How can I bring up the terminal when the xserver is stopped?

[medlabdude]

I'm trying to resolve an issue related to the following error in Mint 13 xfce.

"no running instance of xfce4-panel has been found."

I've found suggestions to clear the ~/.cache/sessions/xf* files and some other .config files. It's my understanding that I need to stop the xserver and use the terminal to delete the files. I'm able to stop the xserver by using cntl, alt, f1. I expected to drop to a terminal but the screen is blank. How can I bring up the terminal, or is there a preferred way other than using cntl, alt, f1?

Thanks,

[DrHu]

You stop the X-server and run as root in order to repair an installation
--you can do this by running recovery mode from your grub menu or you could insert the live CD and boot the system

At which point I would use apt and reinstall the xcfe-panel..
--if you get that message about no xfce-panel is running and the desktop does not load
--if you haven't sone anything with the system yet, I would refresh it completely (a reinstall) to get a clean install

Your actual problem is not clear to me:

• Is it a desktop error on boot ?
• Have you tried to change an xfce setting or added a plugin to the panel (xfce-panel)
• Is it something else
  --when you searched to find a fix, what were you trying to fix ?

[medlabdude]

The problem, "no running instance of xfce4-panel has been found," is a message a friend of mine gets once he logs on his computer. The message appears with the option to cancel or execute. I imagine it is due to an inadvertent action on his part. He would not have been trying to change an xfce setting or add a plugin to the panel.

The error does not appear on his wife's user account. I installed Mint for him a few months ago and he only recently began to see the message. I've found a number of posts related to this issue that appear to have been solved by deleting some the .cashe/sessions files.

I've attempted to delete them in the gui but to no avail. And stopping the x-server left me with a blank screen. I thought about accessing the files using a live cd. I'm not familiar with running in recovery mode from your grub menu.

[medlabdude]

I take that back. I know what you're talking about. I'm not seeing the grub menu on boot however. I'll check the grub file contents and go from there.
thanks...

[medlabdude]

I was able to boot to a live cd to do what I needed to do. Thanks for the help.