The “Failed to load module ‘overlay-scrollbar'” error is a common issue that Xubuntu users may encounter. This error message appears when trying to launch certain applications like “mousepad” or “zenity”. It is caused by the removal of the “unity-scrollbar” package, which leaves behind a residual configuration. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to fix this error.
Understanding the Error
Before we dive into the solutions, let’s first understand what this error means. The error message is related to the “GTK_MODULES=overlay-scrollbar” environment variable set in the “/etc/X11/Xsession.d/81overlay-scrollbar” file. This file is a residual configuration left behind after removing some packages in Ubuntu 14.04.
When the system can’t find the module ‘overlay-scrollbar’, it throws this error. Now that we have a basic understanding of the error, let’s look at the solutions.
Solution 1: Manually Remove the Residual Configuration File
The first solution is to manually remove the residual configuration file. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open a terminal. You can do this by pressing
Ctrl+Alt+T. - Run the following command:
sudo rm /etc/X11/Xsession.d/81overlay-scrollbarThis command uses rm, which is a basic UNIX command used to remove files. The sudo command is used to run the command as a superuser. The path after sudo rm is the location of the file you want to remove.
- Log out and log back in to apply the changes.
Solution 2: Use the “dpkg” Command to Purge the Residual Configuration
The second solution is to use the “dpkg” command to purge the residual configuration. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open a terminal.
- Run the following command:
sudo dpkg --purge overlay-scrollbar overlay-scrollbar-gtk2:amd64 overlay-scrollbar-gtk3:amd64The dpkg command is a package manager for Debian-based systems. The --purge option is used to remove a package and its configuration files. The packages after --purge are the ones you want to remove.
Solution 3: Reinstall the “overlay-scrollbar-gtk2” Package
The third solution is to reinstall the “overlay-scrollbar-gtk2” package. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open a terminal.
- Run the following command:
sudo apt install --reinstall overlay-scrollbar-gtk2The apt command is another package handling utility. The install option is used to install a package, and the --reinstall option is used to reinstall a package. The package after --reinstall is the one you want to reinstall.
This command will reinstall the missing file “/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gtk-2.0/modules/liboverlay-scrollbar.so” which is causing the error.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve discussed three solutions to fix the “Failed to load module ‘overlay-scrollbar'” error in Xubuntu. You can either manually remove the residual configuration file, use the “dpkg” command to purge the residual configuration, or reinstall the “overlay-scrollbar-gtk2” package. We hope this article was helpful and you were able to resolve the issue.
Xubuntu is an official flavor of Ubuntu, a Linux-based operating system. It is designed to be lightweight and fast, using the Xfce desktop environment instead of the default Ubuntu desktop environment.
To open a terminal in Xubuntu, you can press Ctrl+Alt+T on your keyboard. This keyboard shortcut will open a terminal window where you can run commands and execute various tasks.
To remove a residual configuration file in Xubuntu, you can use the sudo rm command followed by the path of the file you want to remove. For example, if the file is located at /etc/X11/Xsession.d/81overlay-scrollbar, you can run the command sudo rm /etc/X11/Xsession.d/81overlay-scrollbar. Remember to use caution when using the rm command, as it permanently deletes files.
The "dpkg" command is a package manager for Debian-based systems, including Xubuntu. It is used to install, remove, and manage software packages on your system. The --purge option in the "dpkg" command is specifically used to remove a package and its configuration files.
To reinstall a package in Xubuntu, you can use the sudo apt install --reinstall command followed by the name of the package you want to reinstall. For example, if you want to reinstall the "overlay-scrollbar-gtk2" package, you can run the command sudo apt install --reinstall overlay-scrollbar-gtk2. This command will download and reinstall the package, replacing any missing or corrupted files.
