Hi,

My Windows machine crashed a couple of weeks ago, so I installed Ubuntu 12.4. Not sure why I used that version, but I did, and I had KDE running fine on it. Yesterday I was prompted to install an update for Kubuntu and ... well, everything crashed.

This morning I have freshly installed Ubuntu 14.4 and everything went well on install - I chose the option to retain all my old files. I then installed kde-full, and that went well as well. However, at the log in screen I log in as KDE *Plasma*, the splash screen comes up, then I get a "bouncing cog" and the screen goes blank. I can log out and back in again using the standard Ubuntu settings, but nothing lets me log in succesfully as KDE.

Any help/suggestions gratefuly received. I'm not a techno geek so what I really need is something that points to an update I can just click on (if possible) or a simple set of instructions I can run in console.

Thanks,
Adam.

This sounds like something related to the upgrade of your distro so I've moved the topic to Linux.

First thing you can try is to make a new user and try to log in with it. Then we'll know if it's due to your config files, or if your system is broken.

Thanks for replying.

I logged in as guest, on a KDE session, and it worked. I then logged back in as my own account and it didn't work.

Would it be quicker and easier just to create a new user account?

Thanks.

Probably some ABI incompatible plugin (from a PPA etc.) that wasn't updated.
It will be kwin or plasma - move away ~/.kde/share/config/kwinrc and ~/.kde/share/config/plasma* (do NOT delete them for the moment) and try to login.
If it works, you can add back one of them (NOT while running the session) and see whether it's the culprit.
Once figured, and in case you're interested, you could paste it somewhere to see whether somebody knows which module is likely the cause.

It might also be helpful to know if Dr Konqi is able to launch for either - if it is an incompatible plugin or something similar then a backtrace should make it possible to pinpoint the cause of the breakage.

Hi guys,

Thanks again. I disconnected two PPAs (Widelands and 0ad) by removing them completely from the "other sources" menu.

The other things you speak of ... I'm completely lost ... sorry. Perhaps if you can talk me through either of those suggestions I may get a better understanding.

Thanks again,
Adam.

Those (games) will rather not be related. (Also the ABI incompatible plugin -if- would already be installed)

Ben wondered whether there's a dialog "blahfoobar crashed" when you attmept to log in.

Something else:
does the screen come back when you press "Shift+Alt+F12" (this suspends the compositor - Ubuntu might have changed the graphics driver, eg. from nvidia to nouveau or radeon to fglrx or similar)
Though this should affect any user, maybe it's some particular effect/setting that causes such failure.

No dialog about anything crashing on logging in. However, a little window poppoed up on the blank scree for a few seconds - Examining file/trash, and disappeared shortly afterwards.

I tried Shift/Alt/F12 and nothing happened either.

Can you try pressing "Alt + F2" and see if a little box appears at the top of the screen?
This is KRunner. Using it, can you run "Konsole"?

Once Konsole opens, can you try entering in "plasma-desktop" and pressing enter?
That should hopefully cause your desktop to appear.

If it doesn't, can you paste the output which is now contained in the Konsole window here?

Hiya,

Well, something happened. I managed to get an output for the failure to load, but it means nothing to me:

adam@KLaptop:~$ plasma-desktop QDBusConnection: session D-Bus connection created before QCoreApplication. Application may misbehave. QDBusConnection: session D-Bus connection created before QCoreApplication. Application may misbehave. QDBusObjectPath: invalid path "" plasma-desktop(4319): ""geometry" - conversion of "66,4,0,27" to QRectF failed" plasma-desktop(4319): ""geometry" - conversion of "66,4,0,27" to QRectF failed" plasma-desktop(4319): ""geometry" - conversion of "66,4,0,27" to QRectF failed" plasma-desktop(4319): ""geometry" - conversion of "66,4,0,27" to QRectF failed" plasma-desktop(4319)/libplasma Plasma::isPluginVersionCompatible: unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability plasma-desktop(4319)/libplasma Plasma::isPluginVersionCompatible: unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability plasma-desktop(4319)/libplasma Plasma::isPluginVersionCompatible: unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability plasma-desktop(4319)/libplasma Plasma::isPluginVersionCompatible: unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability plasma-desktop(4319)/libplasma Plasma::isPluginVersionCompatible: unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability plasma-desktop(4319): ""geometry" - conversion of "66,4,0,27" to QRectF failed" plasma-desktop(4319)/libplasma Plasma::PackagePrivate::isValid: Could not find required file mainscript adam@KLaptop:~$ ========================> 7 0 plasma-desktop(4319)/kdecore (KConfigSkeleton) KCoreConfigSkeleton::writeConfig: static bool QDeclarativeMetaType::isModule(const QByteArray&, int, int) Qt 4.7 import detected; please note that Qt 4.7 is directly reusable as QtQuick 1.x with no code changes. Continuing, but startup time will be slower. plasma-desktop(4319)/kdecore (KConfigSkeleton) KCoreConfigSkeleton::writeConfig: plasma-desktop(4319)/kdecore (KConfigSkeleton) KCoreConfigSkeleton::writeConfig: plasma-desktop(4319)/kdecore (KConfigSkeleton) KCoreConfigSkeleton::writeConfig: plasma-desktop(4319) MessageIndicator::adjustViewSize: No parentWidget for applet widget()! plasma-desktop(4319) MessageIndicator::adjustViewSize: No parentWidget for applet widget()! plasma-desktop(4319) MessageIndicator::adjustViewSize: No parentWidget for applet widget()! NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::SettingsPrivate::init() : New Connections list NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::SettingsPrivate::init() : "/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Settings/3" NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::SettingsPrivate::init() : "/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Settings/4" NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::SettingsPrivate::init() : "/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Settings/0" NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::SettingsPrivate::init() : "/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Settings/1" NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::SettingsPrivate::init() : "/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Settings/2" NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::SettingsPrivate::init() : New Connections list NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::NetworkManagerPrivate::init() : Active connections: NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::NetworkManagerPrivate::init() : Device list NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::NetworkManagerPrivate::init() : "/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/0" NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::NetworkManagerPrivate::init() : "/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/1" NetworkManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void NetworkManager::NetworkManagerPrivate::init() : "/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/2" ModemManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void ModemManager::ModemManagerPrivate::init() : Adding device "/org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Modem/0" ModemManagerQt "plasma-desktop" ( 4319 ) void ModemDevicePrivate::initInterfaces() : "/org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Modem/0" has interfaces: (0, 1, 2, 4, 5) Object::connect: No such signal org::freedesktop::UPower::DeviceAdded(QDBusObjectPath) Object::connect: No such signal org::freedesktop::UPower::DeviceRemoved(QDBusObjectPath) file:///usr/lib/kde4/imports/org/kde/plasma/components/SectionScroller.qml:103: TypeError: Result of expression 'listView' [null] is not an object. file:///usr/lib/kde4/imports/org/kde/plasma/components/SectionScroller.qml:175: ReferenceError: Can't find variable: sectionsRepeater file:///usr/lib/kde4/imports/org/kde/plasma/components/SectionScroller.qml:103: Error: Cannot assign [undefined] to QString file:///usr/share/kde4/apps/plasma/plasmoids/notifier/contents/ui/devicenotifier.qml:224:13: QML QDeclarativeListView_QML_116: Possible anchor loop detected on fill. file:///usr/share/kde4/apps/plasma/plasmoids/notifier/contents/ui/devicenotifier.qml:224:13: QML QDeclarativeListView_QML_116: Possible anchor loop detected on fill. file:///usr/share/kde4/apps/plasma/plasmoids/notifier/contents/ui/devicenotifier.qml:224:13: QML QDeclarativeListView_QML_116: Possible anchor loop detected on fill. file:///usr/share/kde4/apps/plasma/plasmoids/notifier/contents/ui/devicenotifier.qml:224:13: QML QDeclarativeListView_QML_116: Possible anchor loop detected on fill. file:///usr/share/kde4/apps/plasma/plasmoids/notifier/contents/ui/devicenotifier.qml:224:13: QML QDeclarativeListView_QML_116: Possible anchor loop detected on fill. file:///usr/share/kde4/apps/plasma/plasmoids/notifier/contents/ui/devicenotifier.qml:224:13: QML QDeclarativeListView_QML_116: Possible anchor loop detected on fill. file:///usr/share/kde4/apps/plasma/plasmoids/notifier/contents/ui/devicenotifier.qml:224:13: QML QDeclarativeListView_QML_116: Possible anchor loop detected on fill. plasma-desktop(4319)/kdecore (KConfigSkeleton) KCoreConfigSkeleton::writeConfig: plasma-desktop(4319)/kdecore (KConfigSkeleton) KCoreConfigSkeleton::writeConfig: file:///usr/share/kde4/apps/plasma/plasmoids/battery/contents/ui/CompactRepresentation.qml:73:9: QML Column: Cannot specify top, bottom, verticalCenter, fill or centerIn anchors for items inside Column plasma-desktop(4319)/plasma StatusNotifierItemSource::refreshCallback: DBusMenu disabled for this application plasma-desktop(4319)/kdecore (services) KServiceFactory::findServiceByDesktopPath: "" not found Object::disconnect: No such slot QObject::dataUpdated(QString,Plasma::DataEngine::Data) Object::disconnect: (sender name: 'PowerDevil') Object::disconnect: (receiver name: 'DataSource') Object::disconnect: No such slot QObject::dataUpdated(QString,Plasma::DataEngine::Data) Object::disconnect: (sender name: 'Battery0') Object::disconnect: (receiver name: 'DataSource') Object::disconnect: No such slot QObject::dataUpdated(QString,Plasma::DataEngine::Data) Object::disconnect: (sender name: 'Battery') Object::disconnect: (receiver name: 'DataSource') Object::disconnect: No such slot QObject::dataUpdated(QString,Plasma::DataEngine::Data) Object::disconnect: (sender name: 'AC Adapter') Object::disconnect: (receiver name: 'DataSource') Object::disconnect: No such slot QObject::dataUpdated(QString,Plasma::DataEngine::Data) Object::disconnect: (sender name: 'Sleep States') Object::disconnect: (receiver name: 'DataSource') Object::disconnect: No such slot QObject::dataUpdated(QString,Plasma::DataEngine::Data) Object::disconnect: (sender name: 'UserActivity') Object::disconnect: (receiver name: 'DataSource') "

Hope you can help,
Thanks,
Adam.

That looks like fairly normal output - you should definitely be getting a desktop with that.
Could you try moving the files plasmarc, plasma-desktoprc, plasma-desktop-appletsrc elsewhere? They can be found at ~/.kde4/share/config or ~/.kde/share/config depending on your distribution.

Thanks all for help and replies.

In the end I realised that as I had updated 12.04 to 14.04 there would be some issues with many things, especially the issue with mscorefonts-installer.

In the end I completely wiped my hard drive and did a fresh install ... everything is now working smoothly.

Cheers,
Adam.

Okay, thanks for the update.