lost panel and launcher

This may seem a minor problem, but all I have available is Firefox, so to me it is major, something that has not happened to me since Ii started using Linux in 2007.

Thank you for taking time in filing bug, to make ubuntu better
1). Is this bug reproduce able?
2). Is so than activate the apport service and it will automaticlly collect the information of the crash and you just filed it..
to activate apport go into terminal and write
    sudo service apport start force_start=1

Thanks for getting back to me. I cannot reproduce the problem, as I have NOTHING other than this Firefox to work with. I cannot launch terminal or any thing else.

In another related problem I found these commands, I tried them and I still do not have my complete desktop back:

emanuel@EAlaptop:~$ gconftool-2 --recursive-unset /apps/compiz-1
emanuel@EAlaptop:~$ unity --reset
unity-panel-service: no process found
Checking if settings need to be migrated ...no
Checking if internal files need to be migrated ...no
Backend : gconf
Integration : true
Profile : default
Adding plugins
Skipping upgrade com.canonical.unity.unity.01.upgrade
Skipping upgrade com.canonical.unity.unity.02.upgrade
Initializing core options...done
Initializing bailer options...done
Initializing detection options...done
Initializing composite options...done
Initializing opengl options...done
Initializing decor options...done
Initializing mousepoll options...done
Initializing vpswitch options...done
Initializing animation options...done
Initializing snap options...done
compiz (expo) - Warn: failed to bind image to texture
Initializing expo options...done
Initializing move options...done
Initializing place options...done
Initializing grid options...done
Initializing gnomecompat options...done
Initializing wall options...done
Initializing ezoom options...done
Initializing workarounds options...done
Initializing staticswitcher options...[ERROR]: Option "next_button" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "next_key" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "prev_button" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "prev_key" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "next_all_button" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "next_all_key" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "prev_all_button" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "prev_all_key" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "next_group_button" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "next_group_key" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "prev_group_button" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "prev_group_key" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "next_no_popup_button" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "next_no_popup_key" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "prev_no_popup_button" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "prev_no_popup_key" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "next_panel_button" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "next_panel_key" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "prev_panel_button" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "prev_panel_key" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "speed" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "timestep" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "window_match" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "minimized" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "auto_change_vp" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "popup_delay" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "mouse_select" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "saturation" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "brightness" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "opacity" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "icon" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "icon_only" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "mipmap" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "row_align" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "focus_on_switch" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "bring_to_front" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "highlight_mode" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "highlight_rect_hidden" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "highlight_color" already defined
[ERROR]: Option "highlight_border_color" already defined
[ERROR]: Option ...

I also managed to execute this command:

sudo service apport start force_start=1

Hope all of this helps to correct my problem

A suggesttion was made using terminal to restart gdm. I tried various methods but all failed, here is a log of the attempts:

emanuel@EAlaptop:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart
[sudo] password for emanuel:
Rather than invoking init scripts through /etc/init.d, use the service(8)
utility, e.g. service gdm restart

Since the script you are attempting to invoke has been converted to an
Upstart job, you may also use the stop(8) and then start(8) utilities,
e.g. stop gdm ; start gdm. The restart(8) utility is also available.
gdm start/running, process 2183
emanuel@EAlaptop:~$ gdm start/running, process 2183

** (gdm-binary:2310): WARNING **: Failed to acquire org.gnome.DisplayManager: Connection ":1.82" is not allowed to own the service "org.gnome.DisplayManager" due to security policies in the configuration file

** (gdm-binary:2310): WARNING **: Could not acquire name; bailing out
emanuel@EAlaptop:~$ service gdm restart
restart: Rejected send message, 1 matched rules; type="method_call", sender=":1.83" (uid=1000 pid=2312 comm="restart gdm ") interface="com.ubuntu.Upstart0_6.Job" member="Restart" error name="(unset)" requested_reply="0" destination="com.ubuntu.Upstart" (uid=0 pid=1 comm="/sbin/init")
emanuel@EAlaptop:~$ stop gdm; start gdm
stop: Rejected send message, 1 matched rules; type="method_call", sender=":1.84" (uid=1000 pid=2317 comm="stop gdm ") interface="com.ubuntu.Upstart0_6.Job" member="Stop" error name="(unset)" requested_reply="0" destination="com.ubuntu.Upstart" (uid=0 pid=1 comm="/sbin/init")
start: Rejected send message, 1 matched rules; type="method_call", sender=":1.85" (uid=1000 pid=2318 comm="start gdm ") interface="com.ubuntu.Upstart0_6.Job" member="Start" error name="(unset)" requested_reply="0" destination="com.ubuntu.Upstart" (uid=0 pid=1 comm="/sbin/init")
emanuel@EAlaptop:~$ gdm start/running, process 2183

** (gdm-binary:2320): WARNING **: Failed to acquire org.gnome.DisplayManager: Connection ":1.86" is not allowed to own the service "org.gnome.DisplayManager" due to security policies in the configuration file

** (gdm-binary:2320): WARNING **: Could not acquire name; bailing out
emanuel@EAlaptop:~$

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

I also lost my panel and launcher. At the time I was modifying settings in compizconfig, in particular the maximumize settings.

Logging in/out and rebooting didn't bring back the launcher and panel. All I had was nautilus running. Starting "unity --replace" from an xterm that I started from nautilus gave me the same messages as above, including the errors about "Option "next_button" already defined" (which is how I found this bug).

I eventually recovered by renaming my ~/.config and ~/.gconf out of the way. I would attach those, but they probably contain plenty of private stuff. If there's anything you'd like me to look at in there, I'm happy to do so.

thanks for the bug report. Can you please start 'Ubuntu 2D' session there in a terminal type 'unity --reset' if unity now starts for you logout and login to 'Ubuntu' session and let us know if the issue is gone.

A work around was found shortly after issuing the report. I have been using Unity without any problems since, until yesterday when the workspace switcher lost it's ability to switch using the right click in the workspace required, it now wants double left click. I did the unity --reset, but no change.

I cannot replicate the loss of unity as I don't know what actually caused it. I therefore cannot state that the problem is resolved.

[Expired for unity because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Expired for unity (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]