Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup

[enginemusic]

Yesterday I installed all recommended updates. Today when I boot up, I login, then as the icons slowly come up, I get a message that plasma workspace has crashed causing a signal 11.

Neither Alt-F2 nor ctrl-alt-bkspc work. Firefox comes up as it is set to start at bootup, but that's it - I can do nothing and can't even figure out how to get a command prompt (or what to do if I did get one).

Any ideas where I start?

Thanks,
Matt

[dibl]

Re: Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup

If you've still got a Konsole window, try

plasma-desktop

[enginemusic]

Re: Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup

No console. If I hit ctrl-alt- and either backspace or F2 (in Windows now, can't try recall) I get a command prompt. "plasma-dektop" is not found.

I have successfully rebuilt the desktop before by deleting plasmarc and plasma-appletsrc, but this time it didn't work properly. It gave me most of my desktop and my launcher, but application windows were missing min/max/close buttons, and the taskbar was half at the bottom of the screen and half at the top.

How I got myself into this mess was by running updates using one of the updaters (can't recall name- K-something) that wasn't adept or Synaptic. I found out with Google searching that there is a well known bug in this that lists several updates as "blocked" (in my case about 70). I'm guessing that I need some of those updates for others to run properly. I tried using one of the other two updaters (can't recall which) but the text box where you type admin password wouldn't allow me to enter any text. Argh.

My questions:
How can I complete the updates from a command prompt?

How can I completely rebuild the desktop from the command prompt?

and finally
If things turn seriously brown, how do I reinstall the OS without fubaring all my files. Yes, they're 99% backed up, but I'd rather not...

Six months now with Kubuntu and I've already spent more time troubleshooting than I did in fifteen years of Redmond, but I'm determined to keep at it. My XP workstation just looks so clunky!

Thanks for any help.
Matt

Later Edit - I had used KpackageKit to update my software. I would suggest avoiding this app, as the blocked updates borked my system!

[kwokyinc]

Re: Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup

to upgrade the blocked updates from command line:

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

[Fintan]

Re: Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup

Boot into recovery mode (thats what it is there for )

choose: root networking or similar (mine is in german)

This will give you the cli in root so be careful what you do!!!

then do:

apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade

You may have to do:

apt-get -f install

or:

sudo dpkg --configure -a

when all is finished and hopefully no errors pop up do:

exit

then choose: resume normal boot

Hope this helps

[dibl]

Re: Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup

If I hit ctrl-alt- and either backspace or F2 (in Windows now, can't try recall) I get a command prompt. "plasma-dektop" is not found.

Correct -- Ctrl-Alt-Backspace exits the X server and takes you to the tty console. plasma is a KDE 4 function that only works in the X presentation, so none of that works on the console, which is character-mode only. I was referring to "Konsole" the KDE terminal window.

application windows were missing min/max/close buttons

This part of the problem is recognizable -- "missing window decorations", so kwin is not working correctly, or if you're running Compiz then there may be issues there. This is all dependent on a correctly working video driver and glx -- I would suggest "back to basics" -- what is your graphics system, what is the driver, does glx work, etc. etc.

[kubicle]

Re: Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup

plasma-desktop

That command only works in KDE 4.3 where plasma has changed a bit...in KDE 4.2 the command to start plasma is plain 'plasma' (which likely explains the 'command-not-found' error).

As for the original issue, I'd suggest (like others have done) making sure everything has been upgraded (you can reinstall 'kubuntu-desktop' package to make sure you have everything needed)...after that you can clear the plasma configuration and start afresh if it's still not working.

[enginemusic]

Re: Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup


[/quote]

to upgrade the blocked updates from command line:

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

This did the trick, thank you SOOO much guys, I appreciate your replies and learned something from each of them.

If I could email you a beer, you wouldn't be thirsty now.

This topic can be marked SOLVED.

Best regards,
a very happy Matt

[Fintan]

Re: Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup

If I could email you a beer, you wouldn't be thirsty now

What you can't beam it over

Glad you got it working

[Obese Outlaw]

Re: Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup

I actually got the same exact issue the same way.

I can run applications by hitting ALT+F2 so i can open a term, I can also just use recovery mode, my real problem is that I cant get internet without plasma im on a wifi. any suggestions around this? Connect somehow through terminal or connect with a hard line?

[apgrnt]

Re: Plasma workspace Sig 11 at bootup

easiest is to connect to a hard line. then sudo apt-get dist-upgrade sudo apt-get -f install