KDE not displaying panel; erratic

[Brett I. Holcomb]

One thing KDE tries to do is to make Windows users feel at home and this is 
part of the windows emulation of KDE <G>.  Seriously, this happens to many 
of those who use(d) KDE.  I have never seen an explanation for it but I've 
fixed it by logging out, then back in as the same user.  In rare cases I've 
had to reboot.  

KDE has many similarites to Windows - one is that it appears to get itself 
confused.  In fact a standard fix for the KDE 2.x series appeared on the 
mailing list many, many times:

1. As root, from console with KDE NOT running rename the ~./kde2 directory 
to something else (i.e. kdesave).

2.  Delete all files in /tmp

3.  Restart KDE and it will create a new ~./kde2 directory - of course 
without your apps settings.  To get them back you copy from the old kde 
directory (kdesave in our example) kdesave/share/config and 
kdesave/share/apps the rc files and other files that you need.

This is one of the reasons I'm abandoning KDE.  I got tired of it's bloat 
and these strange happenings.  I run 2.2.1 right now but my new system is 
being built without KDE.  I get enough wierd things happening on the 
Windows systems I have to use - I don't need my Linux becoming a Windows 
emulator.  

> I've bamboozled my wife into using Linux (told her she'd have
> to do Windoze installation herself), and for a few months all
> has been well with Netscape and kpatience.
> 
> Now, the panel has gone flaky for no reason I can think of.
> When she logs in, many times it's just not there, and she cannot
> operate without it.  I've tried a variety of things to bring it
> back, but the thing that works best is simply to log out,
> log in as ANOTHER user, open an xterm and exit, then log out
> and go back in as herself.  Go figure.
> 
> The other user has a working panel.  Always, at least so far.
> It's not clear why one has to open a window, but that does
> seem part of the magic.
> 
> Does anyone have a clue, or a less painful way to deal with
> this (like a permanent solution, maybe?).
> 
> All this is a stock COL 3.1.1. workstation install, except
> for the updated Netscape, and compiling and installing
> kdegames.
> 
> ++ kevin
> 

-- 
Brett I. Holcomb
brettholcomb at R777charter.net
AKA Grunt <><
Registered Linux User #188143
Remove R777 to email