11.1 to 11.3 upgrading problem : desktop without program icons nor taskbar

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hi all,

Last night, I upgraded from DVD from openSUSE 11.1 (Gnome GUI) to openSUSE 11.3 (Gnome GUI).
My dual boot system with Windows XP SP3 remains unchanged.

The upgrading process took about ninety minutes, with a few error messages and a few warnings. So, this gave me a good feeling until … until the computer rebooted.
I got the login screen, where I gave my login + my password and then I arrived on the desktop.

Alas : not one single program icon, no task bar, no system tray. So : completely useless.

CTRL-ALT-DEL gave me the possibility to log in as root. This also resulted in a desktop without one single icon, no task bar, no system tray. I have a terminal window though.

Maybe I can try YAST and see if something has to be changed about my screen definition ? But then, how is it possible not to have a task bar ? Weird, very weird …

Is this a problem that has been mentioned before ?

W

2

Try a new user account
You should be able to creat one from yast level 3
Boot to Level 3, then Yast and More…

If it’s still Jeffed
Consider a new clean install
11.1 > 11.3 is not something I would even consider

3

Thanks for your very fast answer. Would I have done better to do an installation as if I should not have had any version of openSUSE ?
I looked at the HELP prior to installation, and,as far as I remember, upgrading was recommended.

W

4

Yes if you can
Proceed with an install as if it’s a new install
Here are a couple of guides 11.2 and 11.3 are almost identical in method

Picasa Web Albums - carl fletcher - openSUSE 11.2…
Picasa Web Albums - carl fletcher - 11.3 Slideshow

You should back up any personal files in /home/yourusername*

Take advantage of formatting to ext4

5

Well, as I said, I have no icons, no taskbar …

So, what can I do in the first place to get access to my files ?

Thank you,

W

6

Where would you put the files if you could access them?
Do you have a external HD?

7

I have a dual boot, Windows XP on C:, openSUSE on my removable hard disc.
I use GRUB to dual boot.

W

8

Download this
Downloads

Burn it to a cd and You can boot from it, mount windows and your linux /home and copy the files over to win

Using Parted Magic an Introduction