I installed Cinnamon by downloading the deb files and running them in the Ubuntu Software Center when the PPA method failed. I tried both the stable and nightly builds, but I got a "Cannot access error." Other PPA's work and the stable PPA works when I try it on my VM. When I log on Cinnamon just crashes and I get the Gnome fallback. updates have done no good towards this (I have had a few after trying to get Cinnamon to work).
I found this log:
Activating service name='org.a11y.atspi.Registry'
[+0.00s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:895: Starting unity-greeter 0.2.9 UID=104 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
[+0.00s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:898: Setting cursor
[+0.00s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:902: Creating background surface
[+0.00s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:905: Loading command line options
[+0.00s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:933: Setting GTK+ settings
Successfully activated service 'org.a11y.atspi.Registry'
** (at-spi2-registryd:8123): WARNING **: Failed to register client: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name org.gnome.SessionManager was not provided by any .service files
** (at-spi2-registryd:8123): WARNING **: Unable to register client with session manager
[+0.03s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:956: Creating Unity Greeter
[+0.03s] DEBUG: Connecting to display manager...
[+0.03s] DEBUG: Wrote 17 bytes to daemon
[+0.03s] DEBUG: Read 8 bytes from daemon
[+0.03s] DEBUG: Read 120 bytes from daemon
[+0.03s] DEBUG: Connected version=1.2.3 default-session=ubuntu show-manual- login=false hide-users=false has-guest-account=true
[+0.08s] DEBUG: menubar.vala:359: LANG=en_US.UTF-8 LANGUAGE=(null)
[+0.09s] CRITICAL: g_error_free: assertion `error != NULL' failed
[+0.09s] DEBUG: get entries
[+0.09s] DEBUG: menubar.vala:541: Adding indicator object 0x1892078 at position 0
[+0.09s] DEBUG: Evaluating bitmask for '%l:%M %p'
[+0.09s] DEBUG: Checking against 2 possible times
[+0.09s] DEBUG: Guessing max time width: 62
[+0.09s] DEBUG: get entries
[+0.09s] DEBUG: menubar.vala:541: Adding indicator object 0x19091b8 at position 1
[+0.09s] WARNING: IndicatorObject class does not have an accessible description.
[+0.10s] WARNING: IndicatorObject class does not have an accessible description.
[+0.10s] DEBUG: get entries
[+0.10s] DEBUG: get entries
[+0.10s] DEBUG: menubar.vala:541: Adding indicator object 0x19830a8 at position 2
[+0.10s] DEBUG: menubar.vala:365: LANG=en_US.UTF-8 LANGUAGE=(null)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: Loaded session /usr/share/xsessions/cinnamon.desktop (Cinnamon, This session logs you into Cinnamon)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: Loaded session /usr/share/xsessions/mate.desktop (MATE, This session logs you into MATE)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: Loaded session /usr/share/xsessions/gnome-classic.desktop (GNOME Classic, This session logs you into GNOME with the traditional panel)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: Ignoring session /usr/share/xsessions/gnome-shell.desktop
[+0.10s] DEBUG: Loaded session /usr/share/xsessions/ssh.desktop (Secure Remote connection, This session logs you into a remote host using ssh)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: Loaded session /usr/share/xsessions/cinnamon2d.desktop (Cinnamon (Software Rendering), This session logs you into Cinnamon (using software rendering))
[+0.10s] DEBUG: Loaded session /usr/share/xsessions/ubuntu-2d.desktop (Ubuntu 2D, This session logs you into Ubuntu 2D Mode)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: Loaded session /usr/share/xsessions/ubuntu.desktop (Ubuntu, This session logs you into Ubuntu)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: Ignoring session /usr/share/xsessions/gnome.desktop
[+0.10s] DEBUG: Loaded session /usr/share/xsessions/gnome-fallback.desktop (GNOME Classic (No effects), This session logs you into GNOME with the traditional panel without any graphical effect.)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: session-chooser.vala:42: Adding session cinnamon (Cinnamon)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: session-chooser.vala:42: Adding session cinnamon2d (Cinnamon (Software Rendering))
[+0.10s] DEBUG: session-chooser.vala:42: Adding session gnome-classic (GNOME Classic)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: session-chooser.vala:42: Adding session gnome-fallback (GNOME Classic (No effects))
[+0.10s] DEBUG: session-chooser.vala:42: Adding session mate (MATE)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: session-chooser.vala:42: Adding session ssh (Secure Remote connection)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: session-chooser.vala:42: Adding session ubuntu (Ubuntu)
[+0.10s] DEBUG: session-chooser.vala:42: Adding session ubuntu-2d (Ubuntu 2D)
[+0.16s] DEBUG: Setting keyboard layout to 'us'
[+0.19s] DEBUG: main-window.vala:98: Screen is 1920x1080 pixels
[+0.19s] DEBUG: main-window.vala:104: Monitor 0 is 1920x1080 pixels at 0,0
[+0.20s] DEBUG: Loading users from org.freedesktop.Accounts
[+0.20s] DEBUG: Loading user /org/freedesktop/Accounts/User1000
[+0.23s] DEBUG: Loading sessions from org.freedesktop.DisplayManager
[+0.23s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:332: Adding/updating user raiderzulu (RaiderZulu)
[+0.23s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:189: Adding guest account entry
[+0.28s] DEBUG: Starting authentication for user raiderzulu...
[+0.28s] DEBUG: Wrote 26 bytes to daemon
[+0.28s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:959: Showing greeter
[+0.28s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:357: Showing main window
[+0.28s] DEBUG: New style for time label
[+0.28s] DEBUG: Evaluating bitmask for '%l:%M %p'
[+0.28s] DEBUG: Checking against 2 possible times
[+0.28s] DEBUG: Guessing max time width: 62
[+0.30s] DEBUG: background.vala:315: Regenerating backgrounds
[+0.30s] DEBUG: background.vala:67: Making background /media/DraftHorse/Windows/Web/Wallpaper/Alienware/Chrome-Red.jpg at 1920x1080
[+0.30s] DEBUG: New style for time label
[+0.30s] DEBUG: Evaluating bitmask for '%l:%M %p'
[+0.30s] DEBUG: Checking against 2 possible times
[+0.30s] DEBUG: Guessing max time width: 62
[+0.30s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:972: Starting main loop
[+0.30s] DEBUG: Read 8 bytes from daemon
[+0.30s] DEBUG: Read 40 bytes from daemon
[+0.30s] DEBUG: Prompt user with 1 message(s)
[+0.32s] WARNING: Getting layout failed: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod: No such interface `com.canonical.dbusmenu' on object at path /com/canonical/indicator/users/menu
[+0.32s] DEBUG: unity-greeter.vala:315: starting system-ready sound
[+0.79s] DEBUG: Setting keyboard layout to 'us'
[+0.82s] DEBUG: Num devices: '2'
[+0.82s] DEBUG: get_primary_device: got data from object /org/freedesktop/UPower/devices/line_power_ACAD
[+0.82s] DEBUG: get_primary_device: got data from object /org/freedesktop/UPower/devices/battery_BAT1
[+0.82s] DEBUG: put_primary_device: got data from object /org/freedesktop/UPower/devices/battery_BAT1
[+0.82s] DEBUG: set_accessible_desc: setting accessible description to 'Battery (2 minutes to charge (79%))'
[+0.82s] DEBUG: Num devices: '2'
[+0.82s] DEBUG: menu_add_device: got data from object /org/freedesktop/UPower/devices/line_power_ACAD
[+0.82s] DEBUG: menu_add_device: got data from object /org/freedesktop/UPower/devices/battery_BAT1
[+0.82s] DEBUG: icon_policy is: 0 (present==0, charge==1, never==2)
[+0.82s] DEBUG: count_batteries found 1 batteries (1 are charging/discharging)
[+0.82s] DEBUG: should_be_visible: yes
[+0.82s] DEBUG: refresh_entry_accessible_desc: setting entry 0x17f25f8 accessible description to 'Battery (2 minutes to charge (79%))'
[+0.82s] DEBUG: get entries
[+0.82s] DEBUG: get entries
[+0.82s] DEBUG: get entries
[+0.82s] DEBUG: menubar.vala:541: Adding indicator object 0x17f25f8 at position 2
[+0.82s] DEBUG: notify visible signal received
[+0.82s] CRITICAL: ido_calendar_menu_item_set_date: assertion `IDO_IS_CALENDAR_MENU_ITEM(menuitem)' failed
[+0.82s] DEBUG: Connected to Application Indicator Service.
[+0.82s] DEBUG: New calendar item
[+0.83s] DEBUG: background.vala:116: Render of background /media/DraftHorse/Windows/Web/Wallpaper/Alienware/Chrome-Red.jpg complete
[+0.84s] DEBUG: indicator-sound: new_volume_slider_widget
[+0.84s] DEBUG: indicator-sound: new_voip_slider_widget
[+0.84s] DEBUG: Request current apps
[+3.06s] DEBUG: Providing response to display manager
[+3.06s] DEBUG: Wrote 22 bytes to daemon
[+3.12s] DEBUG: Read 8 bytes from daemon
[+3.12s] DEBUG: Read 22 bytes from daemon
[+3.12s] DEBUG: Authentication complete for user raiderzulu with return code 0
[+3.12s] DEBUG: Starting session cinnamon
[+3.12s] DEBUG: Wrote 20 bytes to daemon
[+3.12s] DEBUG: Read 8 bytes from daemon
[+3.12s] DEBUG: Read 4 bytes from daemon
Whether it is the right one or not I do not know, but it does seem to have something from the crash. I am running Ubuntu along side Win7 Ultimate on an Alienware M18x R2 with three drives installed. Drive 0 is the drive with all of the bootable partitions and the other two are set up as semi-permanent storage drives (formatted in NTFS) that are meant to be replaced when they get full. Other than that it is a fairly stock machine. The processor is a (taken straight from the system spec reader) Intel® Core™ i7-3840QM CPU @ 2.80GHz with a pair of GeForce GTX 680M's running together (I am actually not sure if SLI is active or not) and 32 GiB of RAM installed. I have gotten MATE to work, but I need Cinnamon to really function properly.
