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unity package

ubuntu 11.04 unsavory

Asked by Mike Llywelyn Cox

Help. I upgraded to 11.04 from 10.10. I've had nothing but trouble since - freezing, desktop wrong size etc. I have been very happy with the 10.10 system - clean and simple and completely functional. Now I suddenly have a totally different new system (which seems to be trying copy Mac OSX) which is messy and dysfunctional - gone those lovely instinctual top and bottom strips and the clear, uncomplicated interface.

Is it possible to get back to 10.10. ----- PLEASE.

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Eliah Kagan
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Eliah Kagan (degeneracypressure) said : 		#1

If what you don't like is the Unity interface (and that seems to be what you're indicating), you can go back to the classic interface which you probably used in Ubuntu 10.10 by selecting "Ubuntu Classic" as your session type on the login screen. The menu for specifying this appears at the bottom of the screen after you've specified your username, while you're being asked for your password. This setting is remembered, so you won't have to indicate it every time.

Downgrading is not supported, so if you do want to go back to Ubuntu 10.10, you'd have to back up all your documents and other important files (e.g., music, videos) and perform a fresh installation.

If rather than using the Classic Desktop session type or reinstalling Ubuntu 10.10, you want to work on the freezing and "wrong size" problems you're experiencing with Unity, please post a reply about that.

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Mike Llywelyn Cox (micox) said : 		#2

Thanks. I can't see any sign of a 'Ubuntu Classic' menu. When I boot up, there is a Toshiba logo screen, then a long list of Ubuntu 11.11 options - recurring Ubuntu 11.11 followed by Ubuntu 11.11 restore - which all seem the same. Scrolling down to the bottom there is Ubuntu memory, then other applications (which produces nothing), then Widows Vista (because this computer originally had Windows installed). There is no 'Ubuntu Classic' there. When the computer has booted there is no sign of 'Ubuntu Classic' anywhere - not in the left side menu, not in the System Settings. The bottom of the screen is just that, nothing else. I don't know what you mean by 'specifying my user name' I don't do this.

I think the classic screen would be my personal preference and I could see if the other problems occur while using that - if only I could find it! Am I just being thick?

N.B. I use a wireless mouse in preference to a touchpad. The couple of times I have tried removing the dongle before booting, the freezing and wrong size desktops haven't happened. Could be co-incidence?

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Best Eliah Kagan (degeneracypressure) said : 		#3

You get the opportunity to select Ubuntu Classic on the login screen. It will look something like http://s4.postimage.org/7ltiirnil/gdm_login_screen_select_session_type_natty.png. If you never see something like that (where you type in a password), then you have enabled automatic login. In that case, you can get to the login screen by logging out (click on the power icon on the upper-right corner of the screen, and click Log Out...). Alternatively, you can set your session type by opening up the Control Center (Power Icon > System Settings), and selecting Login Screen (it's in the System category). Since you have to log out (or reboot) anyway in order to switch from Unity to a classic desktop, the former of the two methods probably involves less time and effort.

> N.B. I use a wireless mouse in preference to a touchpad. The
> couple of times I have tried removing the dongle before
> booting, the freezing and wrong size desktops haven't
> happened. Could be co-incidence?

It *could* be a coincidence, but it's likely not a coincidence. I recommend you try booting a few more times, sometimes with the dongle plugged in, and sometimes not. I also recommend you try booting with the dongle plugged in, and then plug it in after the system is fully booted (and you have your desktop loaded), to see if it works then. If unplugging the wireless mouse dongle during boot (or refraining from using the wireless mouse altogether) eliminate the problem, then that means that you have useful information that can be used to work on the problem of Unity not working correctly on your system. In that case, I recommend you start a new question about that (as this question is really about switching back to the Ubuntu Classic interface).

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Mike Llywelyn Cox (micox) said : 		#4

Thanks Eliah Kagan, that solved my question.