No desktop icons or menu bar?

[whiskeyhotel]

Hello,

I just installed Ubuntu 10.04. I'm a first time user. when i boot up computer, I can choose Ubuntu, and it starts up, but there are no desktop icons, no menu bar (?). I'm able to right click and create folders and files, but that's about it. any ideas? Installed on an older pc running windows xp

thanks

[arrange]

Do you see something like this (without the icon)?


Or is there only the background and no panels or icons at all?
Are you using Wubi (Ubuntu installed within XP) or classic installation on an extra partition on the disk?

[whiskeyhotel]

There is only the background with no panels at all. It was the classic install on extra partition.

[arrange]

Could you please open up a Terminal and type

ps aux | grep gnome

(to see what gnome processes are running)
and post the output here?

It may also help if you uploaded/attached the ~/.xsession-errors file.

[whiskeyhotel]

Is there anyway to access terminal by right clicking on desktop, because I have nothing else to click on

[arrange]

Haha, sorry, I forgot

Right click, Create launcher, and in the Command field type gnome-terminal (Name doesn't matter). Click OK. Then you should see a new icon on the desktop.