SOLVED: Can't select Cinnamon (or any other desktop)

[Irony58]

I'm trying to switch to Cinnamon and it seems I can't successfully select it, or any other desktop, from the login window. I go to Session and click on the desktop, but when it logs in, it's the same old desktop. It looks like GNOME 2, and ps | grep tells me it's GNOME, but the system information says "Desktop Environment: Unknown (Window Manager: Metacity)".

How can I get to choosing my desktop?

[austin.texas]

Mint 13? 17? 17.1?

[Irony58]

Oops - Mint 13, 32-bit.

[austin.texas]

How did you install Cinnamon?
What was the original desktop that you installed?
It certainly should not say "Desktop Environment: Unknown".

What DE does the Welcome Screen show?
Menu > Preferences > Welcome Screen

Does the command inxi -Fzx show a DE?
(You might have to update inxi with the command: sudo inxi -U )

When I log out of Mint 13 Cinnamon, and click on the session icon, I get various choices: Cinnamon, Gnome, Gnome - Safe Mode, etc.

[Irony58]

To be honest, it was a while ago and I don't remember exactly how I installed it. I'm pretty sure I installed it as part of Maya Cinnamon. But not being familiar with Cinnamon I wouldn't have noticed that the DE wasn't Cinnamon.

That welcome screen says "Welcome to Linux Mint. Release: 13 (maya), Edition: Cinnamon 32-bit". Below that a bunch of menu buttons.

inxi says the Desktop is Gnome (Gtk 3.4.2-0ubuntu0.8 ).

I get similar choices at the login screen, but choosing any of them doesn't change the result. I do get the pop-up that asks if I want to make the keep the choice for future logins or just this session, but that's it. I tried it both ways and no difference once I log in.

[austin.texas]

Please run this command and post the result

Code: Select all

apt-cache policy cinnamon*

[Irony58]

Code: Select all

~ $ apt-cache policy cinnamon*
cinnamon:
  Installed: 1.4-UP3
  Candidate: 1.4-UP3
  Version table:
 *** 1.4-UP3 0
        700 http://packages.linuxmint.com/ maya/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
mint-artwork-cinnamon:
  Installed: 2.0
  Candidate: 2.0
  Version table:
 *** 2.0 0
        700 http://packages.linuxmint.com/ maya/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
cinnamon-themes:
  Installed: 2012.05.20
  Candidate: 2012.05.20
  Version table:
 *** 2012.05.20 0
        700 http://packages.linuxmint.com/ maya/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
cinnamon-session:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: (none)
  Version table:
cinnamon-settings:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: (none)
  Version table:
mint-info-cinnamon:
  Installed: 2012.05.02
  Candidate: 2012.05.02
  Version table:
 *** 2012.05.02 0
        700 http://packages.linuxmint.com/ maya/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
mint-meta-cinnamon-dvd:
  Installed: 2012.05.20.1
  Candidate: 2012.05.20.1
  Version table:
 *** 2012.05.20.1 0
        700 http://packages.linuxmint.com/ maya/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
mint-meta-cinnamon:
  Installed: 2012.05.20.1
  Candidate: 2012.05.20.1
  Version table:
 *** 2012.05.20.1 0
        700 http://packages.linuxmint.com/ maya/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

[austin.texas]

Your apt-cache policy cinnamon* results are exactly identical to my functioning Mint 13 Cinnamon.
There could be a number of things preventing Cinnamon from starting. One could be the graphics driver.
Post the result of inxi -Fzx or inxi -Gx

Tip: if Cinnamon is running, the "Start" button says "Menu". If it is Gnome, it says "Applications".
With Cinnamon, you will have the Cinnamon Menu with Search. Gnome menu has no Search, etc.

[Irony58]

Looks like I've got GNOME. The "Start" is "Applications". So if Cinnamon is installed OK, it looks like the login screen Sessions isn't able to change the session. My choices there are Last Session, GNOME Classic, Run Xclient Script, Cinnamon, GNOME Classic (no effects), and Secure Remote Connection. I only tried the GNOMEs and Cinnamon, but nothing changes when I log in.

Anyway, here's the inxi output:

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~ $  inxi -Fzx 
System:    Host: Bubba-computer Kernel: 3.2.0-23-generic i686 (32 bit gcc: 4.6.3)
           Desktop: Gnome  (Gtk 3.4.2-0ubuntu0.8) Distro: Linux Mint 13 Maya
Machine:   System: eMachines (portable) product: eMachines E725 v: V3.04
           Mobo: eMachines model: eMachines E725 v: V3.04
           Bios: eMachines v: V3.04 date: 12/16/2009
CPU:       Dual core Pentium T4400 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
           flags: (lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 8778
           clock speeds: max: 2200 MHz 1: 1200 MHz 2: 1200 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Mobile 4 Series Integrated Graphics Controller
           bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.11.3 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.0hz
           GLX Renderer: N/A GLX Version: N/A Direct Rendering: N/A
Audio:     Card Intel 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: 1.0.24
Network:   Card-1: Broadcom BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY
           driver: wl bus-ID: 04:00.0
           IF: eth1 state: up mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR8132 Fast Ethernet
           driver: atl1c v: 1.0.1.0-NAPI port: 1000 bus-ID: 05:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 250.1GB (16.2% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD2500BEVT size: 250.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 11G used: 5.4G (54%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda7
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 0.01GB used: 0.00GB (50%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 50.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 177 Uptime: 9 days Memory: 896.4/2956.6MB
           Init: Upstart runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.6.3
           Client: Shell (bash 4.2.251) inxi: 2.2.18

and

Code: Select all

 ~ $ inxi -Gx
Graphics:  Card: Intel Mobile 4 Series Integrated Graphics Controller
           bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.11.3 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.0hz
           GLX Renderer: N/A GLX Version: N/A Direct Rendering: N/A

[austin.texas]

I switched my Mint 13 to Gnome and ran inxi -Gx
mint@skynet1 ~ $ inxi -Gx
Graphics: Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] BeaverCreek [Radeon HD 6550D] bus-ID: 00:01.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.11.3 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: vesa,fbdev) Resolution: 1600x1200@60.0hz
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on AMD SUMO GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 8.0.4 Direct Rendering: Yes
The "Direct Rendering: Yes" that I have, that is missing from yours, leads me to believe that you may not be able to run Cinnamon on that machine. I had a comparable machine which would run Cinnamon, but not very well. I ended up installing Mate, and that worked a whole lot better.

[Irony58]

I never thought it might be a hardware issue. So I went a different direction and loaded XFCE, thinking that a lightweight DE wouldn't depend so much on H/W. And this worked fine. I selected xfce for the session and xfce showed up.

Thanks for the help!