mysterious "plasma-desktop" window

[Krampusz]

Hi, I've just installed a new system a few days ago and am still trying to work out some kinks. While doing so a new issue appeared and I can't figure out what caused it. I tried searching the forums, but couldn't find a similar problem. Here it is:
When I start up the system, KDE runs fine, but for some reason a small window named "plasma-desktop" appears. I can close it, it disappears, but when I restart the system it appears again. Can someone tell me where this is coming from and how I can get rid of it? I enclose a screenshot so you can see what I am talking about (the window is the small one in the upper left corner)

[GreyGeek]

That looks like a second panel. Do you have a panel showing at the default location (the bottom of the screen)? If so then right mouse on the top panel choose "unlock widgets' and then choose panel options. Then choose "remove this panel".

[claydoh]

Actually, it may be an artifact from a previous desktop session. By default, KDE restores the previous desktop session - including the programs that were open. Sometimes, whatever file containing this info can be corrupted, and you find this phantom taskbar item. You can fix this by going in to System Settings >> Startup and Shutdown >> Desktop Session and select "Start with an empty session". Next time you log out, and back in you should no longer see this, and you can then go back and change the setting back to what it was before.

[Krampusz]

Thank you GreyGeek and claydoh for the help! I had thought about claydoh's suggestion and tried it without results (in fact after trying exactly that, I tried saving the session after closing the window and various combinations). Regarding the panel, there is no secondary panel. However, it gave me an idea. Removing the task manager from the panel solved the issue, but when I added a new task manager, it came back. Somehow it is a residual artifact, but I still don't know how to get rid of it....

[GreyGeek]

You could rename ~/.kde to ~/.kde_old and then log out and log back in. A new ~/.kde directory with a clean config will be created. Then you can customize it to suit yourself.

[Krampusz]

You could rename ~/.kde to ~/.kde_old and then log out and log back in. A new ~/.kde directory with a clean config will be created. Then you can customize it to suit yourself.

Thanks GreyGeek. This did it. For a while I tried finding the offending piece, but even after removing all kinds of stuff (from under .kde) related to desktop did not help. The nuclear option solved it. Thanks!

[GreyGeek]

IF you are curios you could install kdiff3 and compare the ~/.kde_old with the new ~/.kde and see what the differences are.

[Krampusz]

Just in case anyone is facing the same issue. I think I figured out what caused this. Here is how the error can be replicated (at least on my machine): If you install iBus, the default is that it places itself into the system tray. If in the system tray settings you choose to hide the iBus panel, then on the next reboot this crazy little window appears. The way to get rid of it is not to hide the iBus panel, but in the iBus settings untick the "add to system tray" choice.

[GreyGeek]

Nice detective work!