How to disable unity desktop, running Xfce on Ubuntu 11.10?

keithfetterman · 2012-04-11 15:53:52

I recently installed xcfe4 on Ubuntu 11.10. Its working great except the fonts are huge for simple applications that don't allow you to control their font, for example Epathy. Is there a way to fix it?

I also noticed that when I log in, I initially see items on my desktop (files and folders) have normal sized text and they are arranged a certain way. Then a few seconds later, the desktop changes. The files and folders on the desktop are moved and the font is much larger. I think this is caused by the Unity desktop loading because the arrangement of the files and folders now look like they did when I using the standard Ubuntu login (Unity).

Has someone else run into this and have figured out how to disable it?

Thanks,
Keith

angstrom · 2012-04-11 19:48:36

It sounds like you have nautilus running automatically when login.
Please see also : http://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=6930

keithfetterman · 2012-04-11 23:43:01

Thanks a lot for the help.

I checked the "Sessions and Startup" settings panel. I couldn't find nautilus in either the "Applications Autostart" tab or the "Sessions" tab. I then did a "ps -ef" to look for a nautilus process and found one. I killed it with kill -9. Back in the "Sessions and Startup" settings panel, I checked the "Automatically save desktop on logout" and logged out.

When I logged back in, nautilus is not running, but now nothing is running. All of the files and folders that use to be on the desktop do not appear. I do get my background desktop image though. When I right click the mouse when its over the desktop, I no longer get a menu like I use to. I see the same panels as before. Do you think I no longer have a desktop manager running? Or is this standard behavior for Xfce?

Any ideas?

angstrom · 2012-04-11 23:46:07

You need xfdesktop to be running in order to have icons and right-click menu.
Run it then save the session (verify that it is in "Sessions and Startup")

keithfetterman · 2012-04-12 00:51:27

Thanks a bunch. its now working. I discovered that I had inadvertently selected minimized application icons in the Desktop settings when I was trying to figure out how to disable the nautilus desktop.

keithfetterman · 2012-04-12 01:00:06

You have been a huge help. I really appreciate it. This is so much better than Unity.

I was wondering you could answer one more question. When I was trying to get rid of Nautilus, I removed Thunar from the list of sessions that was displayed in the "Sessions and Startup" settings under the the Sessions tab. Now, I notice that it takes forever to open the file manager the first time. I think the slowness is caused by my removing the Thunar from the sessions. Any idea on how to get it back in the Sessions list so it can start at startup (assuming this is the reason for the slow startup of the file manager the first time)?

keithfetterman · 2012-04-12 06:45:43

Nautilus is back. Arrgh. I discovered how Nautilus started running in the first place, and it now comes back when I re-login. I used Gigolo to access a Windows share. When it connected to the share, my desktop changed back to one with Nautilus running. Now when I log out and back in, Nautilus is still running. Plus, its not listed in the autostart apps or sessions in the Sessions and Startup Settings. What a pain.

angstrom · 2012-04-12 14:33:50

Clean the folder ~/.cache/session
Save the session without Nautilus again.
If you don't want Nautilus (and any other applications to be started) make a clean session. Save it. Then un-check "Save session for future login" in the logout dialog.
Also, make sure to un-check Gnome service in Session and Startup, Advanced tab

keithfetterman · 2012-04-12 19:06:28

thanks again. That did the trick. I really appreciate your help.

I'll have to search around to figure out why Gigolo chose to start Nautilus when connecting to a windows share. Fortunately, I don't do that very often.

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#1 2012-04-11 15:53:52

How to disable unity desktop, running Xfce on Ubuntu 11.10?

#2 2012-04-11 19:48:36

Re: How to disable unity desktop, running Xfce on Ubuntu 11.10?

#3 2012-04-11 23:43:01

Re: How to disable unity desktop, running Xfce on Ubuntu 11.10?

#4 2012-04-11 23:46:07

Re: How to disable unity desktop, running Xfce on Ubuntu 11.10?

#5 2012-04-12 00:51:27

Re: How to disable unity desktop, running Xfce on Ubuntu 11.10?

#6 2012-04-12 01:00:06

Re: How to disable unity desktop, running Xfce on Ubuntu 11.10?

#7 2012-04-12 06:45:43

Re: How to disable unity desktop, running Xfce on Ubuntu 11.10?

#8 2012-04-12 14:33:50

Re: How to disable unity desktop, running Xfce on Ubuntu 11.10?

#9 2012-04-12 19:06:28

Re: How to disable unity desktop, running Xfce on Ubuntu 11.10?

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