Score:0

Stuck in Cinammon - want to get back to Ubuntu

jp flag

So I only got out of using Windows maybe three weeks ago - dual booted my laptop - and a friend of mine decided I should try a bunch of things out all at once, so I got Ubuntu (20.04), as well as the Cinammon (4.4.8) flavor. Thing is, on Ubuntu, I could just click and switch between DEs on the login screen, while now that I'm on Cinammon, I seem to be stuck. I tried everything I could find online but it just won't cooperate. I can't seem to put a password on either, it only pops out the annoying key thing. How do I swap back to regular Ubuntu? Right now I can go Windows or Ubuntu on Grub, but that just pulls out the Cinammon desktop immediately. Any help?

NotTheDr01ds avatar
vn flag
Does this answer your question? [How do I uninstall Cinnamon?](https://askubuntu.com/questions/216857/how-do-i-uninstall-cinnamon)
Nmath avatar
ng flag
Changing desktop environments on an installed system is notorious for being extremely messy. That's why most distros, including Ubuntu, come in several different versions with different desktop environments-- so that you can install the DE you intend to use during system installation. In Ubuntu, these are called [official flavours](https://ubuntu.com/download/flavours). There is probably not a single easy solution to restore your system to the way it was before you installed Cinnamon because a DE contains dozens of packages. It may be more prudent to reinstall the OS with the DE you want.
Marc Nassif avatar
jp flag
The thing is, it seemed so easy to get it and then to swap, and I saw people on YouTube do it just by clicking on the gear. Definitely was a bit naive of me, but there has to be a way to reopen Ubuntu, no??
Nmath avatar
ng flag
If you don't want to reinstall and need more help with your current installation, edit your question and include more details. You should describe in clear reproducible detail what you've done so far (include all commands and steps, as well as any output especially errors) As the question is written it's not clear exactly what is the problem nor is it clear exactly what you've already tried or the details of those attempts.
Liso avatar
sd flag
@Nmath I remember when I installed both cinnamon and xfce in my 14.04 installation, and it was really messy, I had 3 different fm (thunar, nemo, and nautilus). I ended up reinstalling the whole system.
guiverc avatar
cn flag
I'm a *lover* of multiple DEsktops, but you've given no details as to how you installed them (ie. what you installed - as this to me can be *key* to understanding issues when multiple DEs are installed). If you did it via 3rd party packages, issues are more likely. It's also *unclear* to me if you're meaning you added Cinnamon to your existing install (ie. multiple desktops installed), **OR** you installed it via dual-boot, in which case what OS/release you're asking about as there is no Ubuntu Cinnamon *flavor* (only a *remix*); *flavors* can be found at https://ubuntu.com/download/flavours
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