Can't Change Background or Workspace

[figneutron]

I can't change background, neither color nor wallpaper, with Appearance Preferences. However, the color of one workspace icon in the right hand corner of the screen changes to the desired color. However, I can't switch workspaces. Also, right clicking on the desktop doesn't work.


Release: Jaunty 9.04
Kernel: Linux 2.6.28-14-generic
Gnome: 2.26.1

Install is fully updated.

[gjoellee]

If you log out. Click on sessions then find GNOME. Now log in again. Any changes?

I am not sure if there will be any different but it might be forth a try =)

[bronkeydain]

Possibly you are using compiz with the wallpaper plugin active?

If so you set the wallpaper through ccsm (compiz config settings manager). This plugin allows you to have different wallpapers for each virtual desktop.

[figneutron]

If you log out. Click on sessions then find GNOME. Now log in again. Any changes?

I am not sure if there will be any different but it might be forth a try =)

Hey, logging out was a curious suggestion but, as it turned out, a bright idea! I logged out, and then, for the hell of it, I logged in as Guest. Lo and behold, all my Gnome issues were resolved, including the vexing "No system sounds or effects" that showed up again in this my second install of Ubuntu in a week. The Appearance Preferences control panel works fine. Now I can customize and change desktop and window features without restriction. Furthermore, as Guest, I can hear music on Last.fm. When I visited the site last night under my account, I got an error message informing me that a certain mpeg codec was not installed. I suspected that this notice was somehow bogus, but being a newbie to linux, I didn't know how to proceed with an investigation of it.

[figneutron]

Now, the question I want answered is why the Guest user is not subject to the Gnome problems that I have when I log in. I imagine that the answer will point the way to their solution.