Weird user-specific malfunction problem

[Erik Harrison]

On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 12:24:02 -0800, Ross Laird <ross at rosslaird.info> wrote:
> 
> I wonder if anyone can assist with this (I've tried posting to both the xfce
> forum and the os-cillation forum without success -- but many thanks for the
> attempts by various people to help):
> 
> After upgrading xfce (using the os-works sources) to 4.2, all users but root
> share the problem that the window controls are missing and clickable cursor
> placement does not work (for example, I can't click into the address bar of
> the browser). Also, hovering over the mail icon on the panel causes the
> terminal icon also to be selected.
> 
> The root user is the only user for whom xfce functions properly.
> Here's what I have tried so far to fix this problem:
> 
> 1) Erasing .config, .cache, and .xfce4 files and directories for various
> users.
> 
> 2) Copying over (using rsync) the .cache, .config and .xfce4 files from the
> correctly-functioning root user (being careful to correct the permissions
> afterward).
> 
> 3) Looking for errors in xfwm4 (none have shown up) and in my .xsession-errors
> files for the users in question. Also I have looked at .xinitrc etc.
> 
> 4) Installing and running xfce4 by way of the os-cillation install packages
> (and putting the files in a distinct location from the Debian packages). The
> same problem shows up.
> 
> 5) I have also tried purging and reinstalling xfce from the Debian
> repositories and from the os-cillation repositories. No effect.
> 
> Xfce used to work fine on my system -- no problems at all.
> All other window managers also work fine (kde, gnome, wmaker, etc.).
> Anybody know how I might tackle this?
>

I've seen exactly this problem before, it was a path issue, but the
details of which I do not recall. If, as Jasper says, xfwm is not
running, try starting it. If the desktop is completely unusable the
switch to another virtual terminal and run xfwm4 --display :0

I'm willing to bet that if xfwm4 isn't running then you'll see crash
there when you try to start it.

-Erik
 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> Ross Laird
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-- 
-Erik