KDE 4.8 and all thing's gone

[light-blue]

Hi guyz
due to my desktop was so unstable, i decided to upgrade my KDE to 4.8.
but after that, i have lots more problem
now my activities don't work
i used to use "search and launch" activity which now shows just and empty desktop
how can i reset everything?

i tried:
apt-get remove kubuntu-desktop
apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

apt-get remove plasma-desktop
apt-get install plasma-desktop

and also tried to remove kde configuration , but didn't result to any success.

can you show me a way to get a stable desktop which is fully functional,

i dunno why i have lots of problem with kubuntu


thanks in advance

[james147]

Rename or move ~/.kde/share/config/plasm* (all files begging with plasm) should reset the user settings to its defaults (after restarting plasma-desktop)

This can be done with the following command:

killall plasma-desktop && mkdir ~/plasma-backup && mv ~/.kde/share/config/plasm* ~/plasma-backup && sleep 1; plasma-desktop

You can delete ~/plasma-backup when you are happy with the desktop (note that plasma-widgets will also be reset as with any motes you have on the desktop, they will be stored in ~/plasma-backup/plasma-appletsrc if you need to recover them)

EDIT: you can also do this for other applications be changing the plasm* to the application name (ie dolphin*).
Also, application data is stored in ~/.kde/share/apps if that needs to be reset or backup up as well.

[light-blue]

Rename or move ~/.kde/share/config/plasm* (all files begging with plasm) should reset the user settings to its defaults (after restarting plasma-desktop)

This can be done with the following command:

killall plasma-desktop && mkdir ~/plasma-backup && mv ~/.kde/share/config/plasm* ~/plasma-backup && sleep 1; plasma-desktop

You can delete ~/plasma-backup when you are happy with the desktop (note that plasma-widgets will also be reset as with any motes you have on the desktop, they will be stored in ~/plasma-backup/plasma-appletsrc if you need to recover them)

EDIT: you can also do this for other applications be changing the plasm* to the application name (ie dolphin*).
Also, application data is stored in ~/.kde/share/apps if that needs to be reset or backup up as well.

Hi james,
thanks for your response,

i did that, that reset all things, but my activities are still empty
for example if i choose "search and launch". nothing appears in the desktop,
could you please tell me how can i reinstall all important things about kde 4.8 and also plasmoid, activities and ... ? without installing kubuntu again?

best regards

[james147]

could you please tell me how can i reinstall all important things about kde 4.8 and also plasmoid, activities and ... ? without installing kubuntu again?s

Installing the package "kubuntu-desktop" will make sure everything that kubuntu ships with is installed. So first try running

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade && sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

Which will make sure you are fully uptodate and make sure everything that should be installed is.

[light-blue]

Installing the package "kubuntu-desktop" will make sure everything that kubuntu ships with is installed. So first try running

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade && sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

Which will make sure you are fully uptodate and make sure everything that should be installed is.

thanks
should i exit x-windows and do this in a non-x-windows environment ?
or doesn't matter?
as i did it a lot, but nothing happened,

right now, i have lots of problem with activities, will they reinstall during the process you mentioned? or do i have to do something else for them?

thanks

[james147]

should i exit x-windows and do this in a non-x-windows environment ?

It only matters that X is restarted after the install (assuming anything was installed) so it dosn't matter if you do it from in X or not (just logout and select the restart X option from kdm)

as i did it a lot, but nothing happened,

If it did allot then that's good, means it might have fixed it... but you will need to at least logout and back in to see the changes

i have lots of problem with activities, will they reinstall during the process you mentioned? or do i have to do something else for them?

The command wont reinstall anything, it will only update and make sure everything needed is installed... But it is a rare need to actually reinstall a package as most problems are either missing packages or bad user configs.

You may want to rerun my previous suggestion (probably with "~/plasma-backup2" so you don't overwrite the settings) to clear out the config again after the update.

[light-blue]

It only matters that X is restarted after the install (assuming anything was installed) so it dosn't matter if you do it from in X or not (just logout and select the restart X option from kdm)


If it did allot then that's good, means it might have fixed it... but you will need to at least logout and back in to see the changes


The command wont reinstall anything, it will only update and make sure everything needed is installed... But it is a rare need to actually reinstall a package as most problems are either missing packages or bad user configs.

You may want to rerun my previous suggestion (probably with "~/plasma-backup2" so you don't overwrite the settings) to clear out the config again after the update.

didn't fix my problem
it's making me crazy
why is kubuntu very unstable?
i hate it,
there is no system restore, yes?
it's ridiculous, how can i go back to some days ago?
is there any solution?
nothing works? do i have to just install another OS?

[james147]

why is kubuntu very unstable?

Generally it is very stable... However sometimes things do go wrong

there is no system restore, yes?

There is no system restore in the current kubuntu... however, with the new btrfs file system you can set up a system to allow this (though its a bit late for your current problem)

Well, if we have ruled out config and missing packages the only other thing I can think of is hardware drivers. What graphics card/drivers are you using?

[Snowhog]

Hi guyz
due to my desktop was so unstable, i decided to upgrade my KDE to 4.8.
but after that, i have lots more problem

I am sorry to be the one to tell you, but this was not a smart move. You had an unstable desktop and opted to upgrade it. If the earlier KDE was not the direct cause of the instability (and very likely it was not), then all you did was to put a newer desktop (KDE 4) on top of an unstable system.

didn't fix my problem
it's making me crazy
why is kubuntu very unstable?
i hate it,
there is no system restore, yes?
it's ridiculous, how can i go back to some days ago?
is there any solution?
nothing works? do i have to just install another OS?

Kubuntu is very stable, and many, many users and members here in KFN will tell you so.
Because we have no idea what the underlying cause(s) of your problem(s) are, the simplest solution is a fresh, clean, re-installation -- start from scratch. Whether you want to do that is up to you.
Installing another OS is up to you, but if you want to stick with Kubuntu, we are here to help -- if you ask for it and are willing to provide the information we require to do so, and you willing to work with those who offer help and assistance.

[light-blue]

Generally it is very stable... However sometimes things do go wrong


There is no system restore in the current kubuntu... however, with the new btrfs file system you can set up a system to allow this (though its a bit late for your current problem)

Well, if we have ruled out config and missing packages the only other thing I can think of is hardware drivers. What graphics card/drivers are you using?

I have a Nvidia GeForce GT320M,
the desktop effects work fine ( at least i think so ) ,
i dunno why this happened,
but many thanks for your help

I am sorry to be the one to tell you, but this was not a smart move. You had an unstable desktop and opted to upgrade it. If the instability was not the direct cause of the earlier KDE (and very likely it was not), then all you did was to put a newer desktop (KDE 4.8) on top of an unstable system.


Kubuntu is very stable, and many, many users and members here in KFN will tell you so.
Because we have no idea what the underlying cause(s) of your problem(s) are, the simplest solution is a fresh, clean, re-installation -- start from scratch. Whether you want to do that is up to you.
Installing another OS is up to you, but if you want to stick with Kubuntu, we are here to help -- if you ask for it and are willing to provide the information we require to do so, and you willing to work with those who offer help and assistance.

Hi big Admin,
yup, i'm a long term user of windows and dot net programmer,
but i've found this "open source environment" very very very better than win/mac based ones.
i'm really interested in linux dist (specially KDE env and ubuntu) , but i got lots of error at the very beginning of each process.
i had lots of error with ubuntu, so i re-installed kubuntu from scratch,
but i have same problems.
for example i installed GoldenDic, sometimes when i wanna check a word, it hangs and my system freezes, so i have no option except a hard reset.
i know people like you never have such problems, but it's a little disappointing for new users.
...

and for example : could you enable "different widget for each desktop" feature of virtual desktops? i found out that lots of people have problem with that (like me), if you enable it, all of your shortcuts, setting and ... disappear and you left alone with an empty desktop and can't do anything for it.

i dunno it's a problem with KDE or kubuntu, but i can't find it's solution,
i also tried live version of kubuntu and saw this problem has in a non-installed version too.

[james147]

I have a Nvidia GeForce GT320M

With the open, or closed drivers?

[GreyGeek]

...
but i've found this "open source environment" very very very better than win/mac based ones.

I switched from MS Visual Studio C++ to Kate to do my coding, then to QtCreator. At least 2X or faster than MSVC.

i'm really interested in linux dist (specially KDE env and ubuntu) , but i got lots of error at the very beginning of each process.
i had lots of error with ubuntu, so i re-installed kubuntu from scratch,
but i have same problems.

After you downloaded the iso did you check its md5sum before you burned it to a CD?
As part of the burn option did you check the "Verify the burn" option, or run an md5sum on the burned CD?
A lot of times problems begin with a defective ISO or burn.

for example i installed GoldenDic, sometimes when i wanna check a word, it hangs and my system freezes, so i have no option except a hard reset.
i know people like you never have such problems, but it's a little disappointing for new users.

Did you install it from the GoldenDic home page by downloading the tar file and compiling it, or did you do the better thing by installing it from the Kubuntu repository, where its name is "goldendict"?
Make sure you check the repository to see if a program you want is there BEFORE you attempt to install apps from a foreign source.
And, before you compiled did you install "build-essential" from the repository?

and for example : could you enable "different widget for each desktop" feature of virtual desktops? i found out that lots of people have problem with that (like me), if you enable it, all of your shortcuts, setting and ... disappear and you left alone with an empty desktop and can't do anything for it.

I am running the ALPHA version of Kubuntu 12.04 and the widgets work well for me on this Acer 7739-6830 laptop. Widgets are running well on my Sony VIAO laptop with Kubuntu 10.04, and in the Oneric guest OS on that laptop. And, they work well on over two dozen various laptops and one desktop that I've installed Kubuntu on over the last 3 or so years.

i dunno it's a problem with KDE or kubuntu, but i can't find it's solution,
i also tried live version of kubuntu and saw this problem has in a non-installed version too.

If you boot from a LiveCD and are running Kubuntu from the CDROM and are still having problems then there are two possible causes:
1) bad burn of LiveCD and./or bad ISO.
2) bad hardware.

[light-blue]

With the open, or closed drivers?

hi James,
thanks for response,
i've installed post-release update ("version current-updates")
what do you think?

I switched from MS Visual Studio C++ to Kate to do my coding, then to QtCreator. At least 2X or faster than MSVC.



After you downloaded the iso did you check its md5sum before you burned it to a CD?
As part of the burn option did you check the "Verify the burn" option, or run an md5sum on the burned CD?
A lot of times problems begin with a defective ISO or burn.

hi GreyGeek
thanks for your response.
actually i created a bootable USB, is it possible to have such problem?

Did you install it from the GoldenDic home page by downloading the tar file and compiling it, or did you do the better thing by installing it from the Kubuntu repository, where its name is "goldendict"?
Make sure you check the repository to see if a program you want is there BEFORE you attempt to install apps from a foreign source.
And, before you compiled did you install "build-essential" from the repository?

i installed it from repository, yup, it's golden dict, i misspelled that
but i didn't install build essential, i just tried to install it as i read your comment
(sudo apt-get install build-essential checkinstall)

I am running the ALPHA version of Kubuntu 12.04 and the widgets work well for me on this Acer 7739-6830 laptop. Widgets are running well on my Sony VIAO laptop with Kubuntu 10.04, and in the Oneric guest OS on that laptop. And, they work well on over two dozen various laptops and one desktop that I've installed Kubuntu on over the last 3 or so years.

i found out lots of people have problem with that,
but i'm gonna redownload and create a new bootable USB kubuntu and give it a try to see if it vanishes or not

If you boot from a LiveCD and are running Kubuntu from the CDROM and are still having problems then there are two possible causes:
1) bad burn of LiveCD and./or bad ISO.
2) bad hardware.

[/QUOTE]

is it a possibility to have a bad created bootable USB ?

[james147]

hi James,
thanks for response,
i've installed post-release update ("version current-updates")
what do you think?

If you havent installed any drivers then you are probally running the open ones, to install the closed ones run "additional drivers" from the menu (or kde-jockey from teh command line) to install the closed ones which might work better for your card.

is it a possibility to have a bad created bootable USB ?

If the iso it was created from is bed then yet... an md5sum check on the iso should tell you if its bad or not.

[The Liquidator]

Don't know if it will help but I found that when I upgraded to 4.8 I lost my desktop icons too (in folder view).

What i did to restore them was to right click on the desktop select folder view settings/location and then change from the desktop to any other location. Click apply. Then change it back again to the desktop folder. That brought the icons back for me. So far as switch and launch is concerned, maybe switching to something else and then back again will do it for you.