I’m fairly new to Linux and I updated from 11.4 to 12.1 shortly after it was released (I used to have GNOME under 11.4 but I prefer KDE now so installed the relevant pattern accordingly). Everything appears to be working fine.
Then I read something about Virtual Desktops but when I activated a second desktop for the first time via CTRL+F8 the KDE bar is not responding anymore. I CANNOT use the Kickoff Application Launcher, Task Manager, System Tray, literally everything on the KDE bar IS NOT working.
The only thing that happens when I click anywhere on that bar, it takes me back to Desktop 1 - and that’s it! KDE bar is working fine again after I remove all additional virtual desktops.
I tried every configuration pattern for pager, did lots of research but still canot figure it out. Maybe I’m not doing it right. Can someone please help!
Ctrl-F8 just shows ALL Virtual Desktops in one screen. Normally, by default you have four and they can be selected with your mouse from the task bar (see four little windows there). With Ctrl-F8, the four screens then show up as a 1/4 of the screen each all at once, where you can then select the one you want to use. Ctrl-F8 as well as the task bar indicator, just allow you to select the Virtual Desktop you want to use. Now in fact, all programs running are in the same session of openSUSE and its just a fancy way to partition screen space to different applications or group of applications. It is very graphic intensive and graphic driver dependent. I have found good luck with using proprietary video drivers and less so with open source ones. However, one thing is for sure and that is you don’t need Virtual Desktops to use more than one program at a time and the loss of the VD’s is really no big deal in my opinion. If it is big to you, you need to specify the video system in your computer and perhaps we can help make it better for you,
Hi, it is indeed no big deal, but I tried a few the Live-CDs (with KDE, Gnome, etc.) and it worked fine, so was wondering if it had something to do with the update from 11.4 to 12.1 (also I used to have GNOME 2.3 then added KDE4 pattern and virtual desktop worked fine before I updated to 12.1). Well my system is quite old and maybe I’ll wipe it completely and try an fresh installation. With regards to backup, I copied all my data on an external NTFS drive, will I be able to copy it back into my home folder and still be able to access everything with new logon credentials?
Cheers!
Leo
Let me say that it is my opinion, you need to do a clean installation and back up all of your valuable data before you start. I have had good luck where I did a clean install to the main / partition, but did not format and just mounted my /home partition. Then, your old settings are maintained and you only need to reload the same applications you where using before you installed openSUSE 12.1. Of course in a few cases, using the old /home can cause an odd problem or two, but it is not a big deal at all. For a completely new experience, down to the default desktop, reloading everything from scratch is the way to go as long as the stuff you do not want to lose is on a partition you are not formatting during the openSUSE 12.1 installation. I would say that oddities such as you describe with VD’s is the type of thing doing a real upgrade can cause. On my secondary system, I did a clean install of openSUSE 12.1, but kept my old /home partition intact. I have loaded openSUSE completely new using VirtualBox so that I can see how a totally new install works. My main system is still at openSUSE 11.4 and may stay that way until all required applications show up in 12.1. In any event, once you have committed to loading openSUSE 12.1, I would go with a clean install of some sort and forgo any upgrades I do think.