Regression: Unity does not launch on startup

[Steve Magoun]

After a recent update to 13.04, Unity no longer starts on my system. The machine boots to lightdm with no trouble. After I login, compiz starts but unity does not. There is no launcher, just a blank desktop. Via CCSM I found that the Unity plugin was disabled.

This appears to have happened because of the following sequence of events:
1) Update kernel from 3.8.0-16 to 3.8.0-17. There is a regression in the -17 kernel that prevents nvidia's proprietary drivers from working
2) Reboot into the -17 kernel; X is in VESA mode due to missing nvidia.ko. Login via lightdm; compiz is running but unity is not. There are no processes on the machine with 'unity' in the name.
3) Reboot into the -16 kernel. The NVIDIA driver is loaded and functions properly. LightDM is at the native resolution of my panel. Login via lightdm; compiz is running but unity is not. There are no processes on the machine with 'unity' in the name.

After step 3 I expected Unity to be running but it is not. CCSM says that the unity plugin is disabled. I am surprised the plugin was disabled because X is (apparently) functioning properly. Unity should try to run rather than falling back to its behavior from the previous boot.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: unity 7.0.0daily13.04.05.2-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-16.26-generic 3.8.5
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-16-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu5
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
Date: Mon Apr 8 10:51:18 2013
InstallationDate: Installed on 2010-09-17 (934 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Beta amd64 (20100901.1)
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to raring on 2013-01-25 (72 days ago)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[David Overcash (funnylookinhat)]

I fixed this by re-enabling unity and open GL within CCSM - however it seems that every key binding except for those to launch and close the dash has been lost.

[David Overcash (funnylookinhat)]

Sorry - I take that back - I had simply not re-enabled some of the included default plugins ( such as desktop wall ). Re-enabling them seemed to do the trick.

Interestingly enough - re-enabling the workspaces feature within Settings -> Appearance didn't work, as I had to manually do it through CCSM.

[David Overcash (funnylookinhat)]

Seems to be only related to nvidia-experimental, however there's a lot of little fixing required to get back to where you should be:
1) Remove nvidia-experimental-
2) Reboot and login ( should put you at a Desktop w/o Unity )
3) Launch CCSM - I needed to create a desktop shortcut to do so... i.e.:
[Desktop Entry]
Name=CCSM
Exec=ccsm
Type=Application
4) Re-enable Unity / Desktop Wall
5) Hit the default keybinding on just about anything you used before and toggle the reveal for the launcher ( if you use it ) from off to on.

That seemed to get me back to working state.

If you do want NVidia proprietary still, go ahead and just install 304/310/313 ( whichever supports your GPU ) - and avoid experimental. :)

[Giovanni Mellini (merlos)]

I have the same problem and I have nvidia-experimental drivers installed on my system.
Now my system is unusable and I will try the solution proposer by David on comment #5 and report back

[Giovanni Mellini (merlos)]

I got unity back.
I want say that I had the same problem after the upgrade to -17 kernel but I was wrong I had nvidia 313 series installed (not experimental).
Now after using CCSM, booting with -16 kernel and reenabling Unity shell I have my desktop back

[The Minder (theminder)]

Effects me.

I was using nvidia 310 (NOT experimental) and everything borked when the 3.8.0-17 headers were applied. Have recovered to a gnome shell, but unity will not play. Don't have expertise to resolve this.