Desktop configuration reset on last boot

[Valdo]

Hi,

for the first time since I moved to Kubuntu 20.04 (more than 2 months ago), I've been facing a desktop issue when I last booted my PC (in a way, it makes me think of long lasting bug 354802, thus I have the feeling that in today's case, the cause is different).

After booting my PC yesterday (July 17th), I discovered that all icons on my desktop had been rearranged (all folders sorted first - which was not the case previously - then all files rearranged after folders - while previously I had a few files left "alone" here and there on my desktop). Plus the fact that my personalized wallpaper had gone, replaced by the default Kubuntu 20.04 wallpaper.
Here is a screenshot of the resulting desktop appearance.

I'm suspecting one apt update performed on the previous evening to possibly be the cause. Do you think one of these updated packages could have triggered a desktop "reset"?

Start-Date: 2020-07-16 21:10:50
Commandline: packagekit role='update-packages'
Requested-By: <user> (1000)
Upgrade: python3-ibus-1.0:amd64 (1.5.22-2ubuntu2, 1.5.22-2ubuntu2.1), xserver-common:amd64 (2:1.20.8-2ubuntu2.1, 2:1.20.8-2ubuntu2.2), libldap-2.4-2:amd64 (2.4.49+dfsg-2ubuntu1.2, 2.4.49+dfsg-2ubuntu1.3), libldap-2.4-2:i386 (2.4.49+dfsg-2ubuntu1.2, 2.4.49+dfsg-2ubuntu1.3), xserver-xorg-core:amd64 (2:1.20.8-2ubuntu2.1, 2:1.20.8-2ubuntu2.2), librsvg2-common:amd64 (2.48.2-1, 2.48.7-1ubuntu0.20.04.1), librsvg2-common:i386 (2.48.2-1, 2.48.7-1ubuntu0.20.04.1), libcephfs2:amd64 (15.2.1-0ubuntu2, 15.2.3-0ubuntu0.20.04.1), xserver-xorg-legacy:amd64 (2:1.20.8-2ubuntu2.1, 2:1.20.8-2ubuntu2.2), ubuntu-release-upgrader-qt:amd64 (1:20.04.19, 1:20.04.21), libqt5webenginewidgets5:amd64 (5.12.8+dfsg-0ubuntu1, 5.12.8+dfsg-0ubuntu1.1), ibus-gtk:amd64 (1.5.22-2ubuntu2, 1.5.22-2ubuntu2.1), ibus-gtk3:amd64 (1.5.22-2ubuntu2, 1.5.22-2ubuntu2.1), apport:amd64 (2.20.11-0ubuntu27.3, 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.4), python3-distupgrade:amd64 (1:20.04.19, 1:20.04.21), ubuntu-release-upgrader-core:amd64 (1:20.04.19, 1:20.04.21), librsvg2-2:amd64 (2.48.2-1, 2.48.7-1ubuntu0.20.04.1), librsvg2-2:i386 (2.48.2-1, 2.48.7-1ubuntu0.20.04.1), python3-apport:amd64 (2.20.11-0ubuntu27.3, 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.4), libqt5webengine-data:amd64 (5.12.8+dfsg-0ubuntu1, 5.12.8+dfsg-0ubuntu1.1), libfwupdplugin1:amd64 (1.3.9-4ubuntu0.1, 1.3.11-1~focal1), libldap-common:amd64 (2.4.49+dfsg-2ubuntu1.2, 2.4.49+dfsg-2ubuntu1.3), qml-module-qtwebengine:amd64 (5.12.8+dfsg-0ubuntu1, 5.12.8+dfsg-0ubuntu1.1), libfwupd2:amd64 (1.3.9-4ubuntu0.1, 1.3.11-1~focal1), fwupd-signed:amd64 (1.27.1ubuntu1+1.3.9-4ubuntu0.1, 1.27.1ubuntu2+1.3.11-1~focal1), bash:amd64 (5.0-6ubuntu1, 5.0-6ubuntu1.1), ibus:amd64 (1.5.22-2ubuntu2, 1.5.22-2ubuntu2.1), fwupd:amd64 (1.3.9-4ubuntu0.1, 1.3.11-1~focal1), libqt5webenginecore5:amd64 (5.12.8+dfsg-0ubuntu1, 5.12.8+dfsg-0ubuntu1.1), libibus-1.0-5:amd64 (1.5.22-2ubuntu2, 1.5.22-2ubuntu2.1), gir1.2-ibus-1.0:amd64 (1.5.22-2ubuntu2, 1.5.22-2ubuntu2.1), libqt5webengine5:amd64 (5.12.8+dfsg-0ubuntu1, 5.12.8+dfsg-0ubuntu1.1), apport-kde:amd64 (2.20.11-0ubuntu27.3, 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.4), ibus-data:amd64 (1.5.22-2ubuntu2, 1.5.22-2ubuntu2.1), python3-problem-report:amd64 (2.20.11-0ubuntu27.3, 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.4), librados2:amd64 (15.2.1-0ubuntu2, 15.2.3-0ubuntu0.20.04.1), less:amd64 (551-1, 551-1ubuntu0.1)
End-Date: 2020-07-16 21:11:14

Same packages sorted alphabetically:

apport
apport-kde
bash
fwupd
fwupd-signed
gir1.2-ibus-1.0
ibus
ibus-data
ibus-gtk
ibus-gtk3
less
libcephfs2
libfwupd2
libfwupdplugin1
libibus-1.0-5
libldap-2.4-2
libldap-2.4-2
libldap-common
libqt5webengine-data
libqt5webengine5
libqt5webenginecore5
libqt5webenginewidgets5
librados2
librsvg2-2
librsvg2-2
librsvg2-common
librsvg2-common
python3-apport
python3-distupgrade
python3-ibus-1.0
python3-problem-report
qml-module-qtwebengine
ubuntu-release-upgrader-core
ubuntu-release-upgrader-qt
xserver-common
xserver-xorg-core
xserver-xorg-legacy

Thank you for your opinion. Or other ways of investigation.

[exploder]

I have not seen this problem on my install but I did see this on the Ubuntu forum and wonder if it could relate to your situayion.

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2446790

And the solution.

https://forum.manjaro.org/t/libre-wr...ery-boot/83257

[Valdo]

I have not seen this problem on my install but I did see this on the Ubuntu forum and wonder if it could relate to your situation.

Thanks for this possible match (always welcome). But I don't think this one is linked... (I'm not facing a Favorite Apps issue)
No new occurrence today, I've found the desktop organized as I left it yesterday I'm not sure this bug will strike very often. But in case it does again, I'll compare once again with last installed updates and try to find a common package. I still have the feeling there is a link (while maybe wrong with this assumption).

[jlittle]

IMO, your report does match bug 354802, and the apt upgrade is a coincidence, or only indirectly related. (Reading the comments on that and related bug reports is depressing; 5 years and still no fix.)

IMO, that bug has the characteristics of memory corruption, so is very flaky, and changing, say, the wallpaper just shuffles things around in memory turning the bug on and off.

I suggest making a copy of the settings file in .config every time you log out, so that you can revert it if the problem happens again.

[Valdo]

IMO, your report does match bug 354802, and the apt upgrade is a coincidence, or only indirectly related. (Reading the comments on that and related bug reports is depressing; 5 years and still no fix.)

I know bug 354802 very well, since I was facing it from time to time with Kubuntu 18.04 In my own case, it got solved (or at least seemed to) with Plasma release 5.12.8.
You did well reading latest comments about bug 354802 (which I hadn't, because behaviours are different: "old" bug disordered desktop icons and didn't reset the wallpaper, while "new" bug sorts icons and resets the wallpaper ^^), I wasn't aware someone else had raised the same behaviour I mentioned here.
I think you're right saying the apt update has nothing to do with this issue. So I'll now start monitoring the evolution of bug 354802 - again - and see where it leads me...