cursor, wallpaper and other functions disabled

[Thomas Blasejewicz]

Good evening
I am sorry, but I do not know, how to "name" the current problem.

Although I am using in this particular case a "xubuntu" distribution, I 
am under the impression
that this applies to "whatever-buntu".

I was installing my dictionaries under Windows XP installed using VMware 
Player.
(after years of searching, I still cannot find ANY useful native linux 
dictionary)
The very last one - I was already happy that I finally got somewhere - 
ran amok, but I did not get any errors.

After rebooting the computer:
*    the screen (wallpaper) is black and I cannot apply any changes
*    the cursor, when it shows up at all (very late), is an ugly cross, 
which also cannot be changed
         during the startup progress, items in the panels can be 
"highlighted", but there is no cursor
*    the window handles for minimizing, maximizing and closing the 
particular window are gone
*    some applications open in some form of extremely enlarged state, so 
that the entire screen is blank
*    when I open up the application menu, or try to shutdown the 
computer, certain items are highlighted,
         like "shotdown", but pressing enter does not work any more. 
Those items HAVE to be clicked with that ugly cross.

*    I assume, there are even more things, that I have not yet noticed.

The problem occurred when installing something INSIDE the VM. Should 
this not leave the linux unaffected??
What for heavens sake has happened here?
More important: is there any civilized way of restoring the system to 
the state, it been in BEFORE that last dictionary install?
Civilized -> I mean anything other than reinstalling everything from 
scratch again.

I did try the following commands, which I was advised to use before, 
when something with the system and VM went wrong:

*    sudo touch /forcefsck
*    sudo dpkg --configure -a
*    sudo apt-get install -f
*    sudo apt-get clean
*    sudo apt-get autoclean
*    sudo apt-get purge
*    sudo apt-get update
*    sudo apt-get dist-upgrade -y

none of those had any effect.

I would appreciate any help with this "problem".
Thomas