[ubuntu-uk] Lost desktop not loading at startup

[scoundrel50a]

Hi, I have lost my desktop, it wont load when you start the laptop up. 
Its a lanovo 550 pentium 11.10 preinstalled.....I just had a freeze, 
restarted and the desktop went, I went into Ctrl+Alt+F2, and ran the 
command unity  ---resetand got the message 'Warning: no DISPLAY variable 
set, setting it to :0 unity-panel-service: no process 
found.......anybody know how I can get around that...

Thanks

John