GUI problem after update

[Melli]

I updated my system and after the next boot it seems something in the GUI has been broken. At the login screen I get the text boxes for user and password but the options menu icon shows up only when I manage to hit it with the cursor, and when I move the cursor ghost images of it are left all over the screen. I can login but the same continues and I can't open the K menu or even see the rest of the panel. I ran 'apt-get upgrade' to see if anything was interrupted during update but didn't get any errors. That's about where my knowledge ends. Could anyone tell me where to look?

During the same session I had also installed a new ADSL connection, but that can hardly be related to this problem.

According to apt log I updated these:

Start-Date: 2011-09-30 00:21:50
Install: linux-headers-2.6.32-34 (2.6.32-34.77), linux-headers-2.6.32-34-generic (2.6.32-34.77), linux-image-2.6.32-34-generic (2.6.32-34.77)
Upgrade: libqt4-opengl (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), linux-headers-2.6.32-33-generic (2.6.32-33.71, 2.6.32-33.72), libqt4-assistant (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), linux-headers-generic (2.6.32.33.39, 2.6.32.34.40), dhcp3-client (3.1.3-2ubuntu3.2, 3.1.3-2ubuntu3.3), libcupscgi1 (1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3, 1.4.3-1ubuntu1.5), linux-headers-2.6.32-33 (2.6.32-33.71, 2.6.32-33.72), libqt4-test (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), linux-image-generic (2.6.32.33.39, 2.6.32.34.40), libqt4-sql-mysql (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), libqt4-dbus (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), quassel-data (0.6.1-0ubuntu1.1, 0.6.1-0ubuntu1.2), phonon (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), cups-client (1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3, 1.4.3-1ubuntu1.5), apt-transport-https (0.7.25.3ubuntu9.6, 0.7.25.3ubuntu9.7), quassel (0.6.1-0ubuntu1.1, 0.6.1-0ubuntu1.2), libcupsmime1 (1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3, 1.4.3-1ubuntu1.5), libqt4-qt3support (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), dhcp3-common (3.1.3-2ubuntu3.2, 3.1.3-2ubuntu3.3), apt-utils (0.7.25.3ubuntu9.6, 0.7.25.3ubuntu9.7), libqt4-xmlpatterns (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), libxfont1 (1.4.1-1, 1.4.1-1ubuntu0.1), libcupsppdc1 (1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3, 1.4.3-1ubuntu1.5), libqt4-help (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), apt (0.7.25.3ubuntu9.6, 0.7.25.3ubuntu9.7), firefox (3.6.18+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.04.2, 3.6.23+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.04.1), cups-common (1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3, 1.4.3-1ubuntu1.5), libqt4-webkit (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), linux-image-2.6.32-33-generic (2.6.32-33.71, 2.6.32-33.72), libcups2 (1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3, 1.4.3-1ubuntu1.5), libqtcore4 (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), ca-certificates (20090814, 20090814ubuntu0.10.04.1), libqt4-sql-sqlite (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), cups (1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3, 1.4.3-1ubuntu1.5), libqt4-sql (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), libcupsdriver1 (1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3, 1.4.3-1ubuntu1.5), libqt4-svg (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), libphonon4 (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), libqt4-xml (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), cups-bsd (1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3, 1.4.3-1ubuntu1.5), libqt4-network (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), libqt4-designer (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), libqtgui4 (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), tzdata (2011g-0ubuntu0.10.04, 2011j-0ubuntu0.10.04), libcupsimage2 (1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3, 1.4.3-1ubuntu1.5), foomatic-filters (4.0.4-0ubuntu1, 4.0.4-0ubuntu1.1), firefox-branding (3.6.18+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.04.2, 3.6.23+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.04.1), libqt4-script (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), libqt4-scripttools (4.6.2-0ubuntu5.2, 4.6.2-0ubuntu5.3), linux-generic (2.6.32.33.39, 2.6.32.34.40), libnss3-1d (3.12.9+ckbi-1.82-0ubuntu0.10.04.1, 3.12.9+ckbi-1.82-0ubuntu0.10.04.3)

[Snowhog]

Re: GUI problem after update

Reboot and log in to recovery (single user) mode - will be the second Grub menu entry. After you have logged in, issue the following commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

If no packages are reported as BROKEN, then reboot and see if all is okay. If packages are reported as BROKEN, then try:

sudo apt-get install -f

followed by

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

[Melli]

Re: GUI problem after update

Thanks. I'll get my hands on that computer again at the end of the week, then I'll see if I can fix it.

[Melli]

Re: GUI problem after update

No, this didn't help. I think I'm done with this old computer anyway so I'll solve the problem by getting rid of it. Thanks anyway.

[Snowhog]

Re: GUI problem after update

Before you do that, how about telling us about your PC? Also, you could just consider starting completely fresh, by reformatting the HDD and setting up the partitioning (GParted), and installing from a LiveCD.