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When I use gksudo nautilus to browse folders that are owned by root, my Ubuntu desktop returns to some kind of default setting - changing my wallpaper and displaying desktop icons (which I don't usually display). However, without manually changing the settings, I cannot find a way to make the settings return to my own preferences after closing the root file browser.

Is there any way to do this? I tried quitting then restarting Nautilus from the terminal but that doesn't work.

Note: I am using Ubuntu 10.04.

Edit: At Scaine's request, here is the output of gksudo nautilus:

(gksudo:20400): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory scalable/places/mimetypes of theme Se-interface-green has no size field


(gksudo:20400): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory scalable/devices/scalable/emblems of theme Se-interface-green has no size field

Initializing nautilus-gdu extension
Initializing nautilus-dropbox 0.6.7
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  • Sounds like a bug. Can you try running sudo nautilus from a terminal and posting any output you see there?
    – Scaine
    Dec 19, 2010 at 22:15
  • not that it should make a difference, but try not using gksudo, and use gksu instead.
    – RolandiXor
    Dec 19, 2010 at 22:30
  • Err, gksudo is a symbolic link to gksu.
    – htorque
    Dec 19, 2010 at 23:22

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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It sounds to me like somehow nautilus is running as root and replacing yourdesktop. Normally this should not happen.

However, here is a likely solution. Use:

gksu nautilus --no-desktop

when launching nautilus as root.

If you get the problem of your desktop being altered as before, run:

gksu killall nautilus

or from a terminal:

sudo killall nautilus

.

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5
  • Tried the killall command from terminal and it didn't do anything. When I tried the no-desktop command, I get an error "Could find /home/username/no-desktop"
    – Saladin Akara
    Dec 19, 2010 at 22:24
  • try it again, I had an error in my answer.
    – RolandiXor
    Dec 19, 2010 at 22:29
  • No change with the killall commands again. And when trying --no-desktop it outputs an error: "gksu: unrecognised option '--no-desktop'"
    – Saladin Akara
    Dec 19, 2010 at 22:32
  • this should be the proper solution. the "problem" is nautilus's default nature of displaying the launching user's desktop. disable it by using the --no-desktop parameter when you first use gksudo nautilus --no-desktop
    – Joshua K
    Dec 20, 2010 at 4:28
  • are you running gksu --no-desktop? instead of gksu *nautilus* --no-desktop? You run --no-desktop alone...
    – RolandiXor
    Dec 20, 2010 at 12:58
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This should never happen however

To resolve you can restart nautilus

Open the Terminal (Ctrl-Alt-T) and type

nautilus -q

Then hit enter

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