Recently I updated Kubuntu 15.04 and now I have no Kmenu, no taskbar, and I'm surviving on remembering names and commands in terminal (that's how I start dolphin for example).

So I assume I have to re-install some packages (muon starts muon package manager in terminal) or un-install them first. Is that right?

What should I explore first? Logs?

tia

don't know K but would try reinstalling plasma-workspace and plasma-desktop and if that doesn't work any installed package starting with plasma*

you do have a panel? widgets?

have you tested a new user?

No. no panel, no widgets, no desktop. the alt-F2 quick command line come up but commands typed and entered do anything.

search in muon is not working too, have to find plasma etc by hand

I will now test a new user and maybe GNOME, rebooting now.

sounds like a failed/corrupted upgrade and you should re-do a full upgrade with apt including a refresh of the ppa's, and make make sure you have proper ppa's being used

okay, it was an update rather than an upgrade, but I take your point

un and re installed plasma-workspace and plasma-desktop, no change after reboot

I thought I had GNOME as an option at log-in but that must have been a previous incarnation. Won't bother with the new user.

I'll go for an upgrade after all due diligence.

starting from the command line kmenuedit brings forth the following (just for the record)

Executable: kmenuedit PID: 3802 Signal: Segmentation fault (11) Time: 22/01/2016 10:39:48

Code: Select all

Application: KDE Menu Editor (kmenuedit), signal: Segmentation fault
Using host libthread_db library "/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libthread_db.so.1".
[Current thread is 1 (Thread 0x7fa66087e800 (LWP 3802))]

Thread 2 (Thread 0x7fa64d737700 (LWP 3803)):
#0  0x00007fa6603308dd in poll () at ../sysdeps/unix/syscall-template.S:81
#1  0x00007fa656f49b72 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libxcb.so.1
#2  0x00007fa656f4b64f in xcb_wait_for_event () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libxcb.so.1
#3  0x00007fa64f65b099 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/platforms/libqxcb.so
#4  0x00007fa65cb49b0e in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#5  0x00007fa65c5806aa in start_thread (arg=0x7fa64d737700) at pthread_create.c:333
#6  0x00007fa66033beed in clone () at ../sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/x86_64/clone.S:109

Thread 1 (Thread 0x7fa66087e800 (LWP 3802)):
[KCrash Handler]
#6  0x00007fa65cc87f5c in QDataStream::operator>>(int&) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#7  0x00007fa65eac3a25 in KServiceGroupFactory::KServiceGroupFactory() () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5Service.so.5
#8  0x00007fa65eac3ba2 in KServiceGroupFactory::self() () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5Service.so.5
#9  0x00007fa65eabf0c0 in KServiceGroup::root() () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5Service.so.5
#10 0x00007fa660622526 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libkdeinit5_kmenuedit.so
#11 0x00007fa66062331f in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libkdeinit5_kmenuedit.so
#12 0x00007fa66062b1b3 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libkdeinit5_kmenuedit.so
#13 0x00007fa66062b59c in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libkdeinit5_kmenuedit.so
#14 0x00007fa660617249 in kdemain () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libkdeinit5_kmenuedit.so
#15 0x00007fa660255a40 in __libc_start_main (main=0x400720 <main>, argc=1, argv=0x7ffe4a7f8ca8, init=<optimized out>, fini=<optimized out>, rtld_fini=<optimized out>, stack_end=0x7ffe4a7f8c98) at libc-start.c:289
#16 0x0000000000400759 in _start ()


update fubar.

The problem apparently isn't in some particular application, but (at least) in the kservice lib.

Either you mixed up several ppa and now eg. load an old lib from lib/x86_64-linux-gnu or, have an broken lib on disc, ubuntu again happily truncated something where it should have installed it (rebooted?) or (the typical "i shot myself" case) lack write permissions in your home dir (resp. a home dir at all)

I've installed kubuntu 15.10 wily succesfully from a USB iso, but there is still no kmenu (whatever the start menu is called) or taskbar (whatever it is called.


But the good news is that alt-F2 now brings up a functional quick command line thingo. So I now have access to the system settings (But now I can create a new user via gui). But I could find nothing there that might been turned off. Lotsa purty control stuff though.


_________________________________________
Can confirm that a new user has the kickoff launcher and taskbar
_______________________________________

It would be good if I knew the names of things... goes googling... the launcher I had is called Kickoff
see https://userbase.kde.org/Plasma_application_launchers

Reading
https://userbase.kde.org/Plasma/Kickoff
no obvious way to get to it's setting without it running, doesn't apear via alt-F2 (whatever that is called)
Kickoff is still *poof*


hmm should I install a different launcher?

lancelot maybe, https://userbase.kde.org/Lancelot/Discover_Lancelot

goes to muon discover, nope

hmmm, tries google

apparently should be available as as plasma-widget-lancelot in muon package manager,

no package manager, install package manager from muon discover,

no plasma-widget-lancelot in muon package manager listed...

Screen captures of my depositories/sources:-

in Muon discover


and in Muon Package Manager

I can confirm that a new user has Kickoff and taskbar.

What setting config file do I need to nuke in my user? To bring it back for me?

OMG!

I minimized all windows and right-clicked on the black 'desktop' it brought up a menu and I added a default panel, and it has come back!