Upgrade from 12.04 LTS to 14.04 LTS, no panel no launcher

Had a similar problem, got two desktops, with the top one empty. You can check the guest account and see if that works, if so, just rename the .config file (note the dot) to .configold and relogin, then when the new .conf is created, copy over what you want from the .configold.

My problem is not solved.

I did rename the folder .config...

After shutting down after writing this post, Ubuntu does not present any desktop at all, just a purple bacground with Ubunt 14.04 LTS in the left bottom.

Gnome still works.

Surely there must be someone in the Ubuntu universe who knows Unity and can come up with some suggestions as to how to restore Unity to my system.

I have been fighting this problem since the 21st of November 2014 when I upgraded to 14.10 and the same thing happened.

I still have access to Terminal, what commands do I issue to find the problem.

Did you install the proprietary video drivers when you first installed?

I am aware of the "additional drivers" installed them in 10.04, again in 12.04 , and finally after upgrade to 14.04 once again. Reboot did not change anything.

So howw do I tell Unity that these drivers are installed?, remember 12.04 worked correctly, I had no reason to think that an upgrade to 14.04 would fail, it did not fail last April.

You will need to uninstall the proprietary video drivers, reboot then reinstall them

This action did NOT solve the problem.

This is what I did:

In the Gnome desktop I found the "additional drivers" app, in there I unchecked the video drivers and Broadcom driver. shut down the system, then restarted and used Gnome to install only the first proprietary driver listed. shut down and rebooted, same result a purple screen with Ubuntu 14.04LTS in the bottom left.

Shutdown, and rebooted and found "Additional drivers" it listed one video driver in use.
Now I wil install the driver from "fdlrx-updates" and restart:

The same results.

No Unity but Gnome available...

Remember, 12.04 LTS WORKED, upgrade to 14..04.1 LTS in place failed and remains failed no matter what I try. In fact the result is the same as when I upgraded from 14.04 LTS to 14.10, what is different in these versions from 12.04 LTS?

Just did a listing of /usr/shar/applications, all of Unity sections are here, How do I start them?:

root@vostro:/home/ea# ls -l /usr/share/applications
total 868
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 384 Apr 15 2014 activity-log-manager.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 396 Apr 11 2014 alacarte.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 291 Oct 30 13:23 apport-gtk.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 125 Dec 11 2013 apturl.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 9950 Dec 4 07:44 bamf-2.index
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 8255 Dec 3 09:10 bamf.index
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 461 Mar 11 2014 baobab.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 397 May 14 2014 bluetooth-sendto.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 408 May 14 2014 bluetooth-wizard.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1278 Dec 16 2013 brasero.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 530 Dec 16 2013 brasero-nautilus.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 226 Jul 29 08:21 byobu.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 322 Apr 9 2014 checkbox-gui.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 451 Jan 14 2014 cheese.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 394 Nov 4 11:52 compiz.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 333 Mar 15 2014 credentials-preferences.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1917 Oct 28 2013 debian-uxterm.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1914 Oct 28 2013 debian-xterm.desktop
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 24 Nov 5 2013 defaults.list -> /etc/gnome/defaults.list
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4970 Apr 3 2014 deja-dup.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 614 Apr 3 2014 deja-dup-preferences.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 825 Aug 29 2013 display.im6.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 921 Apr 29 2014 empathy.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 857 Mar 11 2014 eog.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 894 Jun 3 2014 evince.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 873 Jun 3 2014 evince-previewer.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 169 Jul 1 08:25 evolution-calendar.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 327 Oct 20 13:29 evolution-data-server-uoa.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1185 Aug 8 15:30 evolution.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1744 Jul 15 08:21 file-roller.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 9177 Nov 27 03:09 firefox.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 464 Jan 18 2014 f-spot.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 482 Jan 18 2014 f-spot-import.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 790 Jan 18 2014 f-spot-view.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 427 Feb 27 2014 gbrainy.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 443 Nov 4 08:05 gcalctool.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 388 Sep 18 2013 gconf-editor.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 215 Nov 5 2013 gcr-prompter.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 712 Nov 5 2013 gcr-viewer.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 376 May 12 2014 gdebi.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 767 Mar 27 2014 gedit.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 420 Mar 14 2013 gkbd-keyboard-display.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 348 Oct 2 2012 gksu.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 752 Apr 15 2014 gnome-activity-log-manager-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 489 May 9 2014 gnome-background-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 507 May 9 2014 gnome-bluetooth-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 598 May 9 2014 gnome-color-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 252 Dec 4 2013 gnome-contacts.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 418 May 9 2014 gnome-control-center.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 475 May 9 2014 gnome-datetime-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 673 Apr 3 2014 gnome-deja-dup-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 313 Apr 10 2014 gnome-disk-image-mounter.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 374 Apr 10 2014 gnome-disk-image-writer.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 399 Apr 10 2014 gnome-disks.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 667 May 9 2014 gnome-display-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 568 May 28 2013 gnome-font-viewer.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 828 May 9 2014 gnome-info-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 588 May 9 2014 gnome-keyboard-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 638 May 9 2014 gnome-mouse-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 413 Jun 21 2013 gnome-nettool.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 586 May 9 2014 gnome-network-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 686 May 9 2014 gnome-online-accounts-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 610 May 9 2014 gnome-power-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 514 Feb 7 2014 gnome-power-statistics.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 520 May 9 2014 gnome-printers-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 643 May 9 2014 gnome-region-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 652 May 9 2014 gnome-screen-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 785 Jan 16 2014 gnome-screenshot.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 492 Jul 1 08:25 gnome-shell.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 388 Jul 1 08:25 gnome-shell-extension-prefs.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 634 May 9 2014 gnome-sound-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 438 Jan 28 2014 gnome-sound-recorder.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 437 Jun 19 15:39 gnome-sudoku.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 476 Jun 24 2013 gnome-system-log.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 531 Nov 5 2013 gnome-system-monitor.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 538 Nov 5 2013 gnome-system-monitor-kde.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 560 Dec 15 2013 gnome-terminal.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 765 May 9 2014 gnome-universal-access-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 635 May 9 2014 gnome-user-accounts-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 413 Sep 27 2012 gnome-user-share-properties.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 605 May 9 2014 gnome-wacom-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 392 Dec 16 2013 gnomine.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 457 Jan 28 2014 gstreamer-properties.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 402 Jan 15 2014 gucharmap.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 393 Jul 15 08:16 gufw.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 423 Feb 18 2014 hplj1020.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 477 Feb 27 2014 ibus-setup-bopomofo.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 281 Mar 27 2014 ibus-setup.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 456 Feb 27 2014 ibus-setup-pinyin.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 871 Jan 9 2014 im-config.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 439 Mar 28 2014 landscape-client-settings.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 494 Sep 18 13:16 language-selector.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 18040 Nov 4 12:48 libreoffice-calc.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 16022 Nov 4 12:48 libreoffice-draw.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 18695 Nov 4 12:48 libreoffice-impress.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 15155 Nov 4 12:48 libreoffice-math.desktop
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 50 Nov 4 15:13 libreoffice-startcenter.desktop -> /usr/lib/libreoffice/share/xdg/startcenter.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 20679 Nov 4 12:48 libreoffice-writer.desktop
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 49 Nov 4 13:42 libreoffice-xsltfilter.desktop -> /usr/lib/libreoffice/share/xdg/xsltfilter.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 438 Dec 16 2013 mahjongg.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 504 Feb 13 2014 metacity.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 22700 Dec 4 07:44 mimeinfo.cache
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 158 Feb 20 2014 mono-runtime-common.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 168 Feb 20 2014 mono-runtime-terminal.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 328 Oct 28 07:47 mount-archive.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 398 Oct 28 07:47 nautilus-autorun-software.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 472 Oct 28 07:47 nautilus-classic.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 359 Oct 28 07:47 nautilus-connect-server.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 688 Oct 28 07:47 nautilus.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 452 Oct 28 07:47 nautilus-folder-handler.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 500 Oct 28 07:47 nautilus-home.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 446 Mar 12 2014 network.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 391 Jul 15 08:12 nm-applet.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 433 Jul 15 08:12 nm-connection-editor.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 326 Apr 7 2014 onboard.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 349 Apr 7 2014 onboard-settings.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 495 Apr 1 2014 orca.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 3468 Oct 20 12:05 pitivi.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 220 Mar 22 2014 python2.7.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 220 Apr 11 2014 python3.4.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 390 Aug 24 2013 quadrapassel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 562 Jul 15 2013 remmina.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1152 Apr 28 2014 rhythmbox.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 622 Apr 28 2014 rhythmbox-device.desktop
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Dec 3 09:33 screensavers
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 507 Jan 8 2014 seahorse.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 482 Mar 13 2014 session-properties.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 480 Mar 12 2014 shares.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 546 Oct 28 08:13 shotwell.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1040 Oct 28 08:13 shotwell-viewer.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 248 Mar 13 2014 signon-ui-browser-process.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 212 May 1 2014 simple-scan.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 223 May 22 2014 skype.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 327 Oct 20 12:21 software-properties-drivers.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 466 Oct 20 12:21 software-properties-gnome.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 597 Oct 20 12:21 software-properties-gtk.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 447 Mar 10 2014 sol.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 290 May 17 2014 synaptic.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 8851 May 17 2014 synaptic-kde.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 471 Sep 30 13:01 system-config-printer.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 10062 Nov 28 12:02 thunderbird.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 403 Mar 12 2014 time.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 11460 Jan 24 2014 tomboy.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 3107 Apr 1 2014 totem.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4494 Jul 11 12:04 transmission-gtk.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 129 Apr 16 2014 ubuntu-amazon-default.desktop
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 51 Dec 4 06:48 ubuntu-amdcccle.desktop -> /etc/alternatives/x86_64-linux-gnu_amdcccle_desktop
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 53 Dec 4 06:48 ubuntu-amdccclesu.desktop -> /etc/alternatives/x86_64-linux-gnu_amdccclesu_desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 530 Apr 18 2014 ubuntu-software-center.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 865 Apr 20 2014 ubuntu-tweak.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 752 Apr 15 2014 unity-activity-log-manager-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 548 Sep 22 10:37 unity-appearance-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 361 Sep 22 10:37 unity-bluetooth-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 452 Sep 22 10:37 unity-color-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 272 Sep 22 10:37 unity-control-center.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 402 Mar 15 2014 unity-credentials-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 411 Sep 22 10:37 unity-datetime-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 673 Apr 3 2014 unity-deja-dup-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 501 Sep 22 10:37 unity-display-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 674 Sep 22 10:37 unity-info-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 439 Sep 22 10:37 unity-keyboard-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 194 Mar 18 2014 unity-lens-photos.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 492 Sep 22 10:37 unity-mouse-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 438 Sep 22 10:37 unity-network-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 462 Sep 22 10:37 unity-power-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 530 Sep 22 10:37 unity-region-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 177 Jul 22 2013 unity-scope-gdrive.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 505 Sep 22 10:37 unity-screen-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 474 Sep 22 10:37 unity-sound-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 608 Sep 22 10:37 unity-universal-access-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 481 Sep 22 10:37 unity-user-accounts-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 496 Sep 22 10:37 unity-wacom-panel.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 179 Apr 8 2014 unitywebappsqmllauncher.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 171 Mar 15 2014 update-accounts.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 302 Apr 28 2014 update-manager.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 288 Aug 19 09:13 usb-creator-gtk.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 402 Mar 12 2014 users.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 473 Feb 26 2014 vinagre.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 409 Feb 26 2014 vinagre-file.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 474 Nov 18 2013 vino-preferences.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 806 Nov 21 07:17 virtualbox.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 487 Apr 28 2014 webbrowser-app.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 275 Mar 23 2014 xdiagnose.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 508 Mar 10 2014 yelp.desktop
root@vostro:/home/ea# unity-display-panel.desktop
unity-display-panel.desktop: command not found
root@vostro:/home/ea# start unity-display-panel.desktop
start: Unknown job: unity-display-panel.desktop
root@vostro:/home/ea# start Unity
start: Unknown job: Unity
root@vostro:/home/ea#

What is the output of;:

dpkg -l | grep fglrx

Thanks.

If 12.04 worked, why the upgrade at all? Precise is LTS and supported til April 2017..... why bother when there is so much life in the release you had......

What is the output of;:

dpkg -l | grep fglrx

Thanks.

If 12.04 worked, why the upgrade at all? Precise is LTS and supported til April 2017..... why bother when there is so much life in the release you had......

root@vostro:/home/ea# dpkg -l | grep fglrx
rc fglrx 2:13.350.1-0ubuntu2 amd64 Video driver for the AMD graphics accelerators
ii fglrx-amdcccle-updates 2:13.350.1-0ubuntu2 amd64 Catalyst Control Center for the AMD graphics accelerators
ii fglrx-updates 2:13.350.1-0ubuntu2 amd64 Video driver for the AMD graphics accelerators
root@vostro:/home/ea#

As to why upgrade, 14.04 is superior to 12,04, by quite a bit. I upgraded last April and found it almost perfect. There was a small problem, never identified, as I started the system there would be an error message saying something like : "Ubuntu experienced an internal error", report it?" I allowed the report but never saw a resolution. That error has not so far in 14.04.1 surfaced. The upgrade to 14.10 I did on 21 Nov last, was to overcome a problem in Libre Office Calc. So far I am not sure that either 14.04 or 14.10 have fixed that.
But that is another subject not applicable here.

sudo dpkg -P fglrx
sudo apt-get --purge remove fglrx-amdcccle-updates fglrx-updates
sudo apt-get --purge autoremove
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install fglrx

Reboot to test

Did as suggested, nothing changed, I have Gnome only, no Unity

I kept a copy of the above process, will post it if it will help resolve the problem.

Problem has been solved by bug report #1319146