Gnome crashes on startup after update, no volume control or appearance

[epic_fi]

Unable to start the settings manager 'gnome-settings-daemon'.
Without the GNOME settings manager running, some preferences may not take effect. This could indicate a problem with Bonobo, or a non-GNOME (e.g. KDE) settings manager may already be active and conflicting with the GNOME settings manager.

Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex Beta

Installed the latest update (10-22-08), rebooted and now my theme is gone, my volume control is gone and rhythmbox (among many other apps) won't start...

Here is the output from 'lshw'
-------------------------------------
ubuntu
    description: Computer
    width: 32 bits
  *-core
       description: Motherboard
       physical id: 0
     *-memory
          description: System memory
          physical id: 0
          size: 351MiB
     *-cpu
          product: AMD Sempron(tm) 2400+
          vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
          physical id: 1
          bus info: cpu@0
          version: 6.8.1
          size: 1650MHz
          width: 32 bits
          capabilities: fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 mmx fxsr sse syscall mp mmxext 3dnowext 3dnow up
        *-cache:0
             description: L1 cache
             physical id: 0
             size: 128KiB
        *-cache:1
             description: L2 cache
             physical id: 1
             size: 256KiB
     *-pci
          description: Host bridge
          product: 741/741GX/M741 Host
          vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
          physical id: 100
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
          version: 03
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          configuration: driver=agpgart-sis latency=32 module=sis_agp
        *-pci
             description: PCI bridge
             product: SiS AGP Port (virtual PCI-to-PCI bridge)
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 1
             bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: pci bus_master
           *-display UNCLAIMED
                description: VGA compatible controller
                product: 661/741/760 PCI/AGP or 662/761Gx PCIE VGA Display Adapter
                vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
                version: 00
                width: 32 bits
                clock: 66MHz
                capabilities: cap_list
                configuration: latency=0
        *-isa
             description: ISA bridge
             product: SiS964 [MuTIOL Media IO]
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
             version: 36
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: isa bus_master
             configuration: latency=0
        *-ide
             description: IDE interface
             product: 5513 [IDE]
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 2.5
             bus info: pci@0000:00:02.5
             version: 01
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: ide bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=pata_sis latency=128 module=pata_sis
        *-multimedia
             description: Multimedia audio controller
             product: AC'97 Sound Controller
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 2.7
             bus info: pci@0000:00:02.7
             version: a0
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=Intel ICH latency=32 maxlatency=11 mingnt=52 module=snd_intel8x0
        *-usb:0
             description: USB Controller
             product: USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 3
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.0
             version: 0f
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master
             configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=32 maxlatency=80 module=ohci_hcd
        *-usb:1
             description: USB Controller
             product: USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 3.1
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.1
             version: 0f
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master
             configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=32 maxlatency=80 module=ohci_hcd
        *-usb:2
             description: USB Controller
             product: USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 3.2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.2
             version: 0f
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master
             configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=32 maxlatency=80 module=ohci_hcd
        *-usb:3
             description: USB Controller
             product: USB 2.0 Controller
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 3.3
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.3
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=32 maxlatency=80 module=ehci_hcd
        *-network
             description: Ethernet interface
             product: SiS900 PCI Fast Ethernet
             vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
             physical id: 4
             bus info: pci@0000:00:04.0
             logical name: eth0
             version: 91
             serial: 00:14:2a:4a:3a:e5
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical
             configuration: broadcast=yes driver=sis900 driverversion=v1.08.10 Apr. 2 2006 ip=192.168.1.42 latency=32 maxlatency=11 mingnt=52 module=sis900 multicast=yes
        *-communication
             description: Modem
             product: HSP56 MicroModem
             vendor: PCTel Inc
             physical id: b
             bus info: pci@0000:00:0b.0
             version: 04
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=serial latency=32 maxlatency=62 mingnt=1
---------------------------------------------------------------

Have never had this problem before, and everything was working great before this update

[epic_fi (epic-fi)]

Doing this in a terminal fixed it for me, but I still had to manually re-add the volume control back to the bottom panel:
sudo mv /usr/lib/gstreamer-0.10/libgstlibvisual.so libgstlibvisual.so.OLD

Thank you for all your hard work