unity fails to start

[Anton Piatek]

While trying to test an upstream kernel in bug 1213035, unity failed to start. Now back on the normal kernels (and nvidia drivers) unity still fails to start.
I get the desktop, 3 screens initialise, but no bar at the top or left of the screen. I can't launch any apps, I can't even use alt+f2 to bring up a terminal.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: unity 7.0.0daily13.06.19~13.04-0ubuntu1systray1 [origin: LP-PPA-timekiller-unity-systrayfix]
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-29.42-generic 3.8.13.5
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-29-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.3
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CrashDB: unity
Date: Fri Aug 23 10:18:23 2013
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-07-05 (48 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130424)
MarkForUpload: True
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Anton Piatek (anton-piatek)]

I am thinking the following is relevant:
compiz (core) - Error: Plugin 'opengl' not loaded.

[Anton Piatek (anton-piatek)]

Searching for that error line brought me to http://askubuntu.com/questions/204428/unity-missing-cant-see-top-or-side-panels which suggested I run
   dconf reset -f /org/compiz/ && setsid unity
This worked.

The question is whether there is anything left worth doing with this bug report. If I can provide any info to make this less likely happen to another person then let me know what.
If that command will have reset any of the useful info, then please simply close this bug.

[Stephen M. Webb (bregma)]

I'm afraid there is nothing more we can do at this point. There is a known problem in which compiz fails to start when its configuration gets in to a funny state, and the workaround is to reset the configuration (as you discovered). Unfortunately, resetting the configuration loses all the evidence of the funny state and no more information can be gleaned from it.

Closing the bug because it is not possible to find a fix for the reported problem and the reporter claims the problem has been resolved.