New Installation - Where's the Desktop?

[thomas_hanser]

Installation of Ubuntu 8.10 went perfect, on a Dell Dimension 2300, using the onboard video. No other video card is installed at this time.

I can log in just fine, but I only see a light brown desktop color, a working mouse cursor, and nothing else. The monitor is a 22" LCD, with a native resolution of 1680x1050.

I suspect the default screen resolution is way too small for this monitor, pushing the icons and start menu way off the screen...?

I didn't bother with a better graphics card for these semi-retired Dell P4 machine - I'm only experimenting with LINUX (again) and it will probably be a home server box.

Can anyone suggest what to do to resize the display, if this is the problem?

A key command to bring up the display resolution window?

Thanks! Ironically, the installation went perfect - I could see everything just fine with onboard video graphics adapter.

[Therion]

Jus so we're clear: The default desktop, if using Intrepid Ibex, should look like this:

http://tombott.com/images/Desktop_View/001.jpg

That's not what you're seeing?

[thomas_hanser]

I don't see this at all, no.

I saw this wallpaper during the installation, but after logging in I can only see a light brown desktop color, but NO icons, menu bar, or anything else.

The mouse cursor works, and it stops at the edges of the monitor.

So...?

I was suspecting the video resolution was way off, but...

Thanks!

[pdoyle]

I have exactly the same problem...a solid tan desktop with nothing visible
but i never saw a solution for you
can anyone advise?
thanks :(

[roblubbers]

what happens if you press ' alt ctrl -'. All at the same time of course.

[trinitydbt]

I'm having the exact same problem.