system files on desktop?

[oldwood]

Hi everyone,

After a recent reboot I found my desktop covered in files that look like system files. I don't see any errors during the boot process.

I am running Mint Mate 20.1
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Gerry

[JerryF]

Can you provide a screenshot of your desktop?

[oldwood]

HI,

I tried to add a screenshot, but I get a file too large error even after getting the file down to 224 kB

Gerry

[JerryF]

Attached files through the forum have to be 100 KB or less.

On the screenshot you took, try opening it using an image editing program (such a Pinta) and when saving/exporting, set the compression to 50 (or whatever the program's level of compression numbering is).

[JerryF]

I use the program Shutter which has more options than the default program. You can set the compression level in the Preferences of that program.

If you're interested in getting that, you'll have to add a PPA because Shutter is no longer in the usual repositories.

[oldwood]

Here is the screenshot

Thanks,
Gerry

[JerryF]

Sorry, but can't read that. The resolution (the size of the pic) was reduced, not the compression.

[oldwood]

Here it is just compressed.

[JerryF]

Much better!

Can you provide the results of the following command from Terminal? Copy and paste the command to Terminal

Code: Select all

ls /home/$USER/Desktop -l

Please put code tags around the posted results.

[oldwood]

Here it is.

[JerryF]

Here it is.

Something or someone put files in your Desktop directory (probably accidentally)

Remove the unwanted files in that directory and your Desktop should return to normal.

P.S. Please post results as requested. Some members aren't keen to download files to see the results of Terminal Commands.

Example:

Code: Select all

gerry@gerry-System-Product-Name:~$ ls /home/$USER/Desktop -l
total 36656
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry   353220 Feb 14 16:55  aclocal.m4
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     9364 Apr  6 09:01  align.py
drwxr-----  3 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  apparmor
-rwxrwxr-x  1 gerry gerry      218 Mar  6 06:55 'Asustor launch.desktop'
drwxr-----  4 gerry gerry     4096 Apr  6 09:01  base
-rw-------  1 gerry gerry      722 Nov 15 15:51 'Bev & Gerry.kmz'
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    10037 Apr  6 09:01  check-plugin.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    40097 Apr  6 09:01  check.py
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry     4494 Feb 14 16:55  class_cups_drv.inc
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     1935 Feb 14 16:55  class_rpm_build.sh
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     7225 Apr  6 09:01  clean.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     9297 Apr  6 09:01  colorcal.py
drwxr-----  2 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  common
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     1632 Feb 14 16:55  Common.h
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    44504 May 12  2011  config.guess
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    35206 May 12  2011  config.sub
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry   629774 Feb 14 16:55  configure
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry    26853 Feb 14 16:55  configure.in
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     7149 Apr  6 09:01  config_usb_printer.py
drwxr-----  2 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  copier
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry    51023 Feb 14 16:55  COPYING
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    18203 Feb 14 16:55  copyright
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     3468 Feb 14 16:55  createPPD.sh
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry    37641 Feb 14 16:57  cups_drv.inc
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    44868 Feb 14 16:55  Dat2drv.cpp
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     7645 Feb 14 16:55  Dat2drv.h
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    29694 Apr  6 09:01  dat2drv.py
drwxr----- 10 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  data
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    18615 Dec  8  2010  depcomp
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     2745 Apr  6 09:01  devicesettings.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     3860 Apr  6 09:01  diagnose_plugin.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     3741 Apr  6 09:01  diagnose_queues.py
drwxr-----  4 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  doc
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry    12997 Apr  6 09:01  doctor.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    24964 Apr  6 09:01  fab.py
drwxr-----  5 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  fax
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     2629 Apr  6 09:01  faxsetup.py
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry    97143 Apr 11 12:01 'files on desktop.jpg'
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry  1957445 Apr 11 11:57 'files on desktop.png'
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry     3691 Feb 14 16:55  FindPPD.cpp
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry      431 Feb 14 16:55  FindPPD.h
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     6627 Apr  6 09:01  firmware.py
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry    61695 Feb 14 16:57  foomatic_drv.inc
-rw-r--r--  1 gerry gerry    48408 Apr  5  2020  Gunther
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry    10916 Jan 31 09:32  gutternotunderdrip_DF2433427D520.gif
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry    51906 Dec  9 10:25 'how covid spreads.jpg'
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     7207 Apr  6 09:01  hpdio.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     3137 Feb 14 16:55  hpijs-drv
drwxr----- 22 root  root      4096 Apr  6 09:00  hplip-3.21.2
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry 27058177 Apr  6 08:57  hplip-3.21.2.run
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry     7465 Feb 14 16:55  hplipclassdriver.spec
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     1852 Feb 14 16:55  hplip_clean.sh
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry     1237 Feb 14 16:55  hplip.conf.in
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry      344 Feb 14 16:55  hplip.desktop.in
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry      917 Feb 14 16:55  hplip-install
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry     7074 Apr  6 09:03  hplip-install_Tue-06-Apr-2021_09:01:54.log
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry    25272 Feb 14 16:55  hplip.list.in
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry      307 Feb 14 16:55  hplip-systray.desktop.in
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry   303731 Feb 27 19:31  HPSCAN_20210227210629593_2021-02-27_210717456.pdf
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    20864 Apr  6 09:01  hpssd.py
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry      177 Feb 14 16:55  hp-uiscan.desktop.in
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     6417 Apr  6 09:01  info.py
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry      345 Feb 14 16:55  init-iptables-firewall
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry      849 Apr  6 09:01  __init__.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry      532 Feb 14 16:55  init-suse-firewall
drwxr-----  2 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  installer
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     7762 Apr  6 09:01  install.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    13663 Dec  8  2010  install-sh
drwxr-----  4 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  io
drwxr-----  2 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  ip
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     7021 Apr  6 09:01  levels.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     2592 Apr  6 09:01  linefeedcal.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    92954 Feb 14 16:57  locatedriver
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    12446 Apr  6 09:01  logcapture.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry   282967 May  1  2011  ltmain.sh
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    11683 Apr  6 09:01  makecopies.py
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry    38946 Feb 14 16:55  Makefile.am
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry      382 Feb 14 16:55  Makefile_dat2drv
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry   698759 Feb 14 16:57  Makefile.in
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     5738 Apr  6 09:01  makeuri.py
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry   237822 Nov  8 07:59 'media bias.pdf'
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry    31930 Apr 11 11:41 'messy desk.jpg'
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry   223967 Apr 11 11:13 'messy desk.png'
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    11419 Dec  8  2010  missing
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry     8963 Mar  6 06:29 'Mount asustor Nas.odt'
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry    11996 Feb 14 16:55  Normalize.cpp
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry     2964 Feb 14 16:55  Normalize.h
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry  2002479 May 24  2020  P5248327.JPG
drwxr-----  3 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  pcard
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     3210 Apr  6 09:01  pkservice.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    13947 Apr  6 09:01  plugin.py
drwxr-----  2 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  plugins
drwxr-----  4 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  ppd
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     2507 Apr  6 09:01  pqdiag.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     4339 Apr  6 09:01  print.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     3025 Apr  6 09:01  printsettings.py
drwxr----- 11 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  prnt
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     8178 Apr  6 09:01  probe.py
drwxr-----  3 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  protocol
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     5061 Apr  6 09:01  query.py
drwxr-----  4 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  scan
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    88933 Apr  6 09:01  scan.py
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry   942224 Mar  9 20:20 'Screenshot at 2021-03-09 20-20-31.png'
drwxr-----  2 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  selinux
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    22144 Apr  6 09:01  sendfax.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    38027 Apr  6 09:01  setup.py
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry     4879 Apr  6 09:01  systray.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     6132 Apr  6 09:01  testpage.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     3390 Apr  6 09:01  timedate.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     9009 Apr  6 09:01  toolbox.py
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry   302528 Mar 27 10:39 'traffic monitor.png'
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry   303347 Mar 27 10:53 'Traffic monitor settings.png'
drwxr-----  2 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  ui
drwxr-----  2 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  ui4
drwxr-----  2 gerry gerry     4096 Feb 14 16:57  ui5
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     2236 Apr  6 09:01  uiscan.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     3356 Apr  6 09:01  uninstall.py
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    24759 Apr  6 09:01  unload.py
-rw-r-----  1 gerry gerry       29 Feb 14 16:55  unreleased.inc
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry    15477 Apr  6 09:01  upgrade.py
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry   294872 Mar 29 11:06 'VPN settings page.png'
-rwxr-----  1 gerry gerry     2866 Apr  6 09:01  wificonfig.py
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry   101663 Apr  1 09:55 'without VPN.png'
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry    92171 Apr  1 09:56 'with TCP VPN.png'
-rw-rw-r--  1 gerry gerry   102111 Apr  1 09:57 'with UDP VPN.png'
gerry@gerry-System-Product-Name:~$ 

[oldwood]

Hi,

"P.S. Please post results as requested. Some members aren't keen to download files to see the results of Terminal Commands"

How do you do that? What is a code tag?

Do I just paste the output from the terminal into the message?

Thanks,
Gerry

[JerryF]

Yes, you would paste the contents in the post. There are buttons above where you start typing a post and look like this:

Shutter_027.jpg (3.51 KiB) Viewed 959 times

The 5th button </> is the code tags for long output from Terminal commands. After pasting your result into a post, select everything you pasted and then click on the code tag button.

[oldwood]

Thanks for taking the time to help and educate me.

Gerry

[JerryF]

Thanks for taking the time to help and educate me.

Gerry

Glad I could be of help!

There are lots of features to use on the forum. Those buttons can make text bold, italic, underline. You can automatically create a numbered list of items when you post, change the color of text.

Other things are contacting a member directly (if he or she allows it). Under the members information on the right, there's a Contact: icon which can be used to message or email the member. If you're going to use this, use it cautiously. You should post on the boards first, then if need be, contact the person if he/she has been helping you on the board, but you need to explain something to him/her directly. Sometimes, the member will request that you contact him/her directly.

[JerryF]

In order to remove that HPLIP folder that you told me about, open your File Manager, open the Desktop folder, then right-click on an empty area. Click on the option "Open as Root" (it may be different for MATE's Caja file manager---I think it's called "Open as Administrator". It will ask for a password. Enter your password you use to sign in on Mint.

This opens another instance of your file manager, now will superuser rights. Delete the HPLIP folder.

Use the "Open as Administrator" sparingly. It can be risky performing operations as superuser.

[oldwood]

I managed to delete it. My desktop is looking much better

Thanks for all your help. I bailed on Windows when Win7 reached EOL, and I am enjoying Linux a lot and learning new things daily.

Gerry