Ubuntu – Unity is broken. Launcher, Menu bar, Dash disappeared. Unity reinstall doesn’t work

16.04compizlauncherunityunity-dash

The problem is identical to this question but with the additional problem that after trying out every thing mentioned there, unity still doesn't work.

I have tried installing/reinstalling ccsm, unity, unity-desktop. Enabling Unity Plugin didn't do anything. Removing/Renaming ~/.config/compiz-1 doesn't work.

The unity support check /usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p tells me my computer is capable of running unity.

OpenGL vendor string:   nouveau
OpenGL renderer string: Gallium 0.4 on NVE7
OpenGL version string:  3.0 Mesa 11.2.0

Not software rendered:    yes
Not blacklisted:          yes
GLX fbconfig:             yes
GLX texture from pixmap:  yes
GL npot or rect textures: yes
GL vertex program:        yes
GL fragment program:      yes
GL vertex buffer object:  yes
GL framebuffer object:    yes
GL version is 1.4+:       yes

Unity 3D supported:       yes

Trying setsid unity or unity --reset-icons &disown gives following:

GLib-GIO-Message: Using the 'memory' GSettings backend.  Your settings will not be saved or shared with other applications.
unity-panel-service stop/waiting
unity7 stop/waiting
unity-panel-service start/running, process 5387
unity7 start/running, process 5507

and it sort of hangs there without giving any error or doing anything. I have to terminate the process with ctrl+C.

unity --debug gives this:

unity-panel-service stop/waiting
unity7 stop/waiting
unity-panel-service start/running, process 2334
[Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
Using host libthread_db library "/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libthread_db.so.1".
/usr/bin/compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: core
/usr/bin/compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: core
[New Thread 0x7ffff3638700 (LWP 2456)]
/usr/bin/compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: ccp
/usr/bin/compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: ccp
[New Thread 0x7fffeb20e700 (LWP 2457)]
[New Thread 0x7fffeaa0d700 (LWP 2458)]
compizconfig - Info: Backend     : gsettings
compizconfig - Info: Integration : true
compizconfig - Info: Profile     : unity

again after which, it hangs there without doing anything or giving any error.

dconf dump /org/compiz/ gives:

[/]
existing-profiles=['Default', 'unity']
current-profile='unity'

[profiles/unity]
plugins-with-set-keys=['vpswitch', 'unityshell', 'mousepoll', 'place', 'composite', 'ezoom', 'move', 'decor', 'matecompat', 'staticswitcher', 'opengl', 'workarounds', 'unitymtgrabhandles', 'snap', 'scale', 'animation', 'grid', 'expo', 'fade', 'gnomecompat', 'commands', 'wall', 'switcher', 'session', 'resize']

[profiles/unity/plugins/ezoom]
zoom-box-fill-color='#2f2f2f4f'
zoom-box-outline-color='#2f2f4f9f'

[profiles/unity/plugins/wall]
thumb-highlight-gradient-shadow-color='#dfdfdfff'
arrow-base-color='#e6e6e6d9'
arrow-shadow-color='#dcdcdcd9'

[profiles/unity/plugins/unityshell]
inactive-shadow-color='#000000a5'

[profiles/unity/plugins/animation]
unminimize-effects=['animation:Glide 2']
close-matches=['((type=Normal | Unknown) | name=sun-awt-X11-XFramePeer | name=sun-awt-X11-XDialogPeer) & !(role=toolTipTip | role=qtooltip_label) & !(type=Normal & override_redirect=1) & !(name=gnome-screensaver) & !(name=gnome-screenshot)', '((type=Menu | PopupMenu | DropdownMenu | Combo | Dialog | ModalDialog | Normal) & !(class=\\.exe$))', '(type=Tooltip | Notification | Utility) & !(name=compiz) & !(title=notify-osd)']
open-matches=['((type=Normal | Unknown) | name=sun-awt-X11-XFramePeer | name=sun-awt-X11-XDialogPeer) & !(role=toolTipTip | role=qtooltip_label) & !(type=Normal & override_redirect=1) & !(name=gnome-screensaver)', '((type=Menu | PopupMenu | DropdownMenu | Combo | Dialog | ModalDialog | Normal) & !(class=\\.exe$))', '(type=Tooltip | Notification | Utility) & !(name=compiz) & !(title=notify-osd)']

[profiles/unity/plugins/switcher]
background-color='#333333d9'

[profiles/unity/plugins/decor]
active-shadow-color='#00000080'
inactive-shadow-color='#000000ff'

[profiles/unity/plugins/gnomecompat]
main-menu-key='Disabled'
run-key='Disabled'

[profiles/unity/plugins/staticswitcher]
background-color='#333333d9'

[profiles/unity/plugins/expo]
ground-color1='#b3b3b3cc'
ground-color2='#b3b3b300'

Right now, I have installed the gnome-panel and working with that, but I don't know how to get unity back working. Any help would be really appreciated.

Best Answer

The Unity can be fixed by creating a new user as described here: Unity doesn't load, no Launcher, no Dash appears, ccsm method failed (Before marking duplicate please read the description)

I have explored this a bit further and I think unity can be fixed without creating a new user by following the procedure:

  1. login to system using gnome-panel and move directories .config and .cache:

    cd ~
    mv .config config_save
    mv .cache cache_save
    
  2. logout and login back now using unity. Move the saved files back to the .config and .cache direcories without overriding any files.