Some further information: As I'm intending to switch to MATE for preference anyway, I went ahead and installed the ubuntu-mate-desktop package and set gdm3 to default in the process (I believe it is already default for Bionic?); now on boot I see the MATE loading screen, am taken to the Gnome login screen, gnome-control-center opens. The halt- on-shutdown bug, another bug I've seen a few threads on with fresh installs, and had with my last install as well as this, was also fixed. So now I'm wondering, what has MATE changed during it's install to fix these bugs? Interesting.
** Description changed: On my fresh install of Ubuntu 18 (minimal install last night) the control center will not open; it shows a loading notification on the top panel briefly, then does nothing. I have attempted to restore functionality by re-installing to no avail. The system does not recognise control center's failure to open as a bug to report. This is the second install I've produced this bug on, the first being a fresh install on an HP xw8400 workstation, "solved" finally by switching to MATE. As I recall I was able to finagle it to appear once or twice then, but ultimately with no success - I've seen a few threads with similar problems, so something's gotta give cause this is totally ridiculous for an LTS release. - Machine: HP Compaq dc7800p Release: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS - gnome-control-center: - Installed: 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 - Candidate: 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 - Version table: - *** 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 500 - 500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages - 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status - 1:3.28.1-0ubuntu1 500 - 500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages + gnome-control-center: + Installed: 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 + Candidate: 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 + Version table: + *** 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 500 + 500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages + 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status + 1:3.28.1-0ubuntu1 500 + 500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04 Package: gnome-control-center 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-29.31-generic 4.15.18 Uname: Linux 4.15.0-29-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.5 Architecture: amd64 CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME Date: Wed Jan 2 21:34:29 2019 InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-01-02 (0 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180725) ProcEnviron: - LANGUAGE=en_CA:en - PATH=(custom, no user) - XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set> - LANG=en_CA.UTF-8 - SHELL=/bin/bash + LANGUAGE=en_CA:en + PATH=(custom, no user) + XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set> + LANG=en_CA.UTF-8 + SHELL=/bin/bash SourcePackage: gnome-control-center UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to gnome-control-center in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1810368 Title: gnome-control-center refuses to open on fresh install Status in gnome-control-center package in Ubuntu: New Bug description: On my fresh install of Ubuntu 18 (minimal install last night) the control center will not open; it shows a loading notification on the top panel briefly, then does nothing. I have attempted to restore functionality by re-installing to no avail. The system does not recognise control center's failure to open as a bug to report. This is the second install I've produced this bug on, the first being a fresh install on an HP xw8400 workstation, "solved" finally by switching to MATE. As I recall I was able to finagle it to appear once or twice then, but ultimately with no success - I've seen a few threads with similar problems, so something's gotta give cause this is totally ridiculous for an LTS release. Machine: HP Compaq dc7800p Release: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS gnome-control-center: Installed: 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 Candidate: 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 Version table: *** 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 500 500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 1:3.28.1-0ubuntu1 500 500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04 Package: gnome-control-center 1:3.28.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-29.31-generic 4.15.18 Uname: Linux 4.15.0-29-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.5 Architecture: amd64 CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME Date: Wed Jan 2 21:34:29 2019 InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-01-02 (0 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180725) ProcEnviron: LANGUAGE=en_CA:en PATH=(custom, no user) XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set> LANG=en_CA.UTF-8 SHELL=/bin/bash SourcePackage: gnome-control-center UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-control-center/+bug/1810368/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp