Desktop Icons Missing, No Right-Click, etc

[Norri]

Hi

For some weird reason, my Ubuntu 8.04 installation no longer has a desktop. My desktop image is there but my shortcuts and files aren't. I also can't right-click the desktop any more.

How can I fix this? I've already tried changing nautilus settings in gconf-editor to no avail. It's as if some process in a normal Gnome session isn't starting up.

[mrbowlingalley]

I just went through this about 20 minutes ago. This was after uninstalling Evolution. The fix is in the forums. Basically I did this. CTRL-ALT-Backspace.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

It started the download of lots of things, including Evolution - or parts of it. Booted again. Everything was how I had it before.

Hope this helps. My first post!

[mcduck]

Hi

For some weird reason, my Ubuntu 8.04 installation no longer has a desktop. My desktop image is there but my shortcuts and files aren't. I also can't right-click the desktop any more.

How can I fix this? I've already tried changing nautilus settings in gconf-editor to no avail. It's as if some process in a normal Gnome session isn't starting up.

HAve you tried actually starting Nautilus? (As that sounds like for some reason or other Nautilus wasn't started).

Just open a terminal and run "nautilus &".

[Norri]

That did it! Thanks mcduck

Now I just need to fix my session issues. Looks like the Gnome sessions are being loaded from an old file instead of loading what I want them to load.

Anyways, again, huge kudos to you for finding the answer Can't believe I never tried that!

[woodbrick]

That did it! Thanks mcduck

Now I just need to fix my session issues. Looks like the Gnome sessions are being loaded from an old file instead of loading what I want them to load...

I don't know if I'm missing something in this thread and others covering similar issues, but the 'big picture' problem (quoted above) still seems unsolved.

I have had this same problem for a few days now. typing "nautilus &" in terminal works, OR "killall nautilus" then "nautilus" works. But I cannot find anyway to start nautilus as it should from bootup.

Any suggestions????

[woodbrick]

... But I cannot find anyway to start nautilus as it should from bootup.

Any suggestions????

I should not need this spelled out for me, sorry. For others who are getting this problem and if typing "nautilus &" in the terminal restores your folders and right-clicks...

System->Preferences->Startup_Applications Then ADD:

Name: Nautilus
Command: Nautilus
Comment: Folder viewer (or whatever comment you like)

The only remaining question, then, is why??

How does something so central to the Gnome desktop "just break" like that???

[Tempelton]

I think I have the very same thing on a my new Ubuntu installation. Every single login I find my desktop icons missing. The "nautilus &" command doesn't help in my case. I have to "killall nautilus" to make the desktop icons reappear and to re-enable right-desktop-clicking.
I really hope that eventually someone will come up with a solution to that problem or at least find what is causing it.

[vijaym]

thanks this helped me also.
i messed up my setting fiddling with compiz

[F W Adams]

I seem to have exactly the same symtoms as above:

no right-click on desktop
no icons or short cuts on desktop

Desktop folder looks fine
mouse works fine in other areas

Tried all of the above with no improvement, "nautilus &" when run in terminal displayed "[1] 8200" at terminal and ran fine.

Any help?

[v1nsai]

This has been happening to me intermittently, sometimes after program crashes and sometimes for no reason. I ran 'nautilus &' but that only fixed the problem until I closed the terminal.

I hit alt+f2 and ran it from that window and it all came back, but I think my video is off, the theme on my windows is the same but the buttons look funny, kind of reminds me of windows 98 actually, the font is different and the shape is more rigid. Video seems to be pretty choppy when before it was smooth.

I'm gonna look further into this I'll post if I find anything.