Ubuntu – How to set built-in color scheme for gnome-terminal via CLI in Ubuntu 16

16.04colorscommand linegnomegnome-terminal

I want to change the color scheme of gnome-terminal to the built-in scheme Rxvt. I know how to set the fore- and background color and 'use-theme-colors', with gsettings, but I just can't find the right key to set the scheme.

Best Answer

As egmont mentioned in a comment,

the color "scheme" (e.g. "rxvt") is not stored in the settings, it's the 16 individual colors that are stored. The color "scheme" is only a concept of the graphical profile editor.

16.04

In the below commands, replace $profile with your profile ID, which you can get from

dconf list /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/

If you have only one profile, you can create the variable:

profile="$(dconf list /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/ | sed 's./..')"

Tango

  dconf write /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/$profile/palette "['rgb(0,0,0)', 'rgb(204,0,0)', 'rgb(78,154,6)', 'rgb(196,160,0)', 'rgb(52,101,164)', 'rgb(117,80,123)', 'rgb(6,152,154)', 'rgb(211,215,207)', 'rgb(85,87,83)', 'rgb(239,41,41)', 'rgb(138,226,52)', 'rgb(252,233,79)', 'rgb(114,159,207)', 'rgb(173,127,168)', 'rgb(52,226,226)', 'rgb(238,238,236)']"

Linux console

  dconf write /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/$profile/palette "['rgb(0,0,0)', 'rgb(170,0,0)', 'rgb(0,170,0)', 'rgb(170,85,0)', 'rgb(0,0,170)', 'rgb(170,0,170)', 'rgb(0,170,170)', 'rgb(170,170,170)', 'rgb(85,85,85)', 'rgb(255,85,85)', 'rgb(85,255,85)', 'rgb(255,255,85)', 'rgb(85,85,255)', 'rgb(255,85,255)', 'rgb(85,255,255)', 'rgb(255,255,255)']"

XTerm

  dconf write /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/$profile/palette "['rgb(0,0,0)', 'rgb(205,0,0)', 'rgb(0,205,0)', 'rgb(205,205,0)', 'rgb(30,144,255)', 'rgb(205,0,205)', 'rgb(0,205,205)', 'rgb(229,229,229)', 'rgb(76,76,76)', 'rgb(255,0,0)', 'rgb(0,255,0)', 'rgb(255,255,0)', 'rgb(70,130,180)', 'rgb(255,0,255)', 'rgb(0,255,255)', 'rgb(255,255,255)']"

Rxvt

  dconf write /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/$profile/palette "['rgb(0,0,0)', 'rgb(205,0,0)', 'rgb(0,205,0)', 'rgb(205,205,0)', 'rgb(0,0,205)', 'rgb(205,0,205)', 'rgb(0,205,205)', 'rgb(250,235,215)', 'rgb(64,64,64)', 'rgb(255,0,0)', 'rgb(0,255,0)', 'rgb(255,255,0)', 'rgb(0,0,255)', 'rgb(255,0,255)', 'rgb(0,255,255)', 'rgb(255,255,255)']"

Default

(same as Tango but with different palette color 1 -- dark grey instead of black)

  dconf write /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/$profile/palette "['rgb(46,52,54)', 'rgb(204,0,0)', 'rgb(78,154,6)', 'rgb(196,160,0)', 'rgb(52,101,164)', 'rgb(117,80,123)', 'rgb(6,152,154)', 'rgb(211,215,207)', 'rgb(85,87,83)', 'rgb(239,41,41)', 'rgb(138,226,52)', 'rgb(252,233,79)', 'rgb(114,159,207)', 'rgb(173,127,168)', 'rgb(52,226,226)', 'rgb(238,238,236)']"

  dconf reset /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/$profile/palette

^{With help from this comment}

14.04

In the below commands, replace $profile with your profile name, which you can get from

gconftool-2 --all-dirs /apps/gnome-terminal/profiles

It will usually be Default.

Tango

  gconftool-2 --set /apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/$profile/palette --type=string "#000000000000:#CCCC00000000:#4E4E9A9A0606:#C4C4A0A00000:#34346565A4A4:#757550507B7B:#060698209A9A:#D3D3D7D7CFCF:#555557575353:#EFEF29292929:#8A8AE2E23434:#FCFCE9E94F4F:#72729F9FCFCF:#ADAD7F7FA8A8:#3434E2E2E2E2:#EEEEEEEEECEC"

Linux console

  gconftool-2 --set /apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/$profile/palette --type=string "#000000000000:#AAAA00000000:#0000AAAA0000:#AAAA55550000:#00000000AAAA:#AAAA0000AAAA:#0000AAAAAAAA:#AAAAAAAAAAAA:#555555555555:#FFFF55555555:#5555FFFF5555:#FFFFFFFF5555:#55555555FFFF:#FFFF5555FFFF:#5555FFFFFFFF:#FFFFFFFFFFFF"

XTerm

  gconftool-2 --set /apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/$profile/palette --type=string "#000000000000:#CDCB00000000:#0000CDCB0000:#CDCBCDCB0000:#1E1A908FFFFF:#CDCB0000CDCB:#0000CDCBCDCB:#E5E2E5E2E5E2:#4CCC4CCC4CCC:#FFFF00000000:#0000FFFF0000:#FFFFFFFF0000:#46458281B4AE:#FFFF0000FFFF:#0000FFFFFFFF:#FFFFFFFFFFFF"

Rxvt

  gconftool-2 --set /apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/$profile/palette --type=string "#000000000000:#CDCD00000000:#0000CDCD0000:#CDCDCDCD0000:#00000000CDCD:#CDCD0000CDCD:#0000CDCDCDCD:#FAFAEBEBD7D7:#404040404040:#FFFF00000000:#0000FFFF0000:#FFFFFFFF0000:#00000000FFFF:#FFFF0000FFFF:#0000FFFFFFFF:#FFFFFFFFFFFF"

Default

(same as Tango but with different palette color 1 -- dark grey instead of black)

  gconftool-2 --set /apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/$profile/palette --type=string "#2E2E34343636:#CCCC00000000:#4E4E9A9A0606:#C4C4A0A00000:#34346565A4A4:#757550507B7B:#060698209A9A:#D3D3D7D7CFCF:#555557575353:#EFEF29292929:#8A8AE2E23434:#FCFCE9E94F4F:#72729F9FCFCF:#ADAD7F7FA8A8:#3434E2E2E2E2:#EEEEEEEEECEC"

  gconftool-2 --unset /apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/$profile/palette

^{With help from this answer}

By the way, doing this via GUI is easy:

Open gnome-terminal
Go to Edit → Profile preferences → Colors → Palette
Change the Built-in scheme

Changing the prompt style

To change the prompt format, add the following lines in ~/.bashrc file:

### Prompt style
export PS1="\033[0;33m\h:\W \u\$ \e[m"

Now the terminal looks like this:

Terminal font

Intall Monaco font. You can run this in Terminal:

curl -kL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cstrap/monaco-font/master/install-font-ubuntu.sh | bash

Warning: You may have issues with this font in browser. This is discussed here.

Then set the Terminal font to use Monacao: go to Edit -> Profile Preferences and change the font:

Color scheme

Save the following content into an XML file:

<gconfentryfile>
  <entrylist base="/apps/gnome-terminal">
    <entry>
      <key>global/active_encodings</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/global/active_encodings</schema_key>
      <value>
        <list type="string">
            <value>
              <string>UTF-8</string>
            </value>
            <value>
              <string>current</string>
            </value>
        </list>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>global/confirm_window_close</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/global/confirm_window_close</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>true</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>global/default_profile</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/global/default_profile</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>Default</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>global/profile_list</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/global/profile_list</schema_key>
      <value>
        <list type="string">
            <value>
              <string>Default</string>
            </value>
        </list>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>global/use_menu_accelerators</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/global/use_menu_accelerators</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>true</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>global/use_mnemonics</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/global/use_mnemonics</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>true</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/close_tab</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/close_tab</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;&lt;Shift&gt;w</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/close_window</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/close_window</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;&lt;Shift&gt;q</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/copy</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/copy</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;&lt;Shift&gt;c</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/detach_tab</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/detach_tab</schema_key>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/full_screen</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/full_screen</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>F11</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/help</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/help</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>F1</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/move_tab_left</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/move_tab_left</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;&lt;Shift&gt;Page_Up</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/move_tab_right</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/move_tab_right</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;&lt;Shift&gt;Page_Down</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/new_profile</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/new_profile</schema_key>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/new_tab</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/new_tab</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;&lt;Shift&gt;t</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/new_window</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/new_window</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;&lt;Shift&gt;n</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/next_tab</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/next_tab</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Control&gt;Page_Down</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/paste</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/paste</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;&lt;Shift&gt;v</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/prev_tab</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/prev_tab</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Control&gt;Page_Up</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/reset</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/reset</schema_key>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/reset_and_clear</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/reset_and_clear</schema_key>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/save_contents</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/save_contents</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>disabled</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/set_terminal_title</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/set_terminal_title</schema_key>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_1</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_1</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Alt&gt;1</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_10</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_10</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Alt&gt;0</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_11</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_11</schema_key>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_12</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_12</schema_key>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_2</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_2</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Alt&gt;2</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_3</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_3</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Alt&gt;3</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_4</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_4</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Alt&gt;4</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_5</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_5</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Alt&gt;5</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_6</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_6</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Alt&gt;6</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_7</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_7</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Alt&gt;7</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_8</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_8</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Alt&gt;8</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/switch_to_tab_9</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/switch_to_tab_9</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Alt&gt;9</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/toggle_menubar</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/toggle_menubar</schema_key>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/zoom_in</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/zoom_in</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;plus</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/zoom_normal</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/zoom_normal</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;0</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>keybindings/zoom_out</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/keybindings/zoom_out</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>&lt;Ctrl&gt;minus</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/allow_bold</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/allow_bold</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>false</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/alternate_screen_scroll</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/alternate_screen_scroll</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>true</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/background_color</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/background_color</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>#0D0D19192626</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/background_darkness</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/background_darkness</schema_key>
      <value>
        <float>0.5</float>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/background_image</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/background_image</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string></string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/background_type</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/background_type</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>solid</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/backspace_binding</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/backspace_binding</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>ascii-del</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/bold_color</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/bold_color</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>#000000000000</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/bold_color_same_as_fg</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/bold_color_same_as_fg</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>true</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/cursor_blink_mode</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/cursor_blink_mode</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>system</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/cursor_shape</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/cursor_shape</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>block</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/custom_command</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/custom_command</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string></string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/default_show_menubar</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/default_show_menubar</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>true</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/default_size_columns</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/default_size_columns</schema_key>
      <value>
        <int>80</int>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/default_size_rows</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/default_size_rows</schema_key>
      <value>
        <int>24</int>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/delete_binding</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/delete_binding</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>escape-sequence</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/encoding</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/encoding</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>current</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/exit_action</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/exit_action</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>close</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/font</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/font</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>Monaco Bold 10</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/foreground_color</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/foreground_color</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>#D3D1D7D7CFCF</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/icon</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/icon</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string></string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/login_shell</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/login_shell</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>false</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/palette</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/palette</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>#000000000000:#F5F579780000:#7373D2D11615:#D554C1D77F49:#40DAC851F332:#CECE5C5B0000:#C1C07D7C1110:#7373D2D11615:#262626262626:#EDEDD4D40000:#7373D2D11615:#EFEF29292929:#0000ABAAFFFF:#BAB99F9F0000:#E9E8B9B86E6E:#ADAD7F7FA8A7</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/scroll_background</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/scroll_background</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>true</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/scroll_on_keystroke</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/scroll_on_keystroke</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>true</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/scroll_on_output</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/scroll_on_output</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>false</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/scrollback_lines</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/scrollback_lines</schema_key>
      <value>
        <int>512</int>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/scrollback_unlimited</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/scrollback_unlimited</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>false</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/scrollbar_position</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/scrollbar_position</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>right</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/silent_bell</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/silent_bell</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>false</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/title</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/title</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>Terminal</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/title_mode</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/title_mode</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>replace</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/update_records</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/update_records</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>true</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/use_custom_command</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/use_custom_command</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>false</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/use_custom_default_size</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/use_custom_default_size</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>false</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/use_system_font</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/use_system_font</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>false</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/use_theme_background</key>
      <value>
        <bool>false</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/use_theme_colors</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/use_theme_colors</schema_key>
      <value>
        <bool>false</bool>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/visible_name</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/visible_name</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>Default</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
    <entry>
      <key>profiles/Default/word_chars</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/gnome-terminal/profiles/Default/word_chars</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>-A-Za-z0-9,./?%&amp;#:_=+@~</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
  </entrylist>
</gconfentryfile>

Then import the color scheme running the following command:

gconftool-2 --load terminal-color-scheme.xml

...where terminal-color-scheme.xml is the name of the XML file that contains the content above.

After that, your terminal will look like below:

Ubuntu – Terminal color scheme not working

When you deleted your home partition, you may have removed the alias for ls that's configured by default, and which would be in ~/.bashrc. Since you kept the same home directory when installing Ubuntu, this theory explains what you are experiencing.

To test whether this is the case, use

ls --color=auto

If this works correctly, you need to restore the default aliases and some other things, for this I suggest you just copy /etc/skel/.bashrc into your home directory (be careful if you've customized the .bashrc in your home dir).

This also depends on the coreutils package (for the dircolors utility), but that's installed in every ubuntu system so I'm pretty sure you're not missing that package.