Unable to start Gnome settings manager

[zerubbabel]

After a clean install of Intrepid, and then restoring my home directory from a backup, I get the following message when I try to change the background by right-clicking on the desktop:

Unable to start the settings manager 'gnome-settings-daemon'.
Without the GNOME settings manager running, some preferences may not take effect. This could indicate a problem with Bonobo, or a non-GNOME (e.g. KDE) settings manager may already be active and conflicting with the GNOME settings manager.

How do I fix this? I wonder if it is related to the intermittent session logouts that keep occurring at apparently random intervals, sometimes when the system is idle, and sometimes when I'm actively working.

I didn't have any similar troubles with Hardy.

[Mark Phelps]

This just started happening to me, too. Plus, when I minimize a window, it vanishes instead of minimizing. I'm guessing it was a recent Ubuntu update, but I have no idea which one, nor do I know how to back out updates.

Sorry, don't have a solution -- just wanted to let you know you're not alone in this.