Ubuntu 16.04系统设置无法启动问题求助

Hey there, I know how annoying it is when clicking "System Settings" on Ubuntu 16.04 just flashes and does nothing—let's get this fixed with some tried-and-true solutions:

1. Reset Unity/Compiz Configuration #

Corrupted window manager settings are one of the most common causes here. Run these commands one by one in the terminal:

• dconf reset -f /org/compiz/ — This wipes all Compiz (Unity's underlying window manager) custom settings and restores them to default.
• setsid unity — This restarts the Unity session right away, no full system reboot needed.

After running these, give System Settings another click to see if it loads.

2. Reinstall the Unity Control Center #

Sometimes the System Settings package itself gets corrupted or loses critical files. Refresh it with this command:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall unity-control-center

This will redownload and replace all files for the control center, fixing any missing or damaged components.

3. Clear Cache and Misconfigured Files #

Old cache or messed-up config files can block the app from launching properly. Try these steps:

• Delete the Unity Control Center cache: rm -rf ~/.cache/unity-control-center
• If that doesn't work, you can reset your entire dconf configuration (note: this will reset many system settings like panel layouts, keyboard shortcuts, etc. — back up your configs first if you care about them):

  rm -rf ~/.config/dconf/user
  sudo reboot
  

4. Update Your System #

Outdated packages often cause compatibility bugs. Run a full system update to patch any known issues:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

Once updates finish, restart your computer and test System Settings again.

If none of these steps work, try opening System Settings directly from the terminal by running unity-control-center—any error messages that pop up will help narrow down the exact problem.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者Sergiu Molnar