Ubuntu
unity package

Blank screen after removing Unity, Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric

Asked by Tong Sun

Hi,

I've removed Unity in my Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric, following this link
http://linux-software-news-tutorials.blogspot.ca/2011/10/ubuntu-1110-oneiric-remove-unity-and.html

However, having removed unity and compiz, when I logged out, and logged back in, all I get now is a blank screen. The same thing happens when I restart the computer.

I then tried to install gnome-session-fallback back again, but no like last time, none of extra packages are installed this time:

% apt-get install gnome-session-fallback
gnome-session-fallback is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove

I tried to install compiz back again:

apt-get install compiz compiz-core gnome-shell-common gir1.2-networkmanager-1.0

But I still get a blank screen, even after reboot.

The answer from
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity/+question/151475
suggested to install ubuntu-desktop, but that brings back unity-2d etc, which I want to avoid.

This seems to be common problem, but I have not found a satisfying answer yet.

Please help.

Thank

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Tong Sun
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Revision history for this message
Tong Sun (suntong001) said : 		#1

BTW, I boot into text, not to GUI. How can I choose which Gnome flavor to use (GNOME Classic or GNOME Classic (No effects, or anything else) ) when I get into Gnome?

thanks

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#2

Why didn't you just install the fallback and log off, then log into the new session? Unity itself is quite small in size so why remove it?

Revision history for this message
Tong Sun (suntong001) said : 		#3

Say that I'm obsessed to have a clean system, and don't want to have any packages that I don't need. It's a personal preference, and let's not debate who is right and who is wrong here, or whether several M is a small size or not.

I did it because it is doable, and somebody has already did and clearly documented it. No that the changes has been done, please focus on how to salvage it if you want to help, and not drag the discussion further down the wrong path.

Thanks

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Sam_ (and-sam) said : 		#4

> none of extra packages are installed this time

At least the dependencies should be installed.
http://packages.ubuntu.com/precise/gnome-session-fallback

Fwiw, unity is a plugin of compiz. Compiz is a window manager.
With removal of unity the meta package ubuntu-desktop is gone too.
Some preferred packages may need to be reinstalled again.

Maybe try
sudo update-alternatives --config x-session-manager

and
man gnome-session

Standard session in lightdm.conf is Ubuntu.
Sessions are in /usr/share/xsessions.

http://us.generation-nt.com/bug-636131-lightdm-does-not-allow-choose-xclient-script-session-help-204277481.html
bug 818864
http://fvwm-ewmh.sourceforge.net/#run_gnome2
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/CustomXSession
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/NonGraphicalBoot

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Tong Sun (suntong001) said : 		#5

Thanks Sam,

I tried

sudo update-alternatives --config x-session-manager

but it told me,

There is only one alternative in link group x-session-manager: /usr/bin/gnome-session
Nothing to configure.

I also tried

man gnome-session

but both $XDG_CONFIG_HOME $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS are empty in my environment, so I have no clue what the files are the man page mentioned.

Anyone know how to change/define the default gnome session (Gnome Classic) system-wide for everyone?

Thanks

BTW, I don't have time to investigate my problem so I installed ubuntu-desktop to solve it heavyhandly.

Revision history for this message
Tong Sun (suntong001) said : 		#6

Maybe it's good idea to ask in a different thread to benefit other people when searching.
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/203149