cbemerine
February 21st, 2011, 12:09 AM
tried the "compiz --replace" and got similar error messages as "ACupOfCoffee" did, but it did not work for me. I was copy/pasting the messages in this forum to let others know when my system locked up. My only recovery was pulling the power plug...not something I like to do if there is any other option...there was not.
For the "compiz --replace" I got two error messages like this one, (had my system not locked up, they would have been copied here, not sure what was in parends, but do not think it was cube or video....
compiz (???) - Warn: Failed to load slide: /usr/share/gdm/themes/Human/ubuntu.png
compiz (???) - Warn: Failed to load slide: /usr/share/gdm/themes/Human/ubuntu.png
While I noted the "Or" in the file, but I went on and entered
metacity --replace
nothing happened.
exit
exit
exit
I attempted to "Exit" by enter exit... when the first one did not take, I entered exit two more times. Whether the metacity --replace or the three "exit" commands in the terminal window caused the system to lockup I do not know.
A <Ctrl><Alt><Delete> would not let me shutdown the system, in fact the keyboard was locked.
Next time I might try the "metacity --replace" first. Another logical choice is to find the exact commands to restart Compiz, or stop Compiz and than restart it. Perhaps there is a compiz restart command.
Last year I used the CompizConfig Settings Manager to restore the buttons and enable the moving of windows on Gnome in the past. To get to the CompizConfig Settings Manager I did the following two steps:
Application/System Tools/Compiz Fusion Icon
Right mouse clicked the Compiz Fusion Icon and selected "Settings Manager"
. . . sadly I do not remember which config setting specifically fixed it...but just knowing that it provides a potential solution will help someone.
There are other ways to load the CompizConfig Settings Manager, however I know first hand when you are new to a Linux distro, i.e. Ubuntu in this case, it helps to have the sequence of action bar menu items to get to where you need to do something and not 'assume' that the reader knows how to get there...thus I have provided them.
I do NOT remember which setting allowed me to restore the buttons and again move / resize windows, just that it worked for me in the past. If you see a solution that suggests this, hopefully they will tell you exactly which settings to select and what to set them too, and you should expect it to work.
As I stated earlier, shutting down and restarting the PC will often resolve this problem, but its a pain to have to do that, I feel you should not have to reboot and will continue to search for a command line solution to this problem.
I don't care if I have to edit config files in the process or not. I simply like to know how to fix my system via the command line first and GUI second. As the GUI might fail, but you can always get access to a command line. Yea I am old school.
When I find a command line solution I will post the version of Ubuntu and Compiz that I am using and provide the answer. Until someone provides specific, explicit steps to resolving the problem this thread probably should remain open.
Of course I will have to wait for the problem to randomly happen again in the future.