How to restore a messed up desktop?

[CapraDemon]

The easier the method the better. Why not try this one?

https://www.freecinema2022.gq/forums/other.../#msg40913

Sorry but this doesn't work: I deleted everything from that folder but after the reboot the desktop was stil messed up.

[CapraDemon]

Try first the reply #4 by [member=47]Scott[/member]  to create a new user account and reboot in to this.

Next if needed and you feel confident to try the method by [member=378]misko_2083[/member] try this.
misko has not been around much recently (unfortunately) you need to keep in mind if you get difficulty, you will need to find a member who is able to help at that level of difficulty.

Best to find that person before attempting if you are not confident to do it alone.

I successfully created a new account and transferred all files from the old home folder to the new one. The problem I have now is that I cannot access the PC's separate data partition from the new account because for some reason it's tied to the old account (I can see the name of the old account if I examine the non-functioning link to the data partition).

Now I could try to solve this problem or try misko's solution, it doesn't seem hard (just overwrite some xfce configs of the old account) should it mess up the desktop even more I still have the new account.

P.S. misko's solution (if it works) should be made into an option in linuxlite's menu.

[trinidad]

Most of what's wrong with this can be fixed by just learning how to use the desktop GUI tools. The whisker menu is still there. The panel is still there. Some of what happened is probably because the old CRT monitor only resolves at 640 x 480. Best to leave the panel and menu along the bottom (default) and set icon sizes to 24pixels to start as the 480 (vertical) is awfully cramped, and probably best to only use one desktop. Right click on the panel to begin.

Not sure why you are being advised to resort to the command line here rather than learning how to use the onboard GUI configuration tools. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes to return this to normal and a journey through the desktop tools would be a good thing judging by the mess you have at hand.

As far as all the offered solutions kind of senseless, and probably will do more damage, and given that installing menulibre would solve this and all future issues. Get the the thing back to normal FIRST, then install menulibre and you can restore from messes like this easily in the future.

Adding a new account is not a very brilliant solution either, as the mess will still be there in the other one. Sudo su to root if you really know how to use the desktop, and set it there and mom won't be able to change it except for one session (basically the same restore path for menulibre).

TC

[NN]

...

[CapraDemon]

Most of what's wrong with this can be fixed by just learning how to use the desktop GUI tools. The whisker menu is still there. The panel is still there. Some of what happened is probably because the old CRT monitor only resolves at 640 x 480.

Yeah I figured that, the desktop it's there but it's hidden under the giant panels. The monitor is capable of way more than 640x480, but that's probably the starting resolution (It was set to 1024x768 before this mess started).

Best to leave the panel and menu along the bottom (default) and set icon sizes to 24pixels to start as the 480 (vertical) is awfully cramped, and probably best to only use one desktop. Right click on the panel to begin.

Not sure why you are being advised to resort to the command line here rather than learning how to use the onboard GUI configuration tools. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes to return this to normal and a journey through the desktop tools would be a good thing judging by the mess you have at hand.

As far as all the offered solutions kind of senseless, and probably will do more damage, and given that installing menulibre would solve this and all future issues. Get the the thing back to normal FIRST, then install menulibre and you can restore from messes like this easily in the future.

It would be great if I could manage to return everything to normal only using GUI tools, the problem is that I don't know how. Could you point me towards the tools I should use?

Adding a new account is not a very brilliant solution either, as the mess will still be there in the other one. Sudo su to root if you really know how to use the desktop, and set it there and mom won't be able to change it except for one session (basically the same restore path for menulibre).

TC

I don't know what you mean by "set it there".

Good Luck!

P.S. Just after the fresh installation of a distro and updating/upgrading your PC create a system restore point (by means of Systemback or Timeshift) so that you could recover the system if needed then.

Thank you, if manage to solve this I'll immediately do a system restore point 

[CapraDemon]

I solved it! Thanks to trinidad who pointed me in the right direction: after setting desktop's resolution to the maximum my monitor could allow I started to see the desktop underneath the panels


Then I set the correct dimensions of the taskbar panel and everything's back to normal



Thanks to all of you (the next thing I'll do is a system restore point  )

[elelme]

Thanks, CapraDemon, for including those pictures. Never had this problem, but should it arise,
I will remember how to fix this, thanks to your sharing. Cheers. 

[NN]

...

[trinidad]

[member=7596]CapraDemon[/member] 

Most of the GUI elements like taskbar, panel, whisker menu, etc. in the  XFCE DE have traditional right click menus. The rest of the settings are in the GUI settings menu. The LL XFCE DE is designed to make the user experience simple and intuitive, and in Linux user-land it is relatively durable and forgiving. The LL help manual is one of the best available online for a Linux distro and is the best place to start. Of course your situation is somewhat unique i/e the CRT monitor, but I expect you are happy with the results now, and happy with your own learning experience re-configuring the DE. LL is focused on precisely those things and succeeds exceedingly well there, better than any other Linux distro in my opinion.

TC