This Fedora Core 3 (64bit) is my first install of linux. After an initial basic installation with all desktop defaults I ran up2date and selected ALL updates, including kernel etc. This killed the GNOME GUI but I was still able to use the console with init 3. Now a few weeks later I managed to patch it back together using yum and a few direct rpm installs. Most applications are working fine EXCEPT:

* my desktop folders and colours have disappeared and the "desktop background" application just shows a blank window - to close it I have to fo force quit
* the file browser application is not opening at all

I would appreciate any suggestions on how to get those apps back to work. Is it a configuration issue or are there any additional packages that need to be installed?

BTW, I have already removed nautilus with yum, reinstalled nautilus, and also updated GNOME environment, with no changes to the problem.

Can you right click on an empty place on your desktop and launch an x-terminal?

If so, type nautilus in the x terminal and see if that fixes things.

Otherwise, delete (better yet, rename) all the hidden files that refer to gnome and log out of X then log back in.

Thanks, I deleted the user accounts and when I rebooted most of the functions were back.