Unity is broken. Launcher, Menu bar, Dash disappeared. Unity reinstall doesn't work
The problem is identical to this question but with the additional problem that after trying out every thing mentioned there, unity still doesn't work.
I have tried installing/reinstalling ccsm, unity, unity-desktop. Enabling Unity Plugin didn't do anything. Removing/Renaming ~/.config/compiz-1 doesn't work.
The unity support check /usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p tells me my computer is capable of running unity.
OpenGL vendor string: nouveau
OpenGL renderer string: Gallium 0.4 on NVE7
OpenGL version string: 3.0 Mesa 11.2.0
Not software rendered: yes
Not blacklisted: yes
GLX fbconfig: yes
GLX texture from pixmap: yes
GL npot or rect textures: yes
GL vertex program: yes
GL fragment program: yes
GL vertex buffer object: yes
GL framebuffer object: yes
GL version is 1.4+: yes
Unity 3D supported: yes
Trying setsid unity or unity --reset-icons &disown gives following:
GLib-GIO-Message: Using the 'memory' GSettings backend. Your settings will not be saved or shared with other applications.
unity-panel-service stop/waiting
unity7 stop/waiting
unity-panel-service start/running, process 5387
unity7 start/running, process 5507
and it sort of hangs there without giving any error or doing anything. I have to terminate the process with ctrl+C.
unity --debug gives this:
unity-panel-service stop/waiting
unity7 stop/waiting
unity-panel-service start/running, process 2334
[Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
Using host libthread_db library "/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libthread_db.so.1".
/usr/bin/compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: core
/usr/bin/compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: core
[New Thread 0x7ffff3638700 (LWP 2456)]
/usr/bin/compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: ccp
/usr/bin/compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: ccp
[New Thread 0x7fffeb20e700 (LWP 2457)]
[New Thread 0x7fffeaa0d700 (LWP 2458)]
compizconfig - Info: Backend : gsettings
compizconfig - Info: Integration : true
compizconfig - Info: Profile : unity
again after which, it hangs there without doing anything or giving any error.
dconf dump /org/compiz/ gives:
[/]
existing-profiles=['Default', 'unity']
current-profile='unity'
[profiles/unity]
plugins-with-set-keys=['vpswitch', 'unityshell', 'mousepoll', 'place', 'composite', 'ezoom', 'move', 'decor', 'matecompat', 'staticswitcher', 'opengl', 'workarounds', 'unitymtgrabhandles', 'snap', 'scale', 'animation', 'grid', 'expo', 'fade', 'gnomecompat', 'commands', 'wall', 'switcher', 'session', 'resize']
[profiles/unity/plugins/ezoom]
zoom-box-fill-color='#2f2f2f4f'
zoom-box-outline-color='#2f2f4f9f'
[profiles/unity/plugins/wall]
thumb-highlight-gradient-shadow-color='#dfdfdfff'
arrow-base-color='#e6e6e6d9'
arrow-shadow-color='#dcdcdcd9'
[profiles/unity/plugins/unityshell]
inactive-shadow-color='#000000a5'
[profiles/unity/plugins/animation]
unminimize-effects=['animation:Glide 2']
close-matches=['((type=Normal | Unknown) | name=sun-awt-X11-XFramePeer | name=sun-awt-X11-XDialogPeer) & !(role=toolTipTip | role=qtooltip_label) & !(type=Normal & override_redirect=1) & !(name=gnome-screensaver) & !(name=gnome-screenshot)', '((type=Menu | PopupMenu | DropdownMenu | Combo | Dialog | ModalDialog | Normal) & !(class=\\.exe$))', '(type=Tooltip | Notification | Utility) & !(name=compiz) & !(title=notify-osd)']
open-matches=['((type=Normal | Unknown) | name=sun-awt-X11-XFramePeer | name=sun-awt-X11-XDialogPeer) & !(role=toolTipTip | role=qtooltip_label) & !(type=Normal & override_redirect=1) & !(name=gnome-screensaver)', '((type=Menu | PopupMenu | DropdownMenu | Combo | Dialog | ModalDialog | Normal) & !(class=\\.exe$))', '(type=Tooltip | Notification | Utility) & !(name=compiz) & !(title=notify-osd)']
[profiles/unity/plugins/switcher]
background-color='#333333d9'
[profiles/unity/plugins/decor]
active-shadow-color='#00000080'
inactive-shadow-color='#000000ff'
[profiles/unity/plugins/gnomecompat]
main-menu-key='Disabled'
run-key='Disabled'
[profiles/unity/plugins/staticswitcher]
background-color='#333333d9'
[profiles/unity/plugins/expo]
ground-color1='#b3b3b3cc'
ground-color2='#b3b3b300'
Right now, I have installed the gnome-panel and working with that, but I don't know how to get unity back working. Any help would be really appreciated.
Solution 1:
The Unity can be fixed by creating a new user as described here: Unity doesn't load, no Launcher, no Dash appears, ccsm method failed (Before marking duplicate please read the description)
I have explored this a bit further and I think unity can be fixed without creating a new user by following the procedure:
-
login to system using gnome-panel and move directories
.configand.cache:cd ~ mv .config config_save mv .cache cache_save logout and login back now using unity. Move the saved files back to the
.configand.cachedirecories without overriding any files.
Solution 2:
Just want to report that something in my ~/.cache directory was causing this. Removed it, rebooted, and unity is back.
Solution 3:
I followed the suggestion above and ran cd ~, mv .config config_save, then mv .cache cache_save. On reboot, I had Unity back.
My PC is a Lenovo C-260 set up with Ubuntu 16.04.3 installed. This morning, I did a dist-upgrade which resulted in Ubuntu 16.04.4 and a loss of Unity (desktop was OK) with no launch icons and no controls across the top.
I tried suggestions from numerous other postings, but nothing worked until I tried the above. Following these steps, I ran ccsm to check if the settings manager was retaining the proper checked boxes, which it wasn't doing previously, and everything is in order.
Solution 4:
I faced similar problem but mine fixed after I deleted and reinstall lightdm.
Use these command:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get remove lightdm
sudo apt-get install lightdm
sudo apt-get upgrade
If the above solution did not work for you, try removing everything from config using the command below:
sudo rm -rf ~/.config
This will reset everything and your Ubuntu system will resemble to the looks of a fresh install. Installed applications will be untouched.