1.6.7: Desktop icons are gone, missing setting in options

[zerozero]

this nemo issue addresses this problem https://github.com/linuxmint/nemo/issues/38
and this pull request https://github.com/linuxmint/nemo/pull/91 is trying to solve it

[caribriz]

Tried both options and they didn't work

Me too - and similar solutions from other threads as well.
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=90&t=117865#p651894

For me, it seems to be fixed (may be speaking too soon again )
I changed the mdm login screen, cinnamon theme, icon, gtk and window theme all back to the defaults.
So far , the desktop icons have appeared at every boot - and I've tried it a number of times now. Go figure.

Hopefully they'll find a permanent solution soon.

caribriz

[Nick Payne]

I just installed Mint 14 amd64 from the updated 14.1 ISO, which did not install Nautilus at all, only Nemo, and what I'm finding is that when I boot up and login, my desktop icons are not there. However, as soon as I start Nemo, they appear. So there is still something that needs fixing. The only change I have made to the default Cinnamon settings is to change the hot corner to bottom right.

I ran apt-get update/upgrade immediately after the install. Cinnamon is 1.6.7 and Nemo 1.1.2.

[chazdg24]

I installed 1.6.7 on Ubuntu 12.04. I am having the same issue with Desktop icons. I did the following with no resolution:

1. /usr/share/applications/ open defaults.list with elevated permissions. Change the only entry for nautilus to nemo. (ie: inode/directory=nautilus.desktop

2. created a "defaults.list" file in ~/.local/share/applications/ and filled it with
CODE: SELECT ALL
[Default Applications]
inode/directory=nemo.desktop

Any ideas for a workaround? Cinnamon has really improved since I used it last year!

[caribriz]

I did the following with no resolution:
1. /usr/share/applications/ open defaults.list with elevated permissions. Change the only entry for nautilus to nemo. (ie: inode/directory=nautilus.desktop

I tried this too, but found the file was back to the original at the next boot.

As I said in previous posts above, I have had success with changing everything back to the defaults - mdm login screen, wallpaper
(I don't think I mentioned the wallpaper before ), icons, themes.
Also changing a couple of files - I have no idea if these changes made any difference or not.
It seems changing back to the out-of-the-box appearance has done it for me.

For many reboots now, the desktop icons have appeared as they should. But when I tried to change the wallpaper again ... they disappeared again.
So I changed it back

caribriz

[chazdg24]

Cinnamon is still not a viable alternative to Unity, Gnome & KDE until the desktop icon issue is resolved. Cinnamon has come a long way, but I really can't use it on a steady basis without desktop icons. Hopefully, a fix is forthcoming, otherwise it remains a toy to play with until I need to get to work...

[chazdg24]

Here is the fix for Ubuntu users, do the following. Use dconf-editor and go to org-gnome-desktop-background and tick "Show desktop icons".

Not sure if Mint has dconf.

Here is the problem, I need to do that every time I turn on the computer. Not the best fix.

[wiugrad2010]

Here is the fix for Ubuntu users, do the following. Use dconf-editor and go to org-gnome-desktop-background and tick "Show desktop icons".

Not sure if Mint has dconf.

Here is the problem, I need to do that every time I turn on the computer. Not the best fix.

That sounds like a lot of work. I prefer just clicking on the "files" icon on my task bar and open up the file browser.

After that all my icons appear and i can close the file browser. sounds much more simple.

[zerozero]

can you please try the following:
- uninstall nautilus apt remove nautilus
- see if this race condition disappears (it should because we removed one of the reasons )
- check if you don't lose any functionality
the issue is not going to be solved by an update soon (and by soon i mean in the next days/weeks) as you can see in the issue linked above)
this workaround is of course just that but looks to me more effective (if you don't need nautilus) than any other i saw.

[chazdg24]

Here is the fix for Ubuntu users, do the following. Use dconf-editor and go to org-gnome-desktop-background and tick "Show desktop icons".

Not sure if Mint has dconf.

Here is the problem, I need to do that every time I turn on the computer. Not the best fix.

That sounds like a lot of work. I prefer just clicking on the "files" icon on my task bar and open up the file browser.

After that all my icons appear and i can close the file browser. sounds much more simple.

As far as I can tell, that didn't work (although, I was not paying attention to this fix). I also have Unity and KDE Desktop installed. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with this issue.

[chazdg24]

can you please try the following:
- uninstall nautilus apt remove nautilus
- see if this race condition disappears (it should because we removed one of the reasons )
- check if you don't lose any functionality
the issue is not going to be solved by an update soon (and by soon i mean in the next days/weeks) as you can see in the issue linked above)
this workaround is of course just that but looks to me more effective (if you don't need nautilus) than any other i saw.

I am somewhat uncomfortable doing this until I understand the implications. Would a problem ensue with Unity and KDE Plasma if Nautilus was removed? What are the implications of removing Nautilus to Ubuntu being stable? I really would like to avoid a system that would not be able to boot at all!

[zerozero]

Would a problem ensue with Unity and KDE Plasma if Nautilus was removed?

yours is a different user case (the bold is mine btw); i don't foresee any problem with kde but can't guarantee what will happen with unity.

for users with the combo mint+cinnamon this should be a safe procedure.

[chazdg24]

Would a problem ensue with Unity and KDE Plasma if Nautilus was removed?

yours is a different user case (the bold is mine btw); i don't foresee any problem with kde but can't guarantee what will happen with unity.

for users with the combo mint+cinnamon this should be a safe procedure.

Which is why I asked that question. My experience with Unity is iffy at best (very much like a porcelain doll). Mess with it and the entire OS will not boot leaving me with nothing.

I just rebooted Ubuntu and logged into Cinnamon with all Desktop icons visible. Maybe the issue is switching between the three. I have no idea but would prefer not to install everything from scratch.

[chazdg24]

I just rebooted Ubuntu and logged into Cinnamon with all Desktop icons visible. Maybe the issue is switching between the three. I have no idea but would prefer not to install everything from scratch.

Restarts are fine, the desktop icons always show. Shutdown last night and this morning the icons were gone. Ugh.

[Nick Payne]

can you please try the following:
- uninstall nautilus apt remove nautilus
- see if this race condition disappears (it should because we removed one of the reasons )
- check if you don't lose any functionality
the issue is not going to be solved by an update soon (and by soon i mean in the next days/weeks) as you can see in the issue linked above)
this workaround is of course just that but looks to me more effective (if you don't need nautilus) than any other i saw.

Mint 14.1 didn't install nautilus, but I still don't see any desktop icons at login until after I start nemo. This behaviour has been completely consistent ever since I installed 14.1. A search for installed packages with nautilus in their name returns the following.

Code: Select all

nick@nick-mint ~ $ dpkg --get-selections | grep nautilus
libnautilus-extension1a   install
nautilus-data            install


[chazdg24]

Here is the fix for Ubuntu users, do the following. Use dconf-editor and go to org-gnome-desktop-background and tick "Show desktop icons".

Not sure if Mint has dconf.

Here is the problem, I need to do that every time I turn on the computer. Not the best fix.

That sounds like a lot of work. I prefer just clicking on the "files" icon on my task bar and open up the file browser.

After that all my icons appear and i can close the file browser. sounds much more simple.

Today is the first time that actually worked. Let's see what tomorrow brings.

[leskieurbiker]

I got it working in an odd way:

I first deselected "backported packages" in software sources. Then I uninstalled Cinnamon 1.6.7, and installed Cinnamon 1.4. It did'nt work: I was left without any desktop at all, nothing to click on. I had to do "ctrl-alt-backspace" to log out and log back in a Gnome session. Then I re-selected "Backported packages", reinstalled Cinnamon 1.6.7, telling myself I was better with a destkop without icons than no desktop at all. But at my surprise, since then, my icons always appear. Weird.

Edit: My icons appeared upon every boot for a few days in a row, but the problem came back. I always have to log out and log back in to get icons back. Sometimes Nemo handles the desktop, sometimes it's Nautilus. I can tell because they show a different icons layout.

[shakeye]

I am pretty new to all this, but I am running Win 7 + Mint 13 Cinnamon. In mint 13 my desktop icons were disappearing. Here's what so far seems to have fixed mine. 1) Use Software manager and make sure both Nautilus and Nemo are installed. 2) If they are then uninstall just one thing, Nautilus.
3) Reboot, bingo, now my icons stay however I put them.


Been about a week of everyday use, and haven't had one icon problem since my fix.

[chazdg24]

Edit: My icons appeared upon every boot for a few days in a row, but the problem came back. I always have to log out and log back in to get icons back. Sometimes Nemo handles the desktop, sometimes it's Nautilus. I can tell because they show a different icons layout.

I use Ubuntu 12.04 and had several days with icons. I updated Ubuntu two days ago to the latest kernel via Update Manager and the problem came back every time I boot. I suspect this is a bigger issue than Nautilus v. Nemo.

[leskieurbiker]

It's the most annoying bug since the day I began to use Linux Mint as my main OS.

Good timing to test KDE!