broken desktop
 

Hope someone can help a frustrated newbie.

I had a working ubuntu 10 on my old laptop. Not sure what's happened but now whenever you start any app, the app starts in the foreground, then immediately the desktop gains the focus. This happens all the time on any app that is either already running or started from scratch. Thus making the system unusable.

Any ideas ?

A Little More Detail, Please.
 

Wait, so the app doesn't minimize, it just isn't the active window anymore? I'm assuming you can click the app's window to make it active again, right?

If I read your problem correctly, this is just really, really frustrating, right?
(I'm not discounting the validity of your problem, or trying to mock you. I'm just trying to get a better understanding of the situation.)

Or does the application "disappear" somehow? Are you unable to alt+tab to it, doesn't show up in the taskbar, etc)

You can 'alt tab' to any running app, but all that happens is the app shows in the foreground for a second then returns to the background. So basically the system works as normal with the exception that you cannot use any running apps for more than a second or two.

Ah, okay. So they're *always* popping into the background.
What happens if you move your mouse cursor over to where the window will pop-up, then alt-tab?
Does the window stay active?
(I'm thinking "Focus Follows Mouse" is set...)

The problem still persists wherever i position the mouse cursor.

Just out of curiosity, does this happen with every user account on the system?
If you create another user, and login as them, does it happen?

If it doesn't happen with a new user, then it's something with your profile's setup.
A "quick fix" would be to throw all of the files & folders in your home directory into one folder, then login thru the WindowManger. It would be forced to give you all default settings again. I can walk you thru that if necessary.

However, if it happens with a different, newly created user account. Then there's an application loading and *seriously* misbehaving.

(Do you happen to have FireFox or Thunderbird open when this starts happening?)

The problems still persist in a brand new user account. I am going to admit defeat and either re_install the dreaded win.... xp, perhaps linux is a little bit over my head. Although i have been very impressed with its simplicity as an operating system and its speed of operstion. I'm guessing i broke something trying to install xbmc earlier this afternoon.

Thank you for all your efforts.

Well, that's a shame. Ubuntu is about as easy as it gets...unless you've tried Linux Mint.
That thing is *slick*. Give it a shot.

But before you do anything...intense; Do you have a spare mouse, maybe another keyboard, too?
Maybe it's not the software...

...just a thought. :)

And if I've been at least a tiny bit of help, I'd really appreciate it if you could click the "Thanks" button on my post(s).
It's way over to the right of my signature (that "When I am king", thing)

Have a good one!

I might try and have look into your suggestions.
I'm almost certain that the system is throwing some error messages as i have noticed a couple of messages but they are impossible to read in the nano second before they dissapear. A message is definately being thrown if i try to start 'system/package manager' and enter the password.

If you start a terminal, and try to run the app from there, does the terminal window dissappear, or you could maybe read the error message from there.

Just a thought.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! Your Linux is fine!

The GUI is not part of Linux. Linux is a command-line OS. The GUI is a user-space add-on application called the X Window System.

Then, you have the Window Manager, which is what draws the window decorations (the frame around each window), lets you move/resize windows, etc.. I think this is what's misbehaving.

A Desktop Environment is a set of integrated applications, typically including essentials like panels and a window manager.

I assume you are using the GNOME desktop because you mention Ubuntu, in that case your window manager is probably Metacity. See this site for a list of window managers:

http://www.xwinman.org

is unclutter running in the background (i think it is started by xbmc)

maybe doing this: then uploading that file will give us an idea of what mite be running in the background.