login problems again...

[O. Sinclair]

Right,
have just installed another pc with Kubuntu 8.04.1 and was playing 
around with a sound-theme that requires setting of root password 
(something to do with paths).

Following that I did a reboot and up comes the "desktop wizard" 
suddenly. Thinking wtf I cancelled it and ever since that the login is a 
bit weird.

It shows normal login screen, I type the password and then the screen 
goes blue until the desktop comes up. No "action icons" on starting 
processes and all that...

where did they go, how do I get them back? They are certainly not very 
necessary, I just want the machine to be "tidy" as it is for my better half.

Regards,
Sinclair