10.04 Desktop Icons/Background Missing (No "Allow Xfce to manage the desktop")

[johnathanamber]

As the topic states, my Desktop Icons and Background are missing.

I cannot right click to get the alternate menu as well.

I did have issues with the titlebar and decorations missing but I've started 'xfwm4'... got those back though.

I've found several older posts about unchecking/checking the following in the Settings Manager:
"Allow Xfce to manage the desktop"

However in the I cannot find the above option in Desktop or any other item.

I see this in the ~/.xsession-errors:


/etc/gdm/Xsession: Beginning session setup...
Setting IM through im-switch for locale=en_US.
Start IM through /home/johnathan/.xinput.d/en_US linked to /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/ibus.
/usr/bin/startxfce4: X server already running on display :0
xrdb: "Xft.hinting" on line 13 overrides entry on line 6
xrdb: "Xft.hintstyle" on line 14 overrides entry on line 7
ssh-agent is already running; starting gpg-agent without ssh support

(xfwm4:2003): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: /build/buildd/glib2.0-2.26.1/gobject/gvalue.c:184: cannot initialize GValue with type `gint', the value has already been initialized as `gint'
xfce4-settings-helper: Another instance is already running. Leaving...

(polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:2060): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: cannot register existing type `_PolkitError'

(polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:2060): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_once_init_leave: assertion `initialization_value != 0' failed

(polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:2060): polkit-gnome-1-WARNING **: Failed to register client: The name org.gnome.SessionManager was not provided by any .service files
GNOME_KEYRING_CONTROL=/tmp/keyring-adExGd
GNOME_KEYRING_CONTROL=/tmp/keyring-adExGd
GNOME_KEYRING_CONTROL=/tmp/keyring-adExGd
SSH_AUTH_SOCK=/tmp/keyring-adExGd/ssh
** Message: applet now removed from the notification area
** Message: applet now embedded in the notification area
** (nm-applet:2075): DEBUG: old state indicates that this was not a disconnect 0
** (nm-applet:2075): DEBUG: old state indicates that this was not a disconnect 0
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/blueman/plugins/AppletPlugin.py", line 105, in _load
self.on_load(applet)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/blueman/plugins/applet/PulseAudio.py", line 115, in on_load
if int(version.split(".")[2]) < 15:
ValueError: invalid literal for int() with base 10: '21-63-gd3efa-dirty'
** (update-notifier:2062): DEBUG: aptdaemon on bus: 0


Any ideas would be greateful.

Thank you and God bless,
Johnathan

[johnathanamber]

I ended up reinstalling.

Thanks for anyone who was looking into this.

[XubuRoxMySox]

I'm sorry it took a re-install to fix it... in fact that may actually have been the only solution! That "let the file manager manage the desktop" is a feature of LXDE, not Xfce! I can't find any such dialogue in my Xubuntu settings, but I remember it from Lubuntu's settings.

Anyway, I'm glad you fixed it... and re-installing is not such a big deal after all if you have about 30 minutes and a good internet connection. For those of us on dialup or satellite internet (with its severe bandwidth restrictions) it's a good idea to make an iso of your working system (Google "Remastersys") if you're on dialup or satellite.

-Robin

[johnathanamber]

@Robin aka: dixiedancer,

Thank you for the reply.

I've been testing many Linux distros and their various desktops to get the quickest boot/performance for my laptop.

Thus far I've been able to get Xubuntu on an average of around 17 seconds to boot and the performance is great and responsive.

Thus far I've tested:
CentOS
Debian
DreamLinux
Fedora
Kubuntu
Mandriva
OpenSuse
Ubuntu
Xubuntu
and others.

So reinstalling Xubuntu was no big deal.

Also what I've been doing is making script files to setup the various repositories and install the applications I use so I do not have to keep track of them with each install... simply run the scripts.

I've also setup my /home on another partition so no data is lost with the different installations... just change the directory the files are located, etc.

Again thanks for the reply.

Hope you have a great weekend and God bless,
Johnathan

[garethfoxwilliams]

I have a similar problem...........

Xubuntu 10.10 installed yesterday on a Dell Mini 9 with no obvious problems.
XFCE desktop upgraded to 4.8 and now the "desktop" won't show. Only the login splash screen remains, rather than the selected image, Icons and files stored on the desktop.

Is there an "easy" setting that needs tweaking?

PS I've re-installed all the XFCE 4.8 packages via synaptic, as far as I can tell.

[XubuRoxMySox]

Try opening Synaptic, find xubuntu-desktop and Mark for Re-installation.

The new Xfce settings can be found under Menu > Settings > Settings Manager.

-Robin

[johnathanamber]

Can XFCE 4.8 be installed with Xubuntu 10.10?

If so, which PPA is the best to use?

AGAIK only 4.6 is available via the Xubuntu PPAs.

God bless,
Johnathan

[XubuRoxMySox]

There is a way (see this (http://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=5657)), but I don't recommend it because for it to work properly you have to remove all the old Xfce stuff first!

Better to wait a li'l bit for Xubuntu Natty to be released. Then you'll have an awesome new Xfce 4.8 desktop done right!

A Xubuntu and Xfce fan,
Robin

[nunogirao]

To restore your desktop and icons, just open a terminal window and type «xfdesktop».

[overdrank]

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