Unable to start the settings manager

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ricardo_ribeiro

Unable to start the settings manager

Post by ricardo_ribeiro »

Hi
I upgraded from Mint 17.1 Mate to Mint 17.2 Mate using the update manager.
The upgrade was fast and no error messages; the computer seems to run mostly normally.
However, the look of the applications running and the Desktop changed substantially.
When I tryed to change it I noticed that many of the applications in the Control Centre don't work, and they give me the message:
Unable to start the settings manager 'mate-settings-daemon'.
Without the MATE settings manager running, some preferences may not take effect. This could indicate a problem with DBus, or a non-MATE (e.g. KDE) settings manager may already be active and conflicting with the MATE settings manager.
I am not running (to my knowledge) any other desktop environment, and I only have Kile and Okular from the KDE.

I would appreciate if someone could help me fixing this; namelly:
- How do I find what exactly is causing the conflict?
- How to solve the conflict?

Many thanks in advance, and congratulations for the new release!
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
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xenopeek
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Posts: 29507
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Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by xenopeek »

What does this command tell you?

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dpkg -l | grep mate-settings-daemon
It should tell you something like:

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ii  mate-settings-daemon            1.10.0-1+rafaela       amd64     daemon handling the MATE session settings
ii  mate-settings-daemon-common     1.10.0-1+rafaela       all       daemon handling the MATE session settings (common files)
Note the "ii" at the start if each line, meaning the packages are installed. If yours is showing differently, try installing the package mate-settings-daemon again with:

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apt install mate-settings-daemon
Image
gnuwolf

Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by gnuwolf »

I have the same problem. I noticed that if I switch to NVidia, then that error appears when I tried to launch the Appearance app. I'm using an optimus-enabled laptop.

Here's my output.

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$ dpkg -l | grep mate-settings-daemon
ii  mate-settings-daemon                        1.10.0-1+rafaela                                    amd64        daemon handling the MATE session settings
ii  mate-settings-daemon-common                 1.10.0-1+rafaela                                    all          daemon handling the MATE session settings (common files)
Badly need help!
GLRenderer

Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by GLRenderer »

I had the same issue in a prime-enabled laptop which I just installed nvidia-352 driver and I found this old partial solution to it:

1) Install dconf-tools package to get the dconf-editor.
2) Run dconf-editor.
3) Find two entries for xrandr - one under org -> gnome -> settings-daemon -> plugins -> xrandr, and another under org -> mate -> settings-daemon -> plugins -> xrandr and set "active" flag to false.
4) Restart.

Unfortunately, in my case I'm also using an external monitor via HMDI and if I disable xrandr I loose control over the monitors. I usually keep the laptop monitor off and use the external. With xrandr inactive I can't turn the laptop monitor off.
prestonR

Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by prestonR »

Thanks, your solution works fine.
Same as ricardo_ribeiro I upgraded from 17.1 to 17.2 on an optimus laptop. Problem happens first when logging in-out after switching to nvidia card. Same problem with using second monitor.
Monsta
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Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:46 am

Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by Monsta »

By any chance, do you guys have gnome-settings-daemon installed and maybe running?
What would these commands say?

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apt policy gnome-settings-daemon

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ps aux | grep settings-daemon
prestonR

Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by prestonR »

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gnome-settings-daemon:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 3.8.6.1-0ubuntu11.2
  Version table:
     3.8.6.1-0ubuntu11.2 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
     3.8.6.1-0ubuntu11 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages

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shortst+  2776  0.0  0.3 855528 29604 ?        Sl   04:54   0:00 /usr/bin/mate-settings-daemon
shortst+  4664  0.0  0.0  13108  2472 pts/2    S+   05:42   0:00 grep --colour=auto settings-daemon
tikigod

Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by tikigod »

In case your googlefu and blind luck lets you down.

Delete ~/.config/monitors.xml. Reboot/logout. Use Menu->Control Center->Displays to setup your monitors again.

Sauce, reddit and launchpad:
https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxmint/comm ... s_manager/

Which pointed to this:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/linuxmint/+bug/1471254
Taildragger
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Posts: 70
Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 9:23 pm

Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by Taildragger »

Hope this isn't too old. This wasn't a problem with Mint 17.2 until I started trying to control remote desktops in the house with Remmina. Now I have the retro looking desktop and get the same message others have had.

There is no monitors.xml in the config file, in any of my machines (they all have Remmina installed). There is a monitors.xml.backup under "autostart".

To complicate things, this is a new Asus X550j with Nvidia. Any help appreciated
reddot

Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by reddot »

i recommend update remmina, i use it heavily and the one in mint 17.2 has issues, annoying issues. i dont have a nvidia card so i dont know if it will help.
https://launchpad.net/~remmina-ppa-team ... mmina-next

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sudo add-apt-repository ppa:remmina-ppa-team/remmina-next

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sudo apt-get update
dimonomid

Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by dimonomid »

Guys, did you manage to find a better solution other than disabling xrandr plugin? It's not quite acceptable for me because I use external monitors.

I just tried to switch to NVidia card, and I see this ugly fallback theme and settings daemon is failed to start.
Monsta
Level 10
Level 10
Posts: 3071
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:46 am

Re: Unable to start the settings manager

Post by Monsta »

Can you guys gather some debug info?

First make sure you have these packages installed:

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mate-settings-daemon-dbg
libmate-desktop-2-17-dbg
libgtk2.0-0-dbg
libglib2.0-0-dbg
libx11-6-dbg
libc6-dbg
Also make sure mate-settings-daemon isn't running. Then run this:

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gdb /usr/bin/mate-settings-daemon
Then in gdb console:

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set env GDK_SYNCHRONIZE 1
run
After it crashes, run this command (still in gdb console):

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bt full
Then post the output of "bt full" here (either as attachment or inside the "code" tag - cause it might be large).

To quit gdb, press Ctrl+D or use "quit" command in its console.
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