(Solved)Lost desktop in reinstall

[BoDill]

Hello,

This might be a newbie question, but it regards the Desktop, so here goes.

I have had some trouble with a MATE 13 install, and have been in these forums with problems for weeks (put "BoDill" in the search window to see a list of them), and I recently did a complete reinstall of Maya 13 MATE 32bit after downloading everything I could think of to a USB stick. After the reinstall, I wanted to reload my desktop, which had a lot of icons (if that's the right word) on it from the first few weeks of troubleshooting. I have found the "desktop" reference in my backup stuff, but it only has a few of the icons with it. If this is not stated clearly, it's because I am a true newbie, and barely know what I am doing. Basically, I had hoped to save the desktop so that I could repopulate the new install with the same desktop stuff that I had from before (does this make sense or should I find another way to say it?).

Is there a good way to do this? I ask because I am still having extreme problems with startup, so I finally broke down and ordered a couple of installation disks (one for Mint 13 and one for Mint 17) to see if they solve my problem. Actually, I am hoping that the disks will give me a clean install without the constant log on problems that I've been having (I often have constant scrolling when i start my computer). If the Mint 13 install works well, I will also try out Mint 17, and knowing how to save my desktop would be very encouraging.

Any help?
BoDill

[TheDynamicHamza21]

If you mean the icons placed on the panels (taskbars) then the conf files are in hidden in you home folder,press cntrl H. the panels under .mateconf/apps/panels. I believe you save all these files in the mateconf folder and place them in same folders on new installation.

[BoDill]

Thank you TheDynamicHamza21,

First, I am away from my Linux computer right now, so I probably won't get to try your suggestion until Saturday.

This might not make much difference, but I probably should have said "links" rather than Icons. After I reloaded and tried to find the "stuff" that was on my Desktop, I found a file folder marked "Desktop" on my USB stick, opened it, and found a few things in it, like links to Google and Yahoo, but only a fraction of what was on my Desktop before.

Whether or not I get any more in responses to this post, I will try to figure out how to do what you mentioned in your post, and I will post a response.

Thanks again,
BoDill

[BoDill]

To TheDynamicHamza21, and anyone else,

I am sad to say that I have had no luck with the "Home Folder", nor the "Cont H". Either I'm not doing it right, and I've tried a few different approaches to this, or I don't have the info in/on my reinstall. At this point, since this is not a big deal, I'll just say, "Thank you very much", and mark this post as "Solved".

By the way, I have finally broken down and bought installation discs for a couple of Linux Mints (15 and 17), and am more then willing to start all over. After all, I did not have much luck with my first install, so I didn't have a lot of stuff to lose. Basically, I wanted to know how to reload Linux in the future without losing all my stuff, especially the desktop with all the links that will undoubtedly be on it atfer I get going with Linux, and have used it for awhile.

Again,
Thank you for your help,
BoDill

[TheDynamicHamza21]

To TheDynamicHamza21, and anyone else,

I am sad to say that I have had no luck with the "Home Folder", nor the "Cont H". Either I'm not doing it right, and I've tried a few different approaches to this, or I don't have the info in/on my reinstall. At this point, since this is not a big deal, I'll just say, "Thank you very much", and mark this post as "Solved".

By the way, I have finally broken down and bought installation discs for a couple of Linux Mints (15 and 17), and am more then willing to start all over. After all, I did not have much luck with my first install, so I didn't have a lot of stuff to lose. Basically, I wanted to know how to reload Linux in the future without losing all my stuff, especially the desktop with all the links that will undoubtedly be on it atfer I get going with Linux, and have used it for awhile.

Again,
Thank you for your help,
BoDill

You seemed to be sayng you're looking for a way to reinstall all configurations for you desktop to another should you change versions and particularly how to ensure the url shortcuts on desktop remain intact.

The former is easy with having a separate home partition. I recently had to reinstall my OS (Here) since I had a separate home folder all I had to is not reformat my /home folder and all configurations were the same when the new installation was completed. However, I still had to download and install programs that I downloaded/installed that were not part of the default apps (Gmp 2.8,Inkscape,etc). The icons were still on panel but pointed to nowhere since the apps were on my system.

For your url shortcuts I think you should post that question in applications of the forums. I could be wrong,since I don't use url shortcuts, but according to this article the confg files are located in /usr/share/applications
http://www.linuxandlife.com/2012/06/add ... -list.html

[BoDill]

To TheDynamicHamza21, and anyone else,

Again, thank you for your attention and advice.

Since I am working today and Saturday, I probably won't be responding to posts, but since you came back with more advice, I'll let you know what happens when I get back to it.

Basically, I will likely try the simplest install possible, and use a disc that I bought from OSDisc.com. I have read a few posts telling us newbies not to try a complicated install, and since I have install discs for both Mint 15 and 17, I can always try a more sophisticated install once my confidence level goes up a little bit. You see, going back about a month or so, the first time I Installed Linux, I tried to put it on my hard drive along with Wndows XP, and I screwed that up to the point that I lost Windows XP entirely, AND my install of Linux had its problems. Most of my friends and the local computer shop told me that Linux was not much good, etc. etc. etc. but I like it, so I continue on........

Thanks again, and I'll be back,
BoDill