Broken desktops\Solved

[foxpoint11]

I`ve used Mint from #2 To #12 and I am having a problum with #12 with its multiple desktops.I tried them all when it was first installed and settled on MATE.
It continues to run fine but when i went to show a friend the other desktops from cinnomen to the two gnome desktops,I found them all broken in the sense that
the graphics on cinnomen and the two Gnome flavors gave me blue dots rather then icons.Is this normal in the sense that all my updates were to MATE desktop?
In other words if I went with Cinnomen desktop rather then MATE,would cinnomen be working and MATE and the two Gnomes be broken?
Is having 4 desktops on one release too much?
Solved

[remoulder]

MATE is a fork of gnome 2 as used on the earlier versions of mint whereas all the other desktops are based on gnome 3 which is relatively new and has higher graphics demands. Without knowing more about your system it s not possible to say but it is likely this if the cause. There are 3 desktops not 4 as one is a graphics fallback mode of gnome shell, and are provided to give users a choice in this period of transition from gnome 2 to 3.

[AlbertP]

The problems with cinnamon & gnome shell are probably graphics related - perhaps you use ATI/AMD? Please run this command in terminal and post the output:

Code: Select all

inxi -Gx

[foxpoint11]

Thank you both for your answers and I am sure it is my graphics used in my computer.bill@bill-DX4200-09 ~ $ inxi -Gx
Graphics: Card: ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics bus-ID: 01:05.0
X.Org 1.10.4 drivers ati,fglrx unloaded: vesa,fbdev,radeon Resolution 1280x1024@60.0hz
GLX Renderer ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics GLX Version 3.3.11005 - CPC Direct Rendering Yes
bill@bill-DX4200-09 ~ $
Knowing the limitations of my computer,when I first installed the system,i disabled most of the "fancy do da`s"on all of the 3 or 4 desktops;and they WORKED
before I settled on Mate.
What I am really afraid of is Mint will stop working on my computer come trhe next update.I know i don`t have to update and i can go back to Mint #11 until 2013.
Mybe i can use Mint Debien?
I like Mint,i trust Mint and i don`t want to switch because of of "increased graphics demands of Gnome 3" that i can`t turn off.
I`m 74,on a fixed income so this computer will have to last until it becomes prohibitive to have fixed.

[AlbertP]

Please uninstall the graphics driver from Additional Drivers. If you really need a driver you can download it from http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/l ... linux.aspx instead.