no launchpad, dash, just background on desktop

[turtle_1]

I can run Ubuntu 14.10 on my Toshiba Satellite A135-S4677 from the live dvd. i installed this same os and it worked a few times. now, every time i turn off my laptop and boot up the os i get a blank screen with no dash, launchpad, nothing. I haven't found a solution to this in 14.10, but i tried the solutions with the older os. example:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu Desktop
sudo apt-get instal unity
sudo shutdown -r now
also:
rm rf.compiz-1 (this did nothing, so i changed the command to the following)
rm -r -f compiz-1
(this would work for that session, but when i shut down my computer and booted it back up i would get the same problem, no dash, launchpad, just blank screen.)
i tried the same command in the terminal (rm -r -f compiz-1) and it would work for that session. this temporary fix worked a few times, then it stopped working and i went back to no dash, just blank screen.
i also tried:
sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager
Display =:0 ccsm
this got me to the unity manager. the unity plugin was already enabled. i rebooted and i had the dash. after i shutdown and booted up the os later, i had no dash, just plain background.
i finally went and downloaded linuxmint 17.1 running it from the live dvd and i had the same problem, just the background with no dash.
i'm new to linux so i am only doing commands from what i see at :askubuntu.com
also, i think i have a "man-in-the-middle" attack. i tried to set up "privatetunnel" with no success.
my system is an old toshiba laptop satellite with 80 GB of HDD and 2 GB RAM.
i know ubuntu 15.04 is coming out this month and i will definetly try that. I want to stay with linux so any help with this problem will be appreciated.
I'm currently running from the live dvd and i will again try to reinstall ubuntu 14.10 and if i get the dash i will leave my computer on so i don't loose it, or until i can get a permanent fix for this issue.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10
Package: xorg 1:7.7+7ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-23.31-generic 3.16.4
Uname: Linux 3.16.0-23-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.14.7-0ubuntu8
Architecture: i386
CasperVersion: 1.345
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
Date: Thu Apr 16 09:40:41 2015
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: utopic
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, if not too technical
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:27a2] (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:ff02]
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:ff02]
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 14.10 "Utopic Unicorn" - Release i386 (20141022.1)
MachineType: TOSHIBA *
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=linux
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: file=/cdrom/preseed/username.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash -- maybe-ubiquity
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/21/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: TOSHIBA
dmi.bios.version: V1.50
dmi.board.name: IAKAA
dmi.board.vendor: TOSHIBA
dmi.board.version: 1.00
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: *
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: TOSHIBA
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnTOSHIBA:bvrV1.50:bd05/21/2007:svnTOSHIBA:pn*:pvrPSAD0U-0N700P:rvnTOSHIBA:rnIAKAA:rvr1.00:cvnTOSHIBA:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: *
dmi.product.version: PSAD0U-0N700P
dmi.sys.vendor: TOSHIBA
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.12+14.10.20140918-0ubuntu1
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.56-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 10.3.0-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 10.3.0-0ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.16.0-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.9.0-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.4.0-2ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.914-1~exp1ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.11-1ubuntu2
xserver.bootTime: Thu Apr 16 08:55:04 2015
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.errors:

xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.outputs:
 product id 40972
 vendor DEL
xserver.version: 2:1.16.0-1ubuntu1

[penalvch (penalvch)]

turtle_1, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better. As per http://support.toshiba.com/support/modelHome?freeText=1757707 an update to your computer's buggy and outdated BIOS is available (1.90). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BIOSUpdate does it change anything?

If it doesn't, could you please both specify what happened, and provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

For more on BIOS updates and linux, please see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette .

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful. As well, you don't have to create a new bug report.

Once the BIOS is updated, and the information above is provided, then please mark this report Status New.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for xorg (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]