Missing applets and icons are black (Debian 2.2 / X 4.0.2)

[Bernie Boudet <list-gnome-list foobar clara co uk>]

Hi,

I think my installation is botched, but I can't figure out what is wrong.

This is Debian 2.2 stable with 2.2.17 kernel, and X v4.0.2. (X is compiled
from source.)

Sorry, I don't know how to tell what revision of GNOME, but I downloaded
and installed it a week ago using `lynx -source http://go- gnome.com/ |
sh', and I chose the full-install option.  The same problems were also
happening with GNOME installed from Debian 2.2, which was the reason for
the upgrade.

I'm reasonably sure that I do actually have the full GNOME install.  For
example, GIMP is now a more recent version than it used to be.  To me,
it seems as if the paths are somehow messed up - could this be as a
result of me compiling and installing X from source?

The GNOME desktop fires up with GNU Midnight Commander ok, but "
Commands | Edit mime types..." does nothing.  The Gnome Help Browser
also starts up, but says "Could not load default TOC page".

The main panel at the bottom of the screen shows 3 buttons - Menu, Log
out and Lock screen.  These are all white text on a black background.
 There is nothing else on the main panel - no applets, no task buttons,
nothing. Clicking Menu pops up a menu with Programs, Favorites, Applets,
Debian menus, Run..., Panel, and Log out.  The Applets item has no
submenus.

At the top of the screen there is a bar with Programs, Favorites,
Settings and Desktop.  The Applets item under Programs has no submenu,
and clicking it does nothing.  The Settings menu is empty.

Clicking "Programs | Debian menus | Apps | System | Gnome Control Center"
does nothing.  Running gnomecc from the command line gives this error:

~$ gnomecc

** WARNING **: No configuration applets were found.  This probably means
that either the control-center or GNOME is incorrectly installed.


~$ locate applet | wc --lines
1120

I've tried `rm -rf ~/.gnome*' but this does not help.

I have the files .xinitrc and .xsession in my home directory:

#!/bin/sh
######################################################################
# ~/.xinitrc
#
exec /usr/bin/gnome-session

#!/bin/sh
######################################################################
# ~/.xsession
#
exec /usr/bin/gnome-session

The problems are the same, whether starting my session with startx or
from gdm.  Before uprading GNOME, I used xdm and the problem happened
with that too.

I have set the Debian default x-window-manager to Enlightenment, but X
session runs as Sawfish (this is only a minor annoyance, I know I could
fix it with gnomecc if it would run).

Please ask for specific info if I missed something, but otherwise - Help!