Xubuntu 6.10 (Edgy): Panel disappeared

fiestaforever · 2007-01-11 21:17:56

Hi,

I recently (about 2 weeks ago) installed Xubuntu 6.10 on an old (PIII-600) Fujitsu Lifebook and today, suddenly the panel (I had only one panel, at the bottom, that holds all the relevant stuff) had disappeared after login (without me having done anything special that could have caused this).
Since I had also switched the right-click desktop menu (to the simplified version where you can create new files, folders or starters), I couldn't do anything, not even logout. Only after I created a destop starter for Terminal, I could at least shutdown. I don't know yet how to use the terminal for much more than "sudo shutdown -h now".

Not having much Linux knowledge myself, I don't know how to go on, and if that's a bug that occurs every once in a while, it's actually unacceptable because I wanted to give a Linux laptop to someone who doesn't know much about computers in general and absolutely nothing about Linux in particular.

Any pointers what could have caused this, if it's a common problem, what to do against it and how to avoid it in the future?

BTW: Does anyone know how to update XFCE, Xorg and Thunar in Xubuntu to the latest versions? Esp. the latter is pretty buggy in Xubuntu. (Please note: I don't know how to compile anything.)

TIA

EDIT: Firefox also gives me trouble, because when I double-click the my desktop launcher for it, it seems to start, but it doesn't come up visibly. If I then try to start it from the terminal, a message box comes up and tells me that it's already running and that process has to be terminated (or something) first (I can't because I can't even see it). Thunderbird, however, launches fine from the desktop starter icon, as do Thunar and Gimp from the terminal.
P.S.: I write this from IE in Windows, booted from the Windows partition, because I don't have another choice.

SimonJ · 2007-01-12 15:16:36

I think the panel problem was traced to network connectivity. I believe it's being looked at for the next release.

If you get stuck again, press CTRL+ALT+F1 and you should get a tty (big terminal) that you can log into and issue commands from.

hth

fiestaforever · 2007-01-13 01:50:07

SimonJ., thanks, but after reading another post on the forum I already managed to start xfce4-panel from the terminal, log out (actually: shutdown) and back in and then the panel stayed there.
(After a forum search, I had already tried "xfce-panel" before, but had forgot the "4".)

What's weird, is that this time Firefox started invisibly when launched from the terminal, but was okay when started by the desktop launcher. Just the other way round, compared to last time.

Honestly, I'm getting tired of my foray into Linux land. Everything I tried (more than half a dozen distros in less than 3 weeks) was either bloated (KDE, Gnome), buggy like hell (just about everything), or locked down beyond usability (everything non-*buntu).

SimonJ · 2007-01-13 09:15:04

If you're looking for light and stable I would suggest you try IceWM.

I was using this before XFCE was even started so it's been a round a while.

XFCE is prettier and more complete but every now and then something doesn't work properly. You can either accept that and work it out, or move away for a while.

If you go IceWm , you'll need something like Rox to work with it.

Cheers,

fiestaforever · 2007-01-13 11:11:55

I had the IceWM/Rox combo on another laptop before, but somehow I can't get used to Rox which I find plain weird.
And I want a "real" desktop (like in Windows or Mac), where I can put files and folders (and not only desktop starters, like in Rox).
I waited to give XFCE another try until they added exactly that. Now I can't see anything lighter that gives me the possibility to drag'n'drop files and folders to the desktop.

SimonJ · 2007-01-15 06:13:31

I have had a panel for a while now without any problems.

I added a trash applet to one panel and lost all the others as well.

After the last time I keep a backup and I just removed the ~/.config/xfce4/panel/ and replaced it with the backup.

So far I have not had time to play with the trash applet but that certainly is the only change I made.

Xfce Forum

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#1 2007-01-11 21:17:56

Xubuntu 6.10 (Edgy): Panel disappeared

#2 2007-01-12 15:16:36

Re: Xubuntu 6.10 (Edgy): Panel disappeared

#3 2007-01-13 01:50:07

Re: Xubuntu 6.10 (Edgy): Panel disappeared

#4 2007-01-13 09:15:04

Re: Xubuntu 6.10 (Edgy): Panel disappeared

#5 2007-01-13 11:11:55

Re: Xubuntu 6.10 (Edgy): Panel disappeared

#6 2007-01-15 06:13:31

Re: Xubuntu 6.10 (Edgy): Panel disappeared

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