Ubuntu – How to completely restore default desktop environment in ubuntu 14.04 lts after installing and removing gnome desktop environment.

14.04compizgnomeunity

I got a mix of icons and windows display between gnome and unity. I have follow the steps in other forums with that explain how to remove gnome and restore unity, but that did not work as I expect.

This are some of the forums I followed with no success:

How do I reset my Unity configuration?

http://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/2014/04/reset-unity-and-compiz-settings-in-ubuntu-14-04/

Unity default settings

Experimenting I seem to have mixed up Unity and Gnome desktop 3 and would like only one of them

Best Answer

Completely remove the GNOME desktop and reinstall the Unity desktop from a virtual console.

Boot the PC - on login screen press Ctrl+Alt+F1 - enter user name and password - execute : 

sudo apt-get purge gnome
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop  
sudo reboot

Although restarting the system isn't strictly necessary, it nevertheless is recommended to do so.

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