applets missing from panel in Mint 17 Qiana

[yacau]

I've been unix/linux user for more years than I want to count. Currently, my setup is

System: Host: jarkapc-Z935 Kernel: 3.13.0-139-generic x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: N/A Distro: Linux Mint 17 Qiana

Recently, I had to use external monitor of lesser resolution in "mirror" mode as my display got demaged.
With new screen installed I lost some applets, like network, sound control, update manager. Using
right-click on the panel and choosing "add to panel" I get a list where the lost ones don't appear and
what is there does not give the same functionality. The worst thing is lack of access to the network manager,
particularly the list of visible wifi.

Surprisingly, if I switch to another (rarely used) user, the default set up still has these old icons
working. However, doing right-click on them does not give me "properties" or "about" to find out any
info how to get to them.

I did lot (several days) of searching on the forums but have found only cases vaguely similar to my
problem, trying to follow some suggestions (like reinstall network manager) did not help me at all.

In the old times I used to manipulate the setup of the network but I recall trying to play with
ifconfig once the networking is managed lead to disasters. The workaround by switching users to
do the network changes is not really acceptable.

I could list the properties I am missing in more details but this question is getting too long.
Any help, suggestions would be most appreciated!

yacau, also Jerry

full system info: inxi -Fz
System: Host: jarkapc-Z935 Kernel: 3.13.0-139-generic x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: N/A Distro: Linux Mint 17 Qiana
Machine: System: TOSHIBA (portable) product: PORTEGE Z935 version: PT234U-07001X
Mobo: TOSHIBA model: PORTEGE Z935 version: Version A0 Bios: TOSHIBA version: Version 6.70 date: 04/04/2013
CPU: Dual core Intel Core i5-3337U CPU (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx)
Clock Speeds: 1: 774.00 MHz 2: 774.00 MHz 3: 774.00 MHz 4: 1100.00 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller X.Org: 1.15.1 driver: intel Resolution: 1360x768@59.8hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ivybridge Mobile GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.1.3
Audio: Card: Intel 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.13.0-139-generic
Network: Card-1: Intel 82579V Gigabit Network Connection driver: e1000e
IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Card-2: Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2230 driver: iwlwifi
IF: wlan0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 256.1GB (73.1% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: PLEXTOR_PX size: 256.1GB
Partition: ID: / size: 229G used: 175G (81%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 6.33GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap
RAID: No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors: None detected - is lm-sensors installed and configured?
Info: Processes: 236 Uptime: 10:44 Memory: 1514.3/5863.2MB Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4

[all41]

I've been unix/linux user for more years than I want to count. Currently, my setup is

System: Host: jarkapc-Z935 Kernel: 3.13.0-139-generic x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: N/A Distro: Linux Mint 17 Qiana

Recently, I had to use external monitor of lesser resolution in "mirror" mode as my display got demaged.
With new screen installed I lost some applets, like network, sound control, update manager. Using
right-click on the panel and choosing "add to panel" I get a list where the lost ones don't appear and
what is there does not give the same functionality. The worst thing is lack of access to the network manager,
particularly the list of visible wifi.

Surprisingly, if I switch to another (rarely used) user, the default set up still has these old icons
working. However, doing right-click on them does not give me "properties" or "about" to find out any
info how to get to them.

I did lot (several days) of searching on the forums but have found only cases vaguely similar to my
problem, trying to follow some suggestions (like reinstall network manager) did not help me at all.

In the old times I used to manipulate the setup of the network but I recall trying to play with
ifconfig once the networking is managed lead to disasters. The workaround by switching users to
do the network changes is not really acceptable.

I could list the properties I am missing in more details but this question is getting too long.
Any help, suggestions would be most appreciated!

You can reset the panel to factory defaults by opening a terminal and enter (or copy/paste) the following:

Code: Select all

mate-panel --reset

then press enter

[redlined]

hi Jerry!

I'd do a reinstall... (joke) I'm new, probably less months on Linux than your years and I get stuck at Desktop: N/A not sure how to move beyond that

anyway, today smurphos (local forum guru) gave instructions that I think may apply in helping you find NM applet, try
~/.local/share/applications, I see mine in there, a bunch of .desktop files my apologies if this is not anything, I do not wish to waste anyone's time. otherwise I'm back to being unable to move beyond Desktop: N/A and will watch for the experienced come give the good advice.

edit to add: Nice hat all41!
(glad you arrived, how did you know it was MATE? besides it was posted in Mate forum:D)

edit2: I made it sound like a quote from smurphos, which it wasn't, rather it was me backing out of cinnamon applet subdirectory and back to applications but I forgot the better half, where we copied that local/share from (and to:

Copy the folder /usr/share/cinnamon/applets/menu@cinnamon.org to ~/.local/share/cinnamon/applets/menu@cinnamon.org

which made me think the source you seemed more to be seeking would be usr/share directories? I add this edit hoping it's useful. and I'm off for the night- good luck Jerry! nite all~

[yacau]

Thanks all41 for quick, succinct and excellent advise, it took me few tries to work out the details but it is there!

Hi redlined, thanks for your thoughts .. you said "how did you know it was MATE? " - I just guessed that Qiana was not cinnamon and the
other options did not sound right! Yes I should re-install sometimes but I prefer to avoid it for now.

I lost lots of time and sleep over this, I am glad I could get the right answer from this forum .. thanks again, Jerry

I still have to find how to mark this SOLVED ..

[all41]

Hi @yacau,
You're welcome--glad you have it sorted.
You can add (SOLVED) to this thread by scrolling all the way up to your
first post. There you will see a 'Pencil' icon for editing.
Then modify the small 'Subject' window above the main body of the post.
Cheers

[redlined]

Thanks all41 for quick, succinct and excellent advise, it took me few tries to work out the details but it is there!

Hi redlined, thanks for your thoughts .. you said "how did you know it was MATE? " - I just guessed that Qiana was not cinnamon and the
other options did not sound right! Yes I should re-install sometimes but I prefer to avoid it for now.

I lost lots of time and sleep over this, I am glad I could get the right answer from this forum .. thanks again, Jerry

I still have to find how to mark this SOLVED ..

hi Jerry! reinstall was a horrible joke I was poking at ya with because I couldn't understand the missing DE in your inxi results, Desktop: N/A is where it normally states Cinnamon, MATE, XFCE, etc and version number. The Qiana part is 'nickname for LM17 edition and besides being posted in MATE subforum I see no way of knowing that (other than something subtle in inxi results?)...

anyways, glad this got sorted - the forum has quite a few who are spot on and direct advice givers that know how to gather the info needed for easier troubleshooting (which I'm learning, slowly:). About the joke reinstall though, I do see your hardware and in loose comparison yours is far better/more modern to both a laptop and a desktop 32bit machines locally I am running LM19 MATE on. Something to consider, an upgrade might be real tough from base 17 (the path would be 17> 17.3> 18> 18.3> 19, I'd bet and that being a long painful sounding journey indeed. I'd for sure run a live session of LM19 MATE (19.1 comes out this month, it's in beta now so may as well try that for live session) or even 18.3 if 19 is too much for your system just to check that potential especially since LM17 end of support is 2019 (April, I think). Either way, even beyond support date you'll find the forum volunteer gurus to be long experienced, knowledgeable and very helpful, able to cmdline-fu just about anything (I'm surprised they tolerate me at all

I'm back to pondering that missing MATE