[SOLVED] Loss of Main Menu with all Applications

Following an update the Main Menu Icon and listing failed to appear in which case I cannot now select any Application or the Terminal. I have a dual boot system with Windows XP. If there is no answer to this problem can I reinstal Zorin over that existing. Can anyone offer me help here?

Try this.
Plug an ethernet cable to get internet (not through wifi).
Reboot and from the grub menu select the recovery mode (usually the 2nd option).
From the new menu choose "dpkg" and let it run.
This will preform the updates and fix broken packages (if any).
After it is finished reboot and see if things have been fixed.

Thank you Madvinegar - I tried your present suggestion prior to coming onto the Forum and have now tried it again but I'm afraid I'm in the same position. I have little knowledge of Linux but if I knew the way to start from rest - that is clear Zorin from the Dual Boot System without affecting my Win XP System and Files I'd download an upto date ISO and reinstal Zorin again. Many thanks for your help.

Hi,

did you activate the Network before you clicked on "dpkg", if you didn't, it cannot run, it is near the bottom of the same recovery menu!.

See this post also and read the section about fixing "Broken Files":

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2247

Regards Wolfman

Hello Wolfman,

Yes - The Network was activated and I could see the URL's coming up and being responded to. It seems to have run it's full course which then terminated with the opportunity of entering commands. This action I carried out a number of times and finally entered the commands listed by yourself -
"sudo apt-get update" and then after "sudo apt-get dist-upgrade". This again addressed the Net and completed it's course however upon normal boot up the situation was exactly the same - No Start Menu Icon - No Application Listing.
It's like if all Applications have been deleted.
The only Icons on the lower Bar are - Left to Right - Google Chrome,File Manager,Banshee. On the Right - Enable Networking, Banshee, Chat and Mail, Time&Date, Shutdown Options.
On the Desktop - Computer, My Home, Trash and Libre Office Calc which I placed there before this failure.
I keep on thinking of a further clean instal but am concerned about what will happen with a Dual Boot System. I have read that the way it can be done is to is in Disk Management is to delete the Linux Partitions - insert a Win 98 Start Up Disk and issue the "fixmbr" command. Boot up after which sholud bring me back to Win XP normal and take it from there.
I would of course prefer to correct the situation as it stands now but if all else fails????
Thank you anyway for your offer of help.
Any other way or confirmation of deleting Zoriman completely leaving XP with Files SOUND would be appreciated.

Regards Linesman.

Do this.
Open look changer and change look i.e. to gnome-look. Logout-login. Then open again look changer and change the look back to win7 look. Logout-login.

To open look changer press alt+F2 and then write "look-changer" (without the quotes) and hit <enter>.

Hi,

this might be a simple case of adding the applets back to the panel as they simply may have somehow deleted themselves!!.

Install the all applets pack for AWN with the following command:

sudo apt-get install awn-applets-all

then; right click the panel > Dock Preferences > Applets > Catogories > All > AWN Main Menu then click on the green arrow to add the item to the panel, add whatever other applets you want and close.

In the AWN Settings main window, look at > Preferences > Start AWN Automatically and make sure there is a tick in there!!.

Regards Wolfman

Hello Madvinegar,

Bang on - Problem solved - Following your suggestion of using Look-Changer everything is back and operating correctly.
You have given me peace of mind and thank you.
I have one more query on a change that took place at the same time which if possible I would also like to correct. It's the default in the boot up Grub Menu. At present it is Zorin but I need this to be Windows XP with Zorin being selectable when required. Can I make Xp to be the default boot up?? Also in this Menu there is a double entry for Win Xp - is it in order to just right click and delete the duplicate entry??
Many thanks again.
Regards Linesman

Hi Wolfman,

Thank you for your ongoing assistance on my problem. You will note from the Forum that the Look-Changer method put forward by Madvinegar solved the issue but even so I appreciate your help on this matter.

Regards Linesman

Linesman wrote:Hello Madvinegar,

Bang on - Problem solved - Following your suggestion of using Look-Changer everything is back and operating correctly.
You have given me peace of mind and thank you.
I have one more query on a change that took place at the same time which if possible I would also like to correct. It's the default in the boot up Grub Menu. At present it is Zorin but I need this to be Windows XP with Zorin being selectable when required. Can I make Xp to be the default boot up?? Also in this Menu there is a double entry for Win Xp - is it in order to just right click and delete the duplicate entry??
Many thanks again.
Regards Linesman

Glad I helped my friend.
As for your other question, do the following:

In the Terminal, type the command:

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/default/grub

You will be asked to provide your password, and then the text editor will open with the file loaded.

Now look for the line that says:

GRUB DEFAULT="0"

This line will be one of the first lines in the file, just past the comment lines that are marked with a "#". It tells GRUB2 that the default command to run is number "0" on the list, where the line numbers start with zero, and not one. This is an important detail.

For example, the counting looks like this:

0. Zorin
1. Zorin recovery mode
2. Memory test
3. Memory test
4. windows

Remember which line in your GRUB2 boot menu had the Windows command? If it was, for instance, line 5, then you will need to indicate that you want the default action to be item number 4. So change the command to say:

Code:

GRUB DEFAULT="4"

While you're at it, you could find the line that sets the countdown time for GRUB to display the menu, and change it from 10 seconds to maybe 3 seconds. This will save you a whole 7 seconds of boot-up time!

Save the changes to the file, and close it.

Go back to your Terminal. You will need to get GRUB2 to recognize the changes you made by typing:

Code:

sudo update-grub

Restart your computer, and it should choose Windows as its default boot-up. Remember that the Windows command will still be the last item on the menu list.

Hello Madvinegar,
I thank you again for your assistance in changing the order of booting - done that and its OK. One more question but I doubt if I will be able to change the situation. - - - -
I am using a Wireless Link Keyboard (wiFi?? ) which operates fully in the dual booting system - that is in Zorin when booted and also Win XP when booted.
What ever default selection is made in the Grub Menu the Keyboard will come into play when fully booted but on start up in the Grub Menu should I wish to select other than the default I have to do this with a direct wired keyboard. This is not a major problem apart from keeping the direct wired keyboard on standbye.
Probably the better arrangement is just to use the direct wired keyboard only ( which needs updating now ).
Thank you for your help.
Regards,
Linesman

Yes... this is logical because the wifi is only switched on after the system has booted.

I suppose it is a USB-wireless keyboard. I mean that the the transmitter is a USB stick, correct?

Try this.
Access you BIOS settings and search to enable the option: "USB Kerboard support" and also "USB mouse support".

(If you don't know how to access BIOS options, let me know so as to explain.)

You are correct again and something I should have realised earlier. I was just so concerned about the loss of the start menu icon and the associated listing.
In the BIOS - it's " Enable USB Keyboard Support ". - The Mouse being OK. Many thanks again. Good to know you.
Kind regards,
Linesman

Just great. I am very glad I helped and good to know you too . Should I mark the topic as "solved"?

Definitely Madvinegar - Without any shadow of doubt. Going to get cracking on some work now split between Win XP, Win 7 and now Zorin wherein I hope to learn more about the system. The advantage to me is the variation in free software that is available in the Engineering Field with Zorin and of course the the arrangement of its Desktop.
Many thanks infact thanks to those on the Forum that were prepared to assist where possible.
Kind regards
Linesman

Hi,

please read the post install guide too:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2054

Regards Wolfman

Will do. Thank you Wolfman.

Regards Linesman