Restore Panels In Ubuntu Back To Their Default Settings

Messed up your panels in Gnome? Maybe your new to Ubuntu and accidentally deleted items or the panel itself and now you can't figure out how to get it back.

Once the Terminal window opens, enter the following command at the prompt:

gconftool-2 --shutdown

(Note: There should be no spaces between the two dashes before shutdown.)

EDIT – there is another method instead of shutting down gconfd. Instead use the following command.

gconftool --recursive-unset /apps/panel

(Remember: There should be no spaces between the two dashes before shutdown.)

Then enter the next command:

rm -rf ~/.gconf/apps/panel

And enter one more command:

pkill gnome-panel


Both top and bottom panels will appear (if missing) with their default settings. Now you can customize them to your preference and get on with using Ubuntu.

NOTE: This method will work in Gutsy Gibbon (7.10) and Hardy Heron (8.04) version of Ubuntu.

source : watchingthenet.com