Linux Mint21 Looks totally different all of a sudden.

[DarthCryo]

Hello. As the title suggests, all of a sudden, my UI is completely different. I was using the information in https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=329787 but that was for v19. I am on v21 something. I am VERY new to Linux in general. I just installed this like a month ago, got it set up, then put it away for a couple weeks. I got busy and didn't need it, or had the time to play around on the OS. So when I grabbed my computer to set up a movie thing over a campfire outside, I logged in, and was instantly lost. Never have I seen this before. Here is what it looks like. At first, I thought maybe it was a UI specifically for touch laptops or something. I tried to look through the settings to change it. To my detriment, it was not.

So I did sudo apt install xfce4-panel then
xfce4-panel --quit ; pkill xfconfd ; rm -rf ~/.config/xfce4/panel ; rm -rf ~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-panel.xml ; xfce4-panel
which came back
(xfce4-panel:13482): Wnck-WARNING **: 13:51:32.458: libwnck is designed to work in X11 only, no valid display found

(xfce4-panel:13482): Wnck-CRITICAL **: 13:51:32.458: wnck_screen_get_active_window: assertion 'WNCK_IS_SCREEN (screen)' failed
Segmentation fault (core dumped)
So I did inxi -Fxnzr for information that was told to someone else in the forum I referenced. Here you go.
System:
Kernel: 5.15.0-41-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.2.0
Desktop: GNOME 42.4 Distro: Linux Mint 21 Vanessa base: Ubuntu 22.04 jammy
Machine:
Type: Convertible System: Acer product: Aspire R5-571T v: V1.04
serial: <superuser required>
Mobo: Acer model: Megatron_SK UMA v: V1.04 serial: <superuser required>
UEFI-[Legacy]: Acer v: 1.04 date: 04/25/2016
Battery:
ID-1: BAT0 charge: 7.8 Wh (22.8%) condition: 34.2/48.9 Wh (69.8%)
volts: 16.2 min: 15.2 model: AC14B3K status: Charging
CPU:
Info: dual core model: Intel Core i5-6200U bits: 64 type: MT MCP
arch: Skylake rev: 3 cache: L1: 128 KiB L2: 512 KiB L3: 3 MiB
Speed (MHz): avg: 500 min/max: 400/2800 cores: 1: 500 2: 500 3: 500
4: 500 bogomips: 19200
Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel Skylake GT2 [HD Graphics 520] vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI
driver: i915 v: kernel bus-ID: 00:02.0
Device-2: Chicony HD WebCam type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-7:5
Display: wayland server: X.Org v: 1.22.1.1 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.1
compositor: gnome-shell driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa
gpu: i915 resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 520 (SKL GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 22.0.5
direct render: Yes
Audio:
Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1f.3
Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.15.0-41-generic running: yes
Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 15.99.1 running: yes
Sound Server-3: PipeWire v: 0.3.48 running: yes
Network:
Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
vendor: Foxconn driver: ath10k_pci v: kernel bus-ID: 01:00.0
IF: wlp1s0 state: up mac: <filter>
IF-ID-1: ipv6leakintrf0 state: unknown speed: N/A duplex: N/A
mac: <filter>
IF-ID-2: proton0 state: unknown speed: 10 Mbps duplex: full mac: N/A
Bluetooth:
Device-1: Foxconn / Hon Hai type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 1-5:3
Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 2 state: down
bt-service: enabled,running rfk-block: hardware: no software: yes
address: <filter>
RAID:
Device-1: bpool type: zfs status: ONLINE level: linear raw: size: 1.88 GiB
free: 1.63 GiB zfs-fs: size: 1.75 GiB free: 1.5 GiB
Components: Online: N/A
Device-2: rpool type: zfs status: ONLINE level: linear raw: size: 920 GiB
free: 910 GiB zfs-fs: size: 891.5 GiB free: 880.79 GiB
Components: Online: N/A
Drives:
Local Storage: total: raw: 931.51 GiB usable: 1.78 TiB
used: 19.37 GiB (1.1%)
ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD10SPCX-24HWST1
size: 931.51 GiB
Partition:
ID-1: / size: 889.69 GiB used: 8.91 GiB (1.0%) fs: zfs
logical: rpool/ROOT/ubuntu_3k4qap
ID-2: /boot size: 1.75 GiB used: 251.2 MiB (14.0%) fs: zfs
logical: bpool/BOOT/ubuntu_3k4qap
ID-3: /boot/efi size: 512 MiB used: 15.9 MiB (3.1%) fs: vfat
dev: /dev/sda2
ID-4: /var/log size: 880.79 GiB used: 8.6 MiB (0.0%) fs: zfs
logical: rpool/ROOT/ubuntu_3k4qap/var/log
Swap:
ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 2 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) dev: /dev/dm-1
mapped: cryptoswap
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 37.0 C pch: 37.0 C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
Packages: 2495
No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com vanessa main upstream import backport
2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy main restricted universe multiverse
3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-updates main restricted universe multiverse
4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ jammy-security main restricted universe multiverse
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/protonvpn-stable.list
1: deb [arch="all", signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/protonvpn-stable-archive-keyring.gpg] [URL]https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian[/URL] stable main
Info:
Processes: 331 Uptime: 19m Memory: 7.65 GiB used: 3.78 GiB (49.4%)
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 11.2.0 Shell: Bash v: 5.1.16
inxi: 3.3.13

I can't get used to this UI. To switch between apps I have to hit a button and then select the window I need. I can't even get two windows next to each other. So as of now, this computer is useless for my work. Someone please help! I am now way over my head. I've searched for my issue but I can't find any answers. Those that I have found, don't work.
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[Condobloke]

G'day DarthCryo, Welcome to Linux.org

Do you have a topic running over at linuxmint.com ?....if so please provide a link to it

 

[wizardfromoz]

(Wizard appears in a puff of smoke, trips over a Franken-Mint, pops it in his mouth...Mmmm)

G'day @DarthCryo from another Aussie, and welcome.

You have had fun, haven't you?

I will likely have to return to this on my tomorrow, but for now, let's take a look at some of your input from inxi.

In the Spoiler (click to open, click to close) is my output from the same command (both Brian and I have your Distro)

Spoiler: Wizard's Vanessa inxi output

chris@vanessa-cinnamon-SSD:~$ inxi -Fxnzr
System:
Kernel: 5.15.0-52-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.2.0
Desktop: Cinnamon 5.4.12 Distro: Linux Mint 21 Vanessa
base: Ubuntu 22.04 jammy
Machine:
Type: Laptop System: Dell product: Inspiron 5770 v: N/A
serial: <superuser required>
Mobo: Dell model: 0XH3XD v: A00 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: Dell
v: 1.1.5 date: 04/03/2018
Battery:
ID-1: BAT0 charge: 39.9 Wh (100.0%) condition: 39.9/42.0 Wh (95.0%)
volts: 12.8 min: 11.4 model: SMP DELL Y3F7Y6B status: Full
CPU:
Info: quad core model: Intel Core i7-8550U bits: 64 type: MT MCP
arch: Coffee Lake rev: A cache: L1: 256 KiB L2: 1024 KiB L3: 8 MiB
Speed (MHz): avg: 792 high: 800 min/max: 400/4000 cores: 1: 800 2: 800
3: 800 4: 796 5: 744 6: 800 7: 800 8: 800 bogomips: 31999
Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel UHD Graphics 620 vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel
bus-ID: 00:02.0
Device-2: AMD Topaz XT [Radeon R7 M260/M265 / M340/M360 M440/M445 530/535
620/625 Mobile]
vendor: Dell driver: amdgpu v: kernel bus-ID: 01:00.0
Device-3: Realtek Integrated Webcam type: USB driver: uvcvideo
bus-ID: 1-5:3
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.3 driver: X:
loaded: amdgpu,ati,modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa gpu: i915
resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 620 (KBL GT2)
v: 4.6 Mesa 22.0.5 direct render: Yes
Audio:
Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: Dell
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1f.3
Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.15.0-52-generic running: yes
Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 15.99.1 running: yes
Sound Server-3: PipeWire v: 0.3.48 running: yes
Network:
Device-1: Realtek RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet vendor: Dell
driver: r8169 v: kernel port: d000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Device-2: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
vendor: Dell driver: ath10k_pci v: kernel bus-ID: 03:00.0
IF: wlp3s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 1-7:5
Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter>
bt-v: 2.1 lmp-v: 4.2
RAID:
Hardware-1: Intel 82801 Mobile SATA Controller [RAID mode] driver: ahci
v: 3.0 bus-ID: 00:17.0
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 5.69 TiB used: 1.41 TiB (24.8%)
ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Seagate model: ST2000LM007-1R8174 size: 1.82 TiB
ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Micron model: 1100 SATA 256GB size: 238.47 GiB
ID-3: /dev/sdc type: USB vendor: Western Digital model: WD My Book 25EE
size: 3.64 TiB
Partition:
ID-1: / size: 17.52 GiB used: 13 GiB (74.2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb13
ID-2: /boot/efi size: 511 MiB used: 330.1 MiB (64.6%) fs: vfat
dev: /dev/sda1
Swap:
ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 850.4 MiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) file: /swapfile
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 53.0 C pch: 49.0 C mobo: 46.0 C sodimm: SODIMM C
gpu: amdgpu temp: 52.0 C
Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 0
Repos:
Packages: 2244
No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
1: deb http://mirror.internode.on.net/pub/linuxmint-packages vanessa main upstream import backport
2: deb http://ubuntu.mirror.serversaustralia.com.au/ubuntu jammy main restricted universe multiverse
3: deb http://ubuntu.mirror.serversaustralia.com.au/ubuntu jammy-updates main restricted universe multiverse
4: deb http://ubuntu.mirror.serversaustralia.com.au/ubuntu jammy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ jammy-security main restricted universe multiverse
Info:
Processes: 423 Uptime: 4m Memory: 15.53 GiB used: 3.02 GiB (19.4%)
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 11.2.0 Shell: Bash v: 5.1.16
inxi: 3.3.13

Let's not worry about most of it, but examine the differences, particularly in the early section listed as

System:

Mine says Cinnamon, yours says GNOME, and you have tried to do something with Xfce panels.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster, as there is no GNOME desktop with Mint, and you don't have Xfce.

MInt has only 3 desktops - Cinnamon (designed by them and adopted by many others), MATE, and XFCE.

If you need a better understanding of DEs (desktop environments) here is an oldie but a goldie

https://renewablepcs.wordpress.com/about-linux/kde-gnome-or-xfce/

So one of my first questions would be

1. What were you trying to do?
2. Have you made the acquaintance of Timeshift, which ships with your Mint?

Back probably in about 12 - 14 hours, but in the meantime, it may just be as simple as saving any personal data and performing a reinstall.

Cheers for now

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

 

[Brickwizard]

Welcome to the forums, my first inclination would be to re-install either Cinnamon, Mate or Xfce desktop [whichever you started with,] this can be done from the software manager

 

[kc1di]

Hello @DarthCryo,
Welcome to the forum. I'm with @Wizzard. Back up all your important info and do a reinstall. Have you tried to install gnome on that distro it won't work because Cinnamon is based on gnome and there will be way too many conflicts with it. If you want gnome I would suggest you go with either Fedora or Ubuntu as your Distro. With mint it comes with Cinnamon, Mate or XFCE. With the XFCE version you can install the KDE desktop but it's not supported by Mint team. And If you want KDE you should go with Kubuntu or other KDE Distro. This page will explain the differing Desktops a bit.

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/difference-linux-desktop-environments-technology-explained/

We might be able to help you more if you tells us what it is your trying to accomplish.
As a General rule it's not good to install more than one desktop at a time on any distro. Not impossible but not recommended.
Good Luck.