When I switched to advanced mode on the manager, I noticed that the "Files Tools..." bar is missing. Instead, I see a one drop down menu labeled (exactly) "Fi". The entries underneath are "Close Windows" and "Exit BOINC Manager".

Perhaps, this is just a xubuntu issue.

I have not edited any of the installed configuration or startup files but they follow along with other information.

uname -a
========
Linux asrock 3.2.0-29-generic #46-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jul 27 17:03:23 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Boinc packages installed
========================
boinc 7.0.27+dfsg-5ubuntu0.12.04.1 metapackage for the BOINC client and the manager
boinc-client 7.0.27+dfsg-5ubuntu0.12.04.1 core client for the BOINC distributed computing infrastructure
boinc-manager 7.0.27+dfsg-5ubuntu0.12.04.1 GUI to control and monitor the BOINC core client

ls /etc/boinc-client
====================
-rw-r--r-- 1 root boinc 354 Mar 31 06:44 cc_config.xml
-rw-rw-r-- 1 root boinc 1499 Jul 13 15:58 global_prefs_override.xml
-rw-r----- 1 root boinc 1 Mar 31 06:44 gui_rpc_auth.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root boinc 296 Mar 31 06:44 remote_hosts.cfg

cc_config.xml
=============
<!--
This is a minimal configuration file cc_config.xml of the BOINC core client.
For a complete list of all available options and logging flags and their
meaning see: http://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/ClientMessages
-->
<cc_config>
<log_flags>
<task>1</task>
<file_xfer>1</file_xfer>
<sched_ops>1</sched_ops>
</log_flags>
</cc_config>

global_prefs_override.xml
=========================
<global_preferences>
<run_on_batteries>0</run_on_batteries>
<run_if_user_active>1</run_if_user_active>
<run_gpu_if_user_active>0</run_gpu_if_user_active>
<idle_time_to_run>10.000000</idle_time_to_run>
<suspend_cpu_usage>25.000000</suspend_cpu_usage>
<start_hour>0.000000</start_hour>
<end_hour>0.000000</end_hour>
<net_start_hour>0.000000</net_start_hour>
<net_end_hour>0.000000</net_end_hour>
<leave_apps_in_memory>0</leave_apps_in_memory>
<confirm_before_connecting>0</confirm_before_connecting>
<hangup_if_dialed>0</hangup_if_dialed>
<dont_verify_images>0</dont_verify_images>
<work_buf_min_days>0.100000</work_buf_min_days>
<work_buf_additional_days>0.500000</work_buf_additional_days>
<max_ncpus_pct>40.000000</max_ncpus_pct>
<cpu_scheduling_period_minutes>10.000000</cpu_scheduling_period_minutes>
<disk_interval>60.000000</disk_interval>000a
<disk_max_used_gb>10.000000</disk_max_used_gb>
<disk_max_used_pct>50.000000</disk_max_used_pct>
<disk_min_free_gb>0.100000</disk_min_free_gb>
<vm_max_used_pct>75.000000</vm_max_used_pct>
<ram_max_used_busy_pct>50.000000</ram_max_used_busy_pct>
<ram_max_used_idle_pct>90.000000</ram_max_used_idle_pct>
<max_bytes_sec_up>0.000000</max_bytes_sec_up>
<max_bytes_sec_down>0.000000</max_bytes_sec_down>
<cpu_usage_limit>40.000000</cpu_usage_limit>
<daily_xfer_limit_mb>0.000000</daily_xfer_limit_mb>
<daily_xfer_period_days>0</daily_xfer_period_days>
</global_preferences>

gui_rpc_auth.cfg
================
0x0a (1 byte)

remote_hosts.cfg
================
# This file contains a list of hostnames or IP addresses (one per line)
# of remote hosts, that are allowed to connect and to control the local
# BOINC core client via GUI RPCs.
# Lines beginning with a # or a ; are treated like comments and will be
# ignored.
#
#host.example.com
#192.168.0.180

/etc/default/boinc-client
=========================
# This file is /etc/default/boinc-client, it is a configuration file for the
# /etc/init.d/boinc-client init script.

# Set this to 1 to enable and to 0 to disable the init script.
ENABLED="1"

# Set this to 1 to enable advanced scheduling of the BOINC core client and
# all its sub-processes (reduces the impact of BOINC on the system's
# performance).
SCHEDULE="1"

# The BOINC core client will be started with the permissions of this user.
BOINC_USER="boinc"

# This is the data directory of the BOINC core client.
BOINC_DIR="/var/lib/boinc-client"

# This is the location of the BOINC core client, that the init script uses.
# If you do not want to use the client program provided by the boinc-client
# package, you can specify here an alternative client program.
#BOINC_CLIENT="/usr/local/bin/boinc"
BOINC_CLIENT="/usr/bin/boinc"

# Here you can specify additional options to pass to the BOINC core client.
# Type 'boinc --help' or 'man boinc' for a full summary of allowed options.
#BOINC_OPTS="--allow_remote_gui_rpc"
BOINC_OPTS=""

Sorry, I forgot to say that yes, I did un-install and re-install (several times, actually). I always get the same result. Well, at least it is consistent! (-:

If you have any technical suggestions for me to try, I'm game. I am an experienced software engineer and I don't mind experimentation.

1. Try to resize the Manager. Others have said that this will fix the problem.
2. This seems to be a BOINC package that you installed through repositories. In this case, you will have to complain at the package maintainers of Xubuntu as they're responsible for that BOINC package.

---

Fast reply! Thanks. I have been doing that. BUT, I just tried a complete delete (every installed byte) of all boinc packages and re-installed which caused me to re-connect to my 2 projects. Now, the tool bar appears. Go figure.

There were some Gnome and X updates this past week. Probably, a combination of things caused the cure.

When I get some free time, I will look at the manager source code for fun.

I am also on Xubuntu and get exactly the same symptoms as you describe. They are, however, intermittent.

Xubuntu 12.04, 64-bit
BOINC Manager v7.0.27(x86)

I experience the same problem, and maximizing the window seems to solve the issue.

Just one question though:
I notice that the corrupt menu is on the BOINC manager window, but in Ubuntu 12.4 the file menu is supposed to be located in the uppermost part of the screen like on a Mac or the old Amiga OS. Is this an Ubuntu issue or is it the BOINC manager?