No launch bar after installation

[UGoldwin]

This is my second Ubuntu installation so I am not a pro.
I downloaded and installed latest Ubuntu Desktopn version (10.04.1 I think). Installation went fine without any problems until rebooting after completion. During shutdown the installation CD was ejected and some error occured.
I had to do a hard shut down in order to restart.
Start and login no problem.

The problem I have is that there is no Program/status bar visible (where Application, Places and System menues are). I tried to move the mouse around in order to see if menues are outside of screen but it's not. The only thing I can do is:
- right-click to bring up "Create folder, launcher etc" menu
- press F1 to bring up Help screen
- press power button (on pc) to bring up shut down dialog
I search for some answers here and the only one I found wass SHIFT+F2 to bring som launch bar but that didn't work.

Is there something wrong with the installation or am I missing some secret keycombinations to bring up program bar?

[mörgæs]

Welcome to the forum.

Before troubleshooting let's aim for getting an error-free installation. What happens if you install using the alternate ISO?

http://releases.ubuntu.com/

Remember to have wired internet access while installing.

[UGoldwin]

I found some error information. When starting I get following error messages:

error: no suitable model found
error: unknown command 'terminal'

After that Ubuntu is loaded and I logon and it continues according to my previous mesage.

I am currently downloading alternate installation, but perhaps the above information could save me another installation?

[UGoldwin]

Downloaded and installed Ubuntu Alternate 10.04.1.

Installation went fine - no error before, during or after completion.

The only thing I excluded was network connection. At present I don't have network connected to the place of the pc, but soon I will.

When booting I receive the same error message as before (see above post):
"error: no suitable model found." Mode or Model I am not sure.
"error: unknown command 'terminal'"

After that login screen appears and I can logon to the system.
Same empty desktop - no menues for Application, System or Places.

As before I can right-click in order to open menu for create folder etc.
Presssing powerbutton opens the shutdown screen.

The PC I am trying to install on is the exact brand and model as another PC on which I installad Ubuntu 8.x some years ago. It's a Fujitsu Siemens Pentium 3 something with 512 MB memory and 20 GB disk.

Advice to proceed please?

[mörgæs]

It is hard to give advice, when the machine has not been on the net. There are hundreds of bugfixes waiting for you, and before they are installed, we don't know how 10.04 fits your hardware.