Same as 665431, but the mv /. cache did not help

What is the output of the commands

uname -a
lsb_release -crid
ping -c 3 8.8.8.8

Please forgive any typing errors, I am copying from the sick computer as it has no internet access:

Libux azura 4.4.0-31-generic #50-Ubuntu SMp Wed Jul 13 00:07:12 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Description: Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
Release

Please forgive any typing errors, I am copying from the sick computer as it has no internet access:

Libux azura 4.4.0-31-generic #50-Ubuntu SMp Wed Jul 13 00:07:12 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Description: Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
Release:

Release: 16.04

Codename: xenial

Network is unreachable

I ysed the tab key to get all this mess...

I do not see any problem with network in question https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/665431
Why are you giving that as reference?
What lind of network connection is that computer supposed to have?
Wireless, cable, ... ?

I used that as a reference, question 665431 as it appeared to be the same problem.

I was using WiFi , but just plugged a cable in and I now have access to the internet, I can use Firefox, so I can log in to Launchpad, which I willl do shortly. the ping command worked. 3 packets transmitted, 3 received, 0% packet loss, time 2002ms

What is now your problem?

No network connection,
or
No menu bar
?

Network resolved.

No menu bar and no panel

Since the problem is the result of an update I ran sudo apt-get update which finished with the following message:

E:Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock open (11: resource temporarely unavailable)
E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg), is another process using it?

I then tried sudo apt-get upgrade and got the same messages.

The package management system on Ubuntu ensures that only one application to install or remove packages is running at the same time.

Imagine that you have two software management programs open. In one of them you install package A which depends on the presence of package B, but at the same time you remove package B with the program running in the other window!

The messages
"E:Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock open (11: resource temporarely unavailable)"
"E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg), is another process using it?"
tell that there is already a program running that does package management. You either have to wait that this program finishes, or you have to close it. Possible programs are among others: update-manager, Ubuntu-software, synaptic, apt, apt-get, dpkg, but also background processes like unattended-upgrades.

What is the full output of the command
mv ~/.cache ~/.cache_old

nothing, just the prompt ea@azura:~$

Now reboot

Sudo reboot

Same result, no menu no panel

I started firefox, it loads but has no minmize, maximize or stop buttons, it works otherwise.

Proposal for another test:
Create a new user and log on as this user.
Do you experience the same problem?

During login I used "Guest session" and got a basic unity screen complete with menu bar and panel

I moved to /var/lib/dpkg, and found a lock file, it's contents is 0 bytes.
Tried to remove it, no luck, cannot use sudo as guest

If there are menu bar and panel shown on a guest session but not on your normal user, then this has to be caused by your private settings. Removing the ~/.cache directory normally helps, but maybe the culprit is some other settings file.

And yes, you cannot use sudo as guest.

I removed the lock file from/var/lib/dpkg,
then : sudo apt-get update
then sudo apt-get upgrade

This all worked without errors but menu bar and panel still missing.

Since I have no valuable files left on this system (I removed all the files I wanted) I will reinstall and format the whole disk.

Hope that will do it.

I will report when I am done.

Completed the installation of 16.04 LTS

All' well

Thank you Manfred for your help

EA