Desktop Icons Missing, No Right-Click, etc

[Norri]

Hi

For some weird reason, my Ubuntu 8.04 installation no longer has a desktop. My desktop image is there but my shortcuts and files aren't. I also can't right-click the desktop any more.

How can I fix this? I've already tried changing nautilus settings in gconf-editor to no avail. It's as if some process in a normal Gnome session isn't starting up.

[mrbowlingalley]

I just went through this about 20 minutes ago. This was after uninstalling Evolution. The fix is in the forums. Basically I did this. CTRL-ALT-Backspace.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

It started the download of lots of things, including Evolution - or parts of it. Booted again. Everything was how I had it before.

Hope this helps. My first post!

[mcduck]

Hi

For some weird reason, my Ubuntu 8.04 installation no longer has a desktop. My desktop image is there but my shortcuts and files aren't. I also can't right-click the desktop any more.

How can I fix this? I've already tried changing nautilus settings in gconf-editor to no avail. It's as if some process in a normal Gnome session isn't starting up.

HAve you tried actually starting Nautilus? (As that sounds like for some reason or other Nautilus wasn't started).

Just open a terminal and run "nautilus &".

[Norri]

That did it! Thanks mcduck

Now I just need to fix my session issues. Looks like the Gnome sessions are being loaded from an old file instead of loading what I want them to load.

Anyways, again, huge kudos to you for finding the answer Can't believe I never tried that!

[vijaym]

thanks this helped me also.
i messed up my setting fiddling with compiz

[F W Adams]

I seem to have exactly the same symtoms as above:

no right-click on desktop
no icons or short cuts on desktop

Desktop folder looks fine
mouse works fine in other areas

Tried all of the above with no improvement, "nautilus &" when run in terminal displayed "[1] 8200" at terminal and ran fine.

Any help?

[v1nsai]

This has been happening to me intermittently, sometimes after program crashes and sometimes for no reason. I ran 'nautilus &' but that only fixed the problem until I closed the terminal.

I hit alt+f2 and ran it from that window and it all came back, but I think my video is off, the theme on my windows is the same but the buttons look funny, kind of reminds me of windows 98 actually, the font is different and the shape is more rigid. Video seems to be pretty choppy when before it was smooth.

I'm gonna look further into this I'll post if I find anything.

[RoboRutt]

AAaaarrrggh.

I am getting the same (or very similar) problem too. Using Intrepid, dual screen with Nvidia drivers etc.. Been working a treat for months, then this morning I boot & get no desktop icons. All other panels & programs are fine.

All variations of running nautilus just start a file browser/nautilus window, with no recovery of icons.

VERY frustrating. Been using Ubuntu for a couple of years now, but finding this version (Intrepid) very flakey.

Just adding my voice to the issue - Will post if find an answer.

[RoboRutt]

OK - I feel like a goose, but at least it's working!

I decided to start with reinstalling nautilus & tried mrbowlingalley's suggestion:

I just went through this about 20 minutes ago. This was after uninstalling Evolution. The fix is in the forums. Basically I did this. CTRL-ALT-Backspace.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

..... and as soon as I restarted X (CTRL-ALT-BKSPACE) everything was back to normal. Presto I have no idea why - I had tried reboots, but a hard restart of X was all that was needed in my case.

None the wiser as to why - but gotta get on with work now

[Darkpegasus333]

I had the same problem. Running 'nautilus &' worked until i closed the nautilus window that popped up or the terminal. Running nautilus using alt+f2 worked. Running nautilus using 'nohup nautilus' in a terminal also worked.