http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/puregnome

Many thanks for that. A very useful site. I followed the instructions,
and Gnome was restored.

I'm curious why the update should have put the system into XFCE, which
AFAIK wasn't on the system! Any ideas?

This can be changed in Preferences/Preferred Applications. But you have
to have downloaded the other Desktops first because they are not auto
contained in 7.10.

I've now found how XFCE got on my system. It was included in the
distribution disk, which came from a Linux magazine.

I don't know why XFCE should have booted up after the update. I don't
think it was working correctly, as there wasn't any obvious was of
switching between aplications.

I'll try enabling the repositories, one at a time and see how the update.

at the logon screen look at the bottom left corner and you will
see a button with an option to change SESSION, ie desktops, Gnome, KDE
or Xfce. Then the pop up asks if you want to make your choice the
default. Xfce is a goood choice for a low spec computer.

I recommend a superb publication by 'Computer Active' titled Ultimate
Guide to Linux (actually Ubuntu) you may still be able to get it at
Smiths or online. All aspects are simply explained with good quality
pictutres.

I hadn't noticed the button in the corner of the logon
screeen. I find the colours & contrast for that screen very poor. The
logon box is very small, and fonts are tiny, inspite of having lots of
spare space on the screen.

I tried XFCE from that menu, but it doesn't work now, presumably because
I had used the procedure, previously recommended to remove it from the
system. However I'm happy with GNOME, and will probably stay with it.

>I recommend a superb publication by 'Computer Active' titled Ultimate
>Guide to Linux (actually Ubuntu) you may still be able to get it at
>Smiths or online. All aspects are simply explained with good quality
>pictutres.

I haven't seen that one. Is it likely to be found with the magazines in
Smith's or in the book section?

BTW I've got another problem, with upgrading my other computer, but I
put that in a new thread.

Yes, I phoned my local Smiths and they had it on their magazine shelf.
You can also get it direct fron the publishers (via www.computeractive
.co.uk) with some added postage, but it is very much worth it.

The usual set up for Ubuntu has the three desktops loaded and it is that
easy to move between them (ctl +alt +backspace) and eventually choose
the one you like best. Of course there are some super backgrounds
(wallpapers) you can download and make the setup look very 'pretty'.
You will have noticed a plethora of radio related software also
available via 'Synaptic' package manager.

I found it at my local Smiths. It was packaged with
two other 'Ultimate' guides, Vista and Wireless Networking, all for
eight GBPs. I got them all, the others might be useful in the future.

The book looks to be a very useful guide.

I've now used Synaptic to re-enable the main repositories and all seems
well now.