[SOLVED] panels not responding ubuntu 8.10

[timjohn7]

All I did was run update manager which installed the new kernel. I'm years away from compiling anything from source!
I'll try deleting /build &get back to you.
How would I reinstall the kernel if I need to?
BTW, where is your chair in the world?

[timjohn7]

Ok... there is no /build directory (or its hidden deeper than normal!)
Where to now? Is there a better way to search in Terminal than find -L?

[mssever]

How would I reinstall the kernel if I need to?

In Synaptic, search for packages with names that contain linux. You should find the kernel packages there. There are several of them. The name includes the version number, so I can't just tell you the name.

BTW, where is your chair in the world?

Currently in Texas, USA, but soon to be in Korea.

Ok... there is no /build directory (or its hidden deeper than normal!)
Where to now? Is there a better way to search in Terminal than find -L?

Have you tried ls / ? If there's no /build, then something thinks that /build exists when it really doesn't. In that case, reinstalling GTK might help. To do that, open up synaptic and search for packages whose names begin with libgtk. Reinstall all such packages that are currently installed. (You don't need to worry about packages that currently aren't installed, but do make sure that ubuntu-desktop is installed--assuming you're running Ubuntu, not Xubuntu or something.)

By the way. I don't think a kernel update can cause the problems you're experiencing. I know you don't think you did anything else, but there must have been something--though I don't have the foggiest idea what it might be, and you probably don't have enough experience yet with Linux to have any ideas.

[timjohn7]

The problem seems to be deteriorating... I'm now getting kernel panic messages on trying to reboot and segmentation fault messages when I try to boot in recovery mode or trying sudo apt-get dist-upgrade.
I decided to reinstall but get segmentation faults when trying to install from LiveCd.
I am/was running Ubuntu but with XFCE desktop after I got the problem (that was the only way I could do anything until I read this post).
I agree that something other than the kernel update caused the problem, but you are quite right, I have no idea what it was or could have been.
I wondered where you were due to the timezone difference and what must have been some weird hour for you yesterday?
I'm ex-Navy, so if you're going to Korea because of a military connection, good luck & enjoy it!
I'm replying from my laptop as I try to fix my desktop machine, so I'll get back to you once there is some life there.

[mssever]

The problem seems to be deteriorating... I'm now getting kernel panic messages on trying to reboot and segmentation fault messages when I try to boot in recovery mode or trying sudo apt-get dist-upgrade.
I decided to reinstall but get segmentation faults when trying to install from LiveCd.

Ugh. That doesn't sound good. If you're getting segfaults both in recovery mode and in the LiveCD, that sounds like some hardware's kicked the bucket. My first thought would be your RAM. Try running memtest86 (available from the GRUB prompt and also the live CD) for a while--maybe a day) and see if it finds any problems with your RAM.

I'm ex-Navy, so if you're going to Korea because of a military connection, good luck & enjoy it!

Actually, I'm going to teach English. I always enjoy visiting other parts of the world. I've been to Zimbabwe several years ago, but never made it to South Africa.

[timjohn7]

I'm getting some progress with LiveCD... it's found an error but continued and is now running live. Can you suggest some checks I can run from LiveCD on my HDD?

Things are going well here in South Africa, and the exchange rate is really good for you at the moment, so either on the way to Korea or on the way back, why not stop over for a great holiday?

[mssever]

I'm getting some progress with LiveCD... it's found an error but continued and is now running live. Can you suggest some checks I can run from LiveCD on my HDD?

Not really. You can try reinstalling and see if that helps. Otherwise, the RAM check can't be run from within Linux, and I don't know too much about hardware.

Things are going well here in South Africa, and the exchange rate is really good for you at the moment, so either on the way to Korea or on the way back, why not stop over for a great holiday?

~:$ rand
KPh657v1
~:$ rand
lajjFkUN
~:$ rand
b4WTUn5C
~:$ rand
uUxkDMM9
~:$

I haven't gotten any rand so far to pay for the trip; just letters, no numbers. Perhaps there's a better way...

[hamena314]

I had a similar problem but solved it otherwise. Maybe this helps another person?
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=986321

HAVE PHUN!