Return KDE desktop to default

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#1

Ok, so I installed openSUSE 11.3 KDE and fooled around with it and the Plasma Netbook Workspaces and am now back with the regular KDE.

Unfortunately something I have done has now caused me to not be able to do simple tings like change the wallpaper, or add Widgets to the desktop. Everything seems to “technically” work, so I suspect that it was a configuration somewhere that I messed up.

Is there a directory or directories I can delete and then log out and back in which will create the environment with default settings?

I’ve done this with Gnome and Xfce when I’ve really messed it up and it has fixed things a number of times, but I am not sure where KDE stores their config files.

I believe is it openSUSE 11.3 with the KDE version that came with it and it was installed from a LiveCD.

Thanks!

#2

Hello dragonbite,

Yes there is, you can delete/rename your ~/.kde4/ folder

This contains most of the KDE settings and configurations.
There may be a few KDE apps that use there own folder.

Good luck!:wink:

#3

Thanks!

I remember somebody saying that KDE creates fewer hidden directories than Gnome, so should I expect some of my applications’ modified settings may revert to default too? It’s no problem, just curious.

#4

Hello dragonbite,

before you delete the ./kde4 folder, save your Kontact data (if you use Kmail, Kadressbook…). You will find these data under:
.kde4/share/apps/kmail/
.kde4/share/apps/kabc/
.kde4/share/apps/korganizer/

Good luck, too :slight_smile:

Michael

#5

Hello dragonbite,

Some?, almost every application will return to there default settings.
If you don’t want this to happen than backup these folders:

  • ~/.kde4/share/apps/<APP-NAME>
  • ~/.kde4/share/config/<APP-NAME>+rc (this is a file and it’s name can be different)

I don’t recommend to backup the complete ~/.kde4/share/apps folder because this will also backup settings from apps like plasma, desktoptheme etc.
And it’s most likely that your problem is in one of these.

Best of luck!:wink:

#6

Great info!

That’s part of why I use GMail via IMAP, I can easily (re)set it up again!

I think I’ll poke around insdie the .kde4 folder (I seem to remember in the beginning a .kde3 and .kde4 folder). Should most of what is in there be the KDE desktop environement base system, or would KOffice also be in there?

#7

Hello dragonbite,

AFAIK in kde3 the folder was called .kde.

Almost all the applications configurations are stored in ~/.kde4/share/apps and ~/.kde4/share/config/.

Good luck!:wink:

#8

Just remove/rename the plasma-* files in ~/.kde4/share/config. Log out, log in and you should have your default plasma settings back without effecting any other program… Have a look here → Reset KDE Plasma

#9

Well, something else happened that I am not sure, but I believe it was when installing Basket from OBS while the default repositories included a KDE 3 version. Anyway, I could not log in and I tried the repair option in the openSUSE Net Install CD I installed this from in the beginning.

Long story short, I reinstalled the system and overwrote the /home directory too. I’m being more cautious this time and things are still pretty smooth so far.

#10

Hello dragonbite,

Good to hear it all worked out in the end.
But overwriting your /home directory?
I assume you made an backup of your data.:wink:

Good luck!:wink:

#11

I really didn’t have anything in there to loose.

#12

DARN!

I tried to upgrade to KDE 4.5 and I got the same error I did last time when I ended up re-installing everything.

I go to log in and get a message box about “ksmserver” not working. The only option is an OK button and it brings me back to the login menu. I don’t know what to do at this point.AARRRGGHH!!

#13

Hello dragonbite,

How did you upgrade to KDE 4.5?

I usually keep the standard KDE version shipped with openSUSE.
But if you want to upgrade here’s a list of things to do:

  • Make a backup!
  • Disable/Remove repositories with an older KDE version.
  • Add the KDE repo and install KDE.
  • Then start Software Management and switch to the Repository tab, select the KDE repo and select “Switch System package”.

I don’t know if this information is useful for you.
BTW I’ve found a thread on the KDE forums about this problem: Could not start ksmserver • KDE Community Forums

Good luck!:wink:

#14

I followed the article How-To: Upgrade to KDE 4.5 | OMG! SUSE!.

I ended up using the Net Install CD (what I installed it with in the first place) and “upgrading” back to KDE 4.4. When it came up with the list of repositories, I made sure the KDE ones were flagged to delete so only the core openSUSE ones were available, plus Packman.

As predicted, it returned what was changed back to KDE 4.4 and kept all of my settings and changes (Amarok could still play MP3s, etc.).

I think I’ll stick with this for now, and focus more on becoming familiar with KDE and openSUSE. I even got Kopete to connect to Facebook and Google Chat (the only two protocols I use these days). Oh, and figure out the best way to do backups. Using Deja Dup on Fedora and Ubuntu Gnome installations to my Samba server, but in openSUSE I can’t get it to put it on the server. Oh well, room to learn :slight_smile: