Unity isn't starting on 13.10 (with Cinnamon 2.0 installed) [duplicate]

Question

Since upgrading to 13.10, I can't log in to unity desktop. Light dm works correctly, but attempting to log in tries to start the session then drops back to light. I've already dropped to terminal (ctrl+alt+f2) and done this:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop

sudo apt-get install unity

Logging in as a guest session also fails. Logging in to other window managers works with varying degrees of success.

Note: I have Cinnamon 2.0 installed from PPA.

I'm using a 2 monitor setup.

Also of note is that the session prior to my upgrade to 13.10 the background of unity failed to display at all, instead showing what was there in the screen buffer from the previous frame. The entire OS worked correctly otherwise though, so I just ignored it for the session. No other upgrades or even updates were done prior to this occurring.

My upgrade path to 13.10 was basically this: Install 13.04 alongside Windows 7, use ubuntu as a glorified web browser for a while, get updates (in preparation for 13.10), install 13.10.

I also used Unity Tweak Tool to change some aspects of unity, particularly auto-hide.

Any help or ideas would be appreciated, as I'm typing this on my phone :(

Answer 1

After some research it seems to be that Unity in 13.10 has serious issues if Cinnamon 2.0 is installed. I don't have a full answer yet, but I at least have some more things to try now.

OK I found an answer! Unfortunately it means removing cinnamon entirely, but until it doesn't mess up unity I'll have to hold off.

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge
sudo apt-get purge --auto-remove cinnamon
sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get update -f
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
sudo apt-get remove .*cinnamon.*
sudo apt-get remove .*nemo.*

Reboot and everything should be working! It's likely that not all of these steps are needed, but that's what I did to resolve the issue.

Answer 2

FIX :

Start ubuntu and login

now in the blackscreen go to the terminal :

ctrl-alt-f1

type

nautilus  

and enter, error? no problem........ now type

unity   

and enter error? np now without exiting or stoping the unity comand return to the ubuntu interface
in my pc is ctrl-alt-f7 , then now you can open terminal:

ctrl-aLT-t

and type

nautilus

nautilus will open ( DO NOT CLOSE NAUTILUS ), now open another terminal without closing nautilus terminal, and type

sudo software-properties-gtk

search for graphic drivers .... my problem was the default drivers of X.org

I have an ati video card and I installed the drivers of fglrx-updates if you have nvidia install the drivers of nvidia or if you have ati install the one that i installed, then reboot

after login u will see nautilus running well and the wallpaper the only thing not working is unity...

open terminal and type:

dconf reset -f /org/compiz/
setsid unity

thats it.

I hope this fix your problem.

Answer 3

I had a similar problem. After the upgrade, no dash, no unity menu, only the desktop screen. All I could do was ctrl-alt-t for terminal or of course alt-f1 etc. I tried all of the fixes mentioned here and elsewhere without any change. Finally I ran the unity-tweak-tool --reset-unity and that didn't do anything (though I forgot to reboot). So I ran unity-tweak-tool from the terminal window and manually reset to default each of the setting screen. I then rebooted and now unity is running fine. I had tweaked somethings in 13.04, however I thought it wasn't much (icon package, some of the dash behaviors, touchpad behaviour). Hope this might help someone.

Answer 4

I had similar issue after installing cinnamon desktop, unity doesn't start.

Removed cinnamon completely and that's all, just logout no need to reboot.

Answer 5

I revived my Unity with these steps:

1. Open a terminal, type: sudo apt-get purge alacarte caribou cinnamon cinnamon-bluetooth cinnamon-common cinnamon-control-center cinnamon-control-center-data cinnamon-desktop-data cinnamon-screensaver cinnamon-session cinnamon-settings-daemon cinnamon-translations cjs gir1.2-accountsservice-1.0 gir1.2-caribou-1.0 gir1.2-cinnamondesktop-3.0 gir1.2-clutter-1.0 gir1.2-cogl-1.0 gir1.2-coglpango-1.0 gir1.2-gkbd-3.0 gir1.2-gtkclutter-1.0 gir1.2-json-1.0 gir1.2-muffin-3.0 gir1.2-panelapplet-4.0 gir1.2-polkit-1.0 gir1.2-upowerglib-1.0 gir1.2-xkl-1.0 gnome-applets gnome-applets-data gnome-icon-theme-full gnome-media gnome-panel gnome-panel-data gnome-session-flashback gnome-themes-standard gnome-themes-standard-data gtk2-engines-pixbuf indicator-applet-complete libcaribou-common libcaribou0 libcinnamon-control-center1 libcinnamon-desktop0 libcjs0c libgnome-media-profiles-3.0-0 libmozjs185-1.0 libmuffin0 libnemo-extension1 libopencv-calib3d2.4 libopencv-contrib2.4 libopencv-core2.4 libopencv-features2d2.4 libopencv-flann2.4 libopencv-highgui2.4 libopencv-imgproc2.4 libopencv-legacy2.4 libopencv-ml2.4 libopencv-objdetect2.4 libopencv-photo2.4 libopencv-video2.4 libpanel-applet-4-0 libtbb2 mesa-utils metacity muffin-common nemo nemo-data nemo-fileroller notification-daemon python-opencv python-pyatspi

2. After it is finished: sudo apt-get autoremove --purge

3. After these, type: sudo apt-get install gnome-shell

4. Restart, it will work from now on: you can log in to Unity by choosing on LightDM login screen.