Arch Linux

NewEvolution

Member

Registered: 2014-11-15

Posts: 3

[SOLVED] LXDE/Openbox - No desktop or menu on login, no right-click

Very strange constellation of issues that I'm having a hell of a time trying to track down.

Running on an Acer AspireONE netbook that's treated me well so far.  Came back from work one day to find it off, fsck went crazy on startup but it booted and has run fine since with the following exceptions:

• No desktop - boots to a blank gray screen with no background image or icons

• No menu - lxpanel does not start automatically, and when started from a prompt opens with the default layout

• No right-click - the right side of the mouse button does nothing at all. Synaptics seems to work as 2-finger scroll & 2-finger middle-click work

I'm at a loss for where to start looking.  I have a feeling the first two are related, but searches so far haven't brought up much similar.  Logs/configs/etc. will be happily provided as needed.

Last edited by NewEvolution (2014-11-18 19:02:05)

root

Member

From: 127.0.0.1

Registered: 2012-04-13

Posts: 297

Re: [SOLVED] LXDE/Openbox - No desktop or menu on login, no right-click

I guess more info on 'fsck went crazy on startup' etc. could help people to narrow down the problem. It's 'craziness' does not offer any information at all unfortunately.
Did fsck maybe report a system with errors and had to fix/delete stuff? If so, more than going crazy it merely did its job and there could be the source of lacking the personalization the programs, f.e. lxpanel, had before your issues.

Therefore, a wild guess on my behalf is that most if not all the 'No X' could be related to missing the related config files.

Last edited by root (2014-11-16 03:41:48)

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\(o_X)/
                        'Cause I wanna be an Archy - An Archy in the UK // Sex Pistols

NewEvolution

Member

Registered: 2014-11-15

Posts: 3

Re: [SOLVED] LXDE/Openbox - No desktop or menu on login, no right-click

I guess more info on 'fsck went crazy on startup' etc. could help people to narrow down the problem. It's 'craziness' does not offer any information at all unfortunately.
Did fsck maybe report a system with errors and had to fix/delete stuff? If so, more than going crazy it merely did its job and there could be the source of lacking the personalization the programs, f.e. lxpanel, had before your issues.

Therefore, a wild guess on my behalf is that most if not all the 'No X' could be related to missing the related config files.

Sorry about that, but yes, by "went crazy" I meant it spent a few minutes doing its thing fixing errors.

I can understand the personalizations missing, but not why that would prevent things like lxpanel from starting entirely, since I can start them from the command line, albeit with their default layout.  I've already uninstalled/reinstalled LXDE to no avail, so I'd have thought that would restore the default configs.  Looking in ~/.config it appears most of it is populated, but I'm not sure what I should be looking for insofar as missing files.

On the upside, running a full system update today fixed right-clicking, so at least there's that.  Still have to start lxmenu manually and still no desktop.

root

Member

From: 127.0.0.1

Registered: 2012-04-13

Posts: 297

Re: [SOLVED] LXDE/Openbox - No desktop or menu on login, no right-click

How did lxpanel autostart previously?
I mean, if I were to install the lxpanel package right now, if I am not mistaken, I would afterwards have to add a start line to my .config/openbox/autostart file for it to start at the beginning of a new session.
Does your autostart file include such a line? Remember to follow the guidelines specified in the wiki.

Regarding the desktop, I would check the same thing as for the dock. You do not mention what program you use to set your desktop background thus running it to test that it works as it should would also be advisable.

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\(o_X)/
                        'Cause I wanna be an Archy - An Archy in the UK // Sex Pistols

TheSaint

Member

From: my computer

Registered: 2007-08-19

Posts: 1,536

Re: [SOLVED] LXDE/Openbox - No desktop or menu on login, no right-click

The common problem should be on the $HOME/.config/lxsession/LXDE/autostart.
Just copy over the /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart to the above mentioned path.

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do it good first, it will be faster than do it twice the saint

NewEvolution

Member

Registered: 2014-11-15

Posts: 3

Re: [SOLVED] LXDE/Openbox - No desktop or menu on login, no right-click

The common problem should be on the $HOME/.config/lxsession/LXDE/autostart.
Just copy over the /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart to the above mentioned path.

Appending the commands from the default autostart file in /etc to the one in my home fixed the issue.

Strikes me as odd, since my autostart file was the same one I'd been using with the same programs autostarting correctly, and lxpanel and the desktop starting command were never present in that file.

Regardless, it works now so problem solved, thanks!

TheSaint

Member

From: my computer

Registered: 2007-08-19

Posts: 1,536

Re: [SOLVED] LXDE/Openbox - No desktop or menu on login, no right-click

The issue came up with the latest version of LXDE. I also faced this.

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do it good first, it will be faster than do it twice the saint

DarkVenger

Member

Registered: 2008-11-24

Posts: 35

Re: [SOLVED] LXDE/Openbox - No desktop or menu on login, no right-click

The issue came up with the latest version of LXDE. I also faced this.

Thanks for the solution, this also affected me.
I find it strange that such a change was not better publicized, but probably it was and I just missed it...