Found the problem. Since I had to do an apt-get dist-upgrade (update- manager won't do the trick on this machine) the upgrade seems to have been incomplete, leaving me with an uninstallable ubuntu-desktop package and many packages missing.
Once I fixed this, and thanks to Mark's hint of where to find the preferences, I was able to start configuration problems. Technically it may be wrong that preferences programs like Appearance, Mouse and what have you appeared in the application search when the programs weren't installed, but it shouldn't affect normal users. -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/748074 Title: Preferences programs won't start -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
