I may have discovered at least part of the problem.  If I wipe my .kde3 settings directory (common solution I know, but not all it takes here), and then only use the configuration from the control center, i.e., do not use the right click, configure desktop settings, then it will work without crashing.  I will installed the debugger and verify.


On Wed, Dec 2, 2009 at 4:52 PM, Timothy Pearson <kb9vqf@pearsoncomputing.net> wrote:
On Wed, December 2, 2009 3:00 pm, James D. Freels wrote:
> I am using kde-3.5 from this PPA on karmic/koala (9.10) for amd64.  I
> upgraded from jaunty (9.04).  I also have a i386 laptop and i386 desktop
> with this same error.
>
> There were lots of problems with the upgrade, including some in the
> kde-3.5 area.  However, most of my problems have been resolved one way
> or another.  However, I have a nagging problem that I cannot seem to
> resolve.  I have 3 separate machines all with this same problem.
>
> when kde3.5 starts up, an error message box comes up with a traceback
> (attached is an example).  The desktop is not configurable, but I can
> use all my virtual desktops and the panel otherwise.  I cannot set a
> screensaver, background, or any response from the right click on the
> desktop screen.
>
> How can I fix this problem ?  I have already removed all the kde4
> packages that I can from my system (at least that I am aware of).
>
> [Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
> [KCrash handler]
> #6  0x00db7ccc in KBackgroundManager::KBackgroundManager(QWidget*,
> KWinModule*) () from /opt/kde3/lib/libkdeinit_kdesktop.so
> #7  0x00dbeb32 in KDesktop::initRoot() ()
> from /opt/kde3/lib/libkdeinit_kdesktop.so
> #8  0x00dbf1a5 in KDesktop::KDesktop(bool, bool) ()
> from /opt/kde3/lib/libkdeinit_kdesktop.so
> #9  0x00dc040a in kdemain () from /opt/kde3/lib/libkdeinit_kdesktop.so
> #10 0x00ea64d4 in kdeinitmain () from /opt/kde3/lib/kde3/kdesktop.so
> #11 0x0804ee24 in ?? ()
> #12 0x0804f915 in ?? ()
> #13 0x0805001e in ?? ()
> #14 0x080509c0 in ?? ()
> #15 0x001ddb56 in __libc_start_main (main=0x8050120, argc=5,
> ubp_av=0xbfbc3f34, init=0x80510b0, fini=0x80510a0, rtld_fini=0xf3bd20
> <_dl_fini>, stack_end=0xbfbc3f2c) at libc-start.c:220
> #16 0x0804ba51 in ?? ()
>
>
>
> James D. Freels
> freelsjd@gmail.com
>

Can you install the debugging symbols (kdebase-kde3-dbg and
kdelibs-kde3-dbg) and post the new backtrace?

Thanks!

Tim




--
James D. Freels, Ph.D.
freelsjd@gmail.com