11

Yesterday (Jan. 3, 2018), I installed an OS update (Ubuntu 16.04), using the Software Center. My system isn't working correctly now. When my mouse rolls over the Launch bar, it disappears, then any open window disappears, leaving me with only the desktop screensaver showing. I can't even shut the computer off using the settings button on the top.

I went into the Terminal and attempted to fix it using the following commands:

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get autoremove

But I'm still having the same problem.

I have reinstalled Ubuntu 16.04 and when I accepted the update on install had the same problem. I have reinstalled it a second time but have not done an OS update and everything seems to be working fine.

Found another user with the same problem: Ubuntu updates 1-4-2018

Is it possible that the Meltdown security update is at fault? I've read the update has been issued for 64-bit x86 architecture (https://insights.ubuntu.com/2018/01/04/ubuntu-updates-for-the-meltdown-spectre-vulnerabilities/); I'm running a 32 bit i386 architecture. Could that be an issue and is there a way to correct it?

user681210
  • 113
  • 1
    Please [edit] your question and specify what exactly you updated. – dobey Jan 04 '18 at 18:17
  • You could've tried to fully update the system, just in case, and that would be with sudo apt update followed by sudo apt full-upgrade (apt should be used instead of apt-get in 16.04 or newer). The commands you issued by themselves fix nothing. Please do as above and for good measure also post the hardware specifications. –  Jan 04 '18 at 18:20
  • Hello Dobey. I'm not sure what was updated as I simply clicked the install button on the software center update page. I'm very (VERY!) new to Linux and not really sure what I'm doing. If you could tell me how to find that info, I will find out what was updated. – user681210 Jan 04 '18 at 19:06
  • @user681210 Copy and paste terminal data into your own question as an edit, NOT via comments. – Thomas Ward Jan 04 '18 at 20:32
  • I am experiencing the same problem. No solution but switch to XFCE so far... :-( That's sad - I really love Unity, it's otherwise perfect, IMHO. – Ivan Jan 07 '18 at 05:35
  • Related LTS update problems: https://askubuntu.com/questions/993099/launcher-toolbar-defect-after-ubuntu-update-earlier-today and https://askubuntu.com/questions/993073/taskbar-keeps-disappearing and https://askubuntu.com/questions/993072/ubuntu-16-04-regular-crash-compiz-segfault-error-4-in-i965-dri-so-fresh-insta one of which is put on hold. – WinEunuuchs2Unix Jan 08 '18 at 01:36
  • 1
    @OrganicMarble Thanks for pointing out the definitive Q&A. – WinEunuuchs2Unix Jan 08 '18 at 02:25
  • Meltdown update ... maybe there is a reason it is called that. Lol – Christian Sirolli Jan 10 '18 at 11:28

2 Answers2

9

As version 17.2.4 of the Mesa graphics library causes the problem, below commands upgrade this library to its newer version that is free of this bug feature:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:paulo-miguel-dias/pkppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo reboot
Fabby
  • 34,259
Sangre Sani
  • 106
  • 1
    Thanks a lot. It worked. If you could explain why it's working, then it would be great to know the details. Right now, I just copy pasted the solution. Thanks. – sudip Jan 09 '18 at 15:27
  • All I know is that the version 17.2.4 of Mesa graphics library (has something to do with opengl) caused the problem. Above commands upgrade this library to its newer version that is free of this bug apparently. I'm glad I helped. :) – Sangre Sani Jan 10 '18 at 15:58
  • too bad, this didn't work for me ;( ... desktop stable only when booting in recovery. Did full update/upgrades on 4.4.0.083 through latest (as of 23 July), 4.4.131 to no effect, then tried paulo-miguel-dias pkppa above on .104, .127, .131 all to no avail. Mine are older, 32 bit machines with Pentium(R) D cpus and cheap video cards or on-board video (switching made no difference). Through many years of updates, this problem never happened ... seems like at around 4.4.0.083 the problem started. What log files should I investigate? Thx – Howard Pautz Jul 24 '18 at 02:14
2

I also had the same problem. I thought about reinstalling ubuntu too. But fortunately I changed my mind.

Then I booted ubuntu in recovery mode. To my surprise, launcher was working fine there. That proved that the problem is not with launcher. Its with something else.

I wondered, whats missing in Recovery Mode which is present in Normal Mode. Then I remembered that while booting recovery mode, it prompted me with a message saying, some of the graphical features wont work in Recovery Mode.

So what I did is, booted normally, then (for those who want to skip to solution, start reading here),

  1. Went to System Settings
  2. Went to Software and Updates Settings
  3. Clicked on Additional Drivers tab
  4. Selected the "(proprietary, tested)" graphic driver
  5. Apply Changes
  6. Restart ( it actually froze when I clicked on restart, had to hard reboot)

Problem Solved

Now you may not have any graphic driver option which works(Poor You).

But what I conclude is, the problem is with open source graphic driver. Maybe it got updated or something, something for the experts to think about.

I hope it gets fixed soon, so I switch back to open source(cause open source rocks, thats what they say atleast).

Hope you find this helpful.

Kash
  • 21