Ubuntu taskbar has disappeared!
 

Hello,

I am running Ubuntu 10.10 with GNOME on an Acer Aspire netbook, and so far everything has been running fine. Unfortunately, I let a friend use the computer, and it appears he has accidentally deleted the taskbar/workspace. I can see my desktop, and any programs that I have placed on it, but my taskbar (which allows me to access my programs, file manager, etc.,) is completely gone!

I tried using the Terminal to restore or recreate it, but whenever I try to use the Alt+F2 command to launch the Terminal, the computer doesn't respond! I've tried using other keyboards, but it just will not respond to the Run keystrokes. Since I can't get to the Terminal, text editor, or Nautilus to change my config file or run a Unix command that would bring the taskbar back, I'm completely out of ideas!

Have you tried to switch to a console (ctrl+alt+F1/F2/F3....)?

Gnome, in Ubuntu 10.10 :

You should be able to add a new panel : Right click mouse.

Then 'right click' the panel to "Add applets" : Add a "Main Menu".

Thank you both for your helpful replies! Yes, rodrifra, I have tired switching to console, but Ubuntu simply won't respond to the keystrokes. I've even attached other keyboard to it, without any reaction.

Unfortunately, there is no add panel option from the right click context menu, knudfl, so I can't pursue that option as a solution.

Any other ideas?

What options do you have available in your context menu when you right-click?

OK, I'd guess that the solution is :
Start a live Linux cd, to have access to your Ubuntu partition.

Edit the file /etc/X11/default-display-manager
from : /usr/bin/gdm
to : false

Then Ubuntu will boot into CLI : You have a command line.

And can now delete the hidden config files in /home/<name>/ :
1) ~.config 2) ~.local 3) ~.gnome2

Next : Start the GUI with 'startx' :
Gnome will write a new set of default config files.

..

Thanks for all the replies! It was very helpful and informative. Your suggestion saved the day knudfl! Thanks to you, I won't have to reinstall Linux. I just find it strange that Ubuntu would give me the ability to delete the taskbar, but not give me a way to get it back. It seems sort of inconvenient. In any event, I'm going to mark the thread as solved. Hooray for Linux Questions!

yada bunu dene: sudo apt-get install gnome-panel