Hi,

I recently had an update and that has worked successfully, but now I have no "My Computer" or "Start" button on the bottom left of the screen (Gnome layout on suse 10.2).

All the rest is fine but this area is just blank. All else works fine but only because I have the Home directory at the top. Cannot access things such as Yast etc, cannot even search.

Has anybody else witnessed this? And if so, how is it fixed?

I can post a screen shot if need be.

Really need help now guys,

Thanks,

Matt.

This is a link to what is on my desktop... there is no "start" option.

http://mbtsystems.com/problem_2.jpg

I had similar errors in Fedora, after a kernel update, the matching nvidia module for my nvidia graphics did that. Could not reverse it neither, even after the next kernel update which also updates the nvidia driver.

Yeah thanks for the reply,

That's the crazy thing about it... it was fine until this update (appaz a kernel one - whatever hell that means lol, new to all this).

So the sum of this equation is kill all and redo the lot? thought i was told to move to linux for a reason better than that lol!

erm, before i have to reboot for 400th time, in the hope the My Computer button will appear, and do the famous "format C" (windows style I know!)...

any last resort ideas?

cheers,

matt.

I had a feeling it was related to an update as your one of rash of Gnome related problems recently, possibly all with SUSE also.
I have imaging/backup technology and can rebuild from an image of a fresh install in less than half an hour because I also keep all downloads including updates. It was easy for me to wipe that particular install's partition with the bad kmod-nvidia and load the image, re-do updates which took me to the next kernel update above the problematic one before applying the new kmod-nvidia which worked well.
But you may be in a position where finding a resolution is first priority before re-building.
Worst is, for a desktop environment, you don't really need the updates, that is more important in a server environment when running a "stable" or "final" release.
My brother in-law's shop has Debian Woody for a server with the workstations all XP Pro, why are they using such an old distro?. Because it is straight off the CD's and has never seen an update and is steady as a rock. He pays a nominal amount of money per month to a local computer outfit that takes care of his network and it is them who prefer to use Woody because it can run on cheap computers they sell to him for shelf price of an OEM model, and they don't have to keep running to the shop to take care of the problems associated with updates. No updates spells "easy money" for them.

Yes

Install Mandriva!

thanks junior hacker,

And also thanks for all the info there (and, lol, the mandriva comment appreciated but it's taken me all this time to move from XP to suse, let alone another move!)

So basically, 2 questions here, based on what you have said:

1) When i am told there are software updates available, there is little point installing them as I am not a server? Even though some may say "security"?

2) In the best of my knowledge, nobody has seen their Start Menu vanish on windows, and if it did I'm sure there would be an easier solution to get it back rather than say "don't do the updates"!

I'm not being sarcastic, as you obviously know your linux (I'm very new), but surely there has to be a better solution than destroy the lot (other than what you have said about back-up imaging clones etc), and a whole new version!

I guess tho in next 24 hours that's only option I gonna be left with lol!

All that said though, thanks for your help and information.

Oh and, erm, looking into Mandriva now :-)

cheers.

Could you be a little more specific about the vanished menu? Are you sure it can't be repaired by adding it to the panel again?

I mean, I reinstalled Suse 10.2 just yesterday, did all the updates and I really didn't see anything like that issue you're describing.

Hi Jay73,

Basically, one minute the My Computer menu button is there, and after an update and reboot it has gone. In the same way, imagine the XP green start button "just vanishes".

I can't get it back for love nor money! If there's a way then I have no idea how, tried all the usual, right clicking here and there. The add-to menu things are the usual stuff, like the clock and pad and so on.

I'm also worried that if I do reinstall, and it does the updates again then I'm back at square one, although you say that hasn't happened with you, so maybe safe.