Empty right applications panel in mint menu

[boysha]

Oh, yes, I tried that from the "+Add to panel" and also installing from Software manager.
I tried removing it, uninstalling it and than installing again - nothing worked. I am still missing all applications.
However, everything else works in Mint menus Advanced Menu.

[all41]

Try creating a new user in "Users and Groups" -- get there by typing "user" in the search window of the menu
and Enter.
Then logout, and log back in as the new user. Does the apps menu show normally there?
If so there is a corruption somewhere in your home hidden configuration settings.

[boysha]

No. New user also doesn't get to have applications. But also a good idea. Thanks.

[all41]

Since new users get a fresh set of config files you have eliminated that question mark.
I have a rather early errand in the morning so calling it a night here, but I will continue to follow
this thread and think on it.

[boysha]

Thank you so much!!! Good day!

[all41]

Thank you so much!!! Good day!

If you have added themes try reverting back to an original Mint theme.

If you have updated to a new kernel you could try reverting that back to the previous version
at the Grub boot screen by choosing Advanced options.

The Applications section of the menu is generated by python script directives, so you could try reinstalling
your python 2.7 package. Use Menu/Package Manager and type "python" in the search field.
Right click the python package and Mark for Reinstallation. Then click the Apply button in the toolbar.
Reboot and check

[boysha]

Synaptic wouldn't give me an option to reinstall. If I try to remove I am warned about removing also 158 other packages and rendering the system unusable.
I didn't install any new kernel. I tried revetting to regular Mint theme - same problem.
I am just trying to not have to reinstall Mint. Also, I want to learn why this happen and how.

[all41]

Synaptic wouldn't give me an option to reinstall

Strange. Here on 18.3 Mate I was able to bork the menu within /usr/lib/python2/dist-packages
by deleting the file matemenu.x86_64 linux-gnu.so file.

This removed not only the third tier (which is how your menu looks) but also remove the second tier of the Applications, leaving only Places and System
in the left most panel.
I was able to use Synaptic to reinstall the python 2.7 package which reloaded that file and repaired that purposeful corruption.
That system has all available updates applied including the latest kernel 4.15.0-32.

Is your 18.3 installed from an .iso or was it upgraded from Mint 17 series?

You can also try installing the next newer kernel in the series and check the menu there. This is revertible at grub boot
if it doesn't perform normally

[boysha]

I am not sure what to tell you. Your system and my system seem to be basically the same.
I wish you could access my PC and see for yourself.
I can choose another kernel in line to upgrade but I am afraid that it will not do anything.
This problem that I have, happened out of nowhere. All was well for all the time since I installed it using ISO.

I just booted using an older kernel (one before the last upgrade from Mint) and I still have a problem.
(Kernel Linux 4.15.0-29-generic x86_64)
My Menu was working fine then so I assume that changing to any other will not solve the problem.

[gm10]

How about this:

Code: Select all

apt install --reinstall mate-panel mate-panel-common libmate-panel-applet-4-1 libmate-menu2 python-mate-menu

followed by

Code: Select all

mate-panel --replace

Still doesn't work? Consider clean installing LM19, might as well.

[boysha]

This is the part of terminal output when I tried your suggestion:
Reinstallation of mate-panel-common is not possible, it cannot be downloaded.
Reinstallation of libmate-panel-applet-4-1 is not possible, it cannot be downloaded.
Reinstallation of libmate-menu2 is not possible, it cannot be downloaded.
Reinstallation of python-mate-menu is not possible, it cannot be downloaded.
Reinstallation of mate-panel is not possible, it cannot be downloaded.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

[gm10]

Is there anything that isn't broken on your system? Want us to troubleshoot your package management system as well or are you just going to clean install? I know what I would do at this point.

(try to switch your Sylvia mirror, might be yours is down)

[boysha]

I am sorry to inconvenience you. I can always clean install but this could give me a chance to learn.
Or maybe you think that it is pointless?

[gm10]

I am sorry to inconvenience you. I can always clean install but this could give me a chance to learn.
Or maybe you think that it is pointless?

No inconvenience actually, it's just that I had to laugh out loud for real when you came back with those error messages. My reply was in that spirit actually, guess it didn't come across right.

I'd also like to figure out what broke. We know it's not your user settings so it must be one of the system files. I already had you try and reinstall the menu script itself right at the start, that wasn't it, so the command I gave you now will replace all of the back-end that I could think of for being responsible, including the python package that @all41 hinted at.

So check your Internet connection and/or switch your mirrors and see if you cannot get those packages downloaded and reinstalled.

[boysha]

I actually tried several mirrors and I am now getting - could not refresh the list of updates.

My Internet connection screen shot:

Screenshot at 2018-08-16 12-39-59.png

[gm10]

Do a reboot, verify that Internet is working, go to Software Sources, click on "Restore the default settings", then still in Software Sources click on the Maintenance category, click the first two buttons. Once it's done (second one can take a few seconds to complete) close it and then run

Code: Select all

apt clean
apt update

Post full output if it fails again.

[all41]

hi @gm10 -- glad you're aboard here.
@boysha
Please post the results of terminal inquiry:

Code: Select all

inxi -Sr

You need to get your connection back up.
If you have added ppas temporarily deselect them in Software Sources/PPAs

Code: Select all

mintsources

Regarding the menu, you could check through the Synaptic history for the time you first noticed the menu problem looking
particularly for removed packages. Synaptic toolbar Edit/History

btw: envy your connect speed

[boysha]

Here is the output:
Hit:1 http://mirror.it.ubc.ca/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Ign:2 http://mirrors.evowise.com/linuxmint/packages sylvia InRelease
Hit:3 http://mirrors.evowise.com/linuxmint/packages sylvia Release
Hit:4 http://mirror.it.ubc.ca/ubuntu xenial-updates InRelease
Hit:5 http://mirror.it.ubc.ca/ubuntu xenial-backports InRelease
Hit:7 http://ppa.launchpad.net/audio-recorder/ppa/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Get:8 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security InRelease [107 kB]
Hit:9 http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:10 http://ppa.launchpad.net/dhor/myway/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:11 http://ppa.launchpad.net/jonathonf/mate-1.18/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:12 http://ppa.launchpad.net/nilarimogard/webupd8/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:13 http://ppa.launchpad.net/obsproject/obs-studio/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:14 http://ppa.launchpad.net/snwh/ppa/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:15 http://ppa.launchpad.net/snwh/pulp/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:16 http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntuhandbook ... ity/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Fetched 107 kB in 2s (39.6 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
62 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.

[gm10]

Ah, perfect, so it's working again. So now try the commands in this post again pls:

viewtopic.php?p=1513108#p1513108

PS: This PPA looks problematic, what is that for? http://ppa.launchpad.net/jonathonf/mate-1.18/ubuntu
If you're not using the official MATE desktop that comes with Mint then problems with the Mint Menu are quite possibly due to that.

[boysha]

I am using Mate 1.18
Reinstall mate-panel went fine.
Mate-panel --replace - my panel disappeared and came back but now the little square is blinking inside the terminal and it's not getting back to
the "neb@neb-linuxmint18" - start. It's like it's still working or something.

I am still having: could not refresh the list of updates - in Update Manager