession.

After that the login to the pool computers should work again. If it still does not work, one of the other cases described on this page probably applies.

Forgot your password

If you can not remember your ISP-password, but you still know your TU-ID password, you can order a password-reset on the selfsupport.

If the reset doesn't work for any reasons, you should contact the RBG/ISP or the Service Center. Because the RBG/ISP has no insight in the passwords, the user will get a new password.

There multiple reasons for the blocking of an account, e.g.:

  • The account is no longer valid - take a look in renewal,
  • the used password is too weak - take a look at password,
  • Violation of the user agreement - for example by operating port scans, introducing viruses, using private devices in places not intended for this purpose or without adequate security (virus scanner, firewall),
  • potential crimes like network abuse (e.g. “Downloading of movies / software”).

The exact reason for the blocking can be told to you by the RBG/ISP. The next steps after the blocking will be discussed in a personal conversation.

On the Quota

Every time you log in, the system checks if the quota is above 80%. If the system find this to be true, you will get a textual or graphical notification on the desktop. Normally if your account above the quota it helps to clean the home-directory. This can be done via SSH (e.g. on clientssh1.rbg.informatik.tu-darmstadt.de). To do so take a look on the separate helping page to clean up the account. If there are still unsolvable problems, you can contact the RBG/ISP.

Duration and extension of accounts

Accounts can't be extended automatically. On time before the expiration of the account, you will receive a mail. All accounts can be extended on this page for the next semester. If the account is already extended, the remaining duration time will be shown on this side.

Blocked accounts will be deleted after one year.

Printing quota and online printing

For all students of the department for computer science there is a free quota for printing of 50 pages. If you don't use the quota, it can be collected up to 100 pages. Online printing and the display of the remaining online quota is possible on the Printserver.



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