unity - Ubuntu 12.04 launcher doesn't show icons anymore, but they still work - Ask Ubuntu

i have exact same problem 1 : launcher invisible still useful

long story short : icons on launchers have become invisible, still function. users affected, , guest account. commands

unity --reset-icons unity --reset 

have no effects spit warnings , errors. seems compiz involved , malfunctioning.

icons pops when unity 2d chosen @ login.

how can solve ?

this issue i've had on 2 system installations in recent months were, least, frankenstein's monster builds in attempting put new life older systems.

on 2 separate x86 machines, flavor of ubuntu both install , play nice nvidia drivers ubuntu 12.04 lts (i386, obviously). after fresh installation of ubuntu, prior activating nvidia driver, icons displayed fine in unity launcher. in both machines, legacy-304 nvidia driver used in tandem old geforce 6200 cards (one agp, 1 pci). after activating nvidia driver , restarting system, icons in unity launcher invisible. icons still there, functional, , mouse-over displayed icons which, icons couldn't seen.

after hunting , no luck, found thread in person having exact same issue (after nvidia driver activation, icons vanish still function) able solve forcing ubuntu 2d, aka, unity 2d, aka, unity low-graphics mode.

here's how it:

when ubuntu first boots , brings login screen, there small round ubuntu dash icon located within login dialogue box directly right of username allow select session type. click it, , give options of "ubuntu" or "ubuntu 2d". select "ubuntu 2d" , login.

if goes well, icons should display. might restore desktop defaults, prepared redo personalized touches, such adding or removing applications launcher. little annoying, hey, @ least can see icons again.

one of systems had auto-login enabled, bypassed login screen. if system has auto-login enabled, you'll first need disable (system settings --> user accounts) see whether or not using ubuntu 2d session fix invisible icon problem you.

i can confirm solution worked on both systems, must stress both instances involved fresh installations of ubuntu 12.04 lts i386, had nvidia geforce 6200 cards, , required legacy version-304 of nvidia's recommended proprietary driver. attempting use ubuntu 14.04 or 16.04 cause login screen loop (get login screen, try login, desktop fails load, kicked login screen) after installing video card drivers on both systems. have not attempted upgrade these 2 systems newer versions see if "2d session" fix prevents login screen loop in 14.04 and/or 16.04.

if solution work you, you're happy ubuntu 2d (i don't see difference in appearance , slower machine's desktop far more responsive), , want make ubuntu default 2d session whenever login, need make 1 small change /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf root privileges. open command line terminal, , enter:

sudo pico /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf 

you can use nano. whichever editor floats boat. edit line:

user-session=ubuntu 

to read:

user-session=ubuntu-2d 

that's it! 3 little characters. save, exit, , restart. ubuntu should start 2d session default icons displaying whenever system boots.