no window borders or decorations

Which Ubuntu version do you use? 8.04, 8.10,..???
Which Desktop do you use? Gnome, KDE,..?

Gnome thanks

Ubuntu 8.10 and gnome desktop

What happens if you change the theme?
System -> preferences -> appearance

same thing tried all that stuff

Try this in a terminal:
gnome-window-decorator &

Please check .xession-errors (hidden in home/user) and Xorg.0.log for related messages of the issue.
e.g.
grep -i error /var/log/Xorg.0.log
or
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | tail -30

main@Ubuntu:~$ grep -i error /var/log/Xorg.0.log
 (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.

main@Ubuntu:~$ cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | tail -30
 ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 2.1
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: always reports core events
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Device: "/dev/input/event0"
(II) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Found x and y relative axes
(II) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Found 3 mouse buttons
(II) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Configuring as mouse
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Macintosh mouse button emulation" (type: MOUSE)
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: YAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: EmulateWheelButton: 4, EmulateWheelInertia: 10, EmulateWheelTimeout: 200
(II) config/hal: Adding input device ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse
(**) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: always reports core events
(**) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: Device: "/dev/input/event5"
(II) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: Found x and y relative axes
(II) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: Found 5 mouse buttons
(II) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: Configuring as mouse
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse" (type: MOUSE)
(**) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: YAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
(**) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: EmulateWheelButton: 4, EmulateWheelInertia: 10, EmulateWheelTimeout: 200
(II) config/hal: Adding input device AT Translated Set 2 keyboard
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: always reports core events
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Device: "/dev/input/event1"
(II) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Found keys
(II) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Configuring as keyboard
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "AT Translated Set 2 keyboard" (type: KEYBOARD)
(**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: xkb_rules: "evdev"
(**) Option "xkb_model" "pc105"
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: xkb_model: "pc105"
(**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: xkb_layout: "us"

this info i got can you mke anythnig cause i sure can't

main@Ubuntu:~$ gnome-window-decorator
bash: gnome-window-decorator: command not found

 This did not work either did not find command

Good news, no error in the log.
Bad news, you've missed '&' in the command. Commands in terminal are case sensitive, you may copy&paste to try again.

And afterwards restart the system or only xserver with Ctrl+ALT+Backspace.

this is what i get does not work or may be im doing something wrong any more ideas thank you for helping

main@Ubuntu:~$ gnome-window-decorator & grep -i error /var/log/Xorg.0.log
[1] 8534
 (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
main@UbuntuMe:~$ bash: gnome-window-decorator: command not found

main@UbuntuMe:~$ gnome-window-decorator &cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | tail -30
[1] 8537
 ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 2.1
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: always reports core events
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Device: "/dev/input/event0"
(II) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Found x and y relative axes
(II) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Found 3 mouse buttons
(II) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Configuring as mouse
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Macintosh mouse button emulation" (type: MOUSE)
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: YAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: EmulateWheelButton: 4, EmulateWheelInertia: 10, EmulateWheelTimeout: 200
(II) config/hal: Adding input device ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse
(**) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: always reports core events
(**) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: Device: "/dev/input/event5"
(II) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: Found x and y relative axes
(II) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: Found 5 mouse buttons
(II) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: Configuring as mouse
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse" (type: MOUSE)
(**) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: YAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
(**) ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse: EmulateWheelButton: 4, EmulateWheelInertia: 10, EmulateWheelTimeout: 200
(II) config/hal: Adding input device AT Translated Set 2 keyboard
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: always reports core events
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Device: "/dev/input/event1"
(II) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Found keys
(II) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Configuring as keyboard
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "AT Translated Set 2 keyboard" (type: KEYBOARD)
(**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: xkb_rules: "evdev"
(**) Option "xkb_model" "pc105"
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: xkb_model: "pc105"
(**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: xkb_layout: "us"
main@UbuntuMe:~$ bash: gnome-window-decorator: command not found

did not work

may be this information is useful,l all this started when i tied to install compiz after i deleted compiz the problem remained

This is what i get if i use the metacity --replace command and it hangs for a log time then gives error

main@Ubuntu:~$ metacity --replace
/home/main/.themes/Clearlooks-DarkBlue/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:62: Clearlooks configuration option "sunkenmenu" is not supported and will be ignored.
/home/main/.themes/Clearlooks-DarkBlue/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:63: Clearlooks configuration option "menuitemstyle" is not supported and will be ignored.
/home/main/.themes/Clearlooks-DarkBlue/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:64: Clearlooks configuration option "listviewitemstyle" is not supported and will be ignored.
/home/main/.themes/Clearlooks-DarkBlue/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:65: Clearlooks configuration option "progressbarstyle" is not supported and will be ignored.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x1200003 (Bottom Exp)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x3800604 (main@Ubunt)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x380000a (main@Ubunt)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x28000cb (Ubuntu que)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x1400022 (x-nautilus)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.

And with kwin --replace command i get this error

main@UbuntuMe:~$ kwin --replace
X Error: BadWindow (invalid Window parameter) 3
  Major opcode: 20 (X_GetProperty)
  Resource id: 0x3600003

Please, relax, read and type posted commands carefully and definitely don't mix them together.
Please only type this in a terminal:

gnome-window-decorator &

##afterwards restart the system or only xserver with Ctrl+ALT+Backspace

main@UbuntuMe:~$ gnome-window-decorator &
[1] 9202
main@UbuntuMe:~$ bash: gnome-window-decorator: command not found

[1]+ Exit 127 gnome-window-decorator
main@UbuntuMe:~$

Sorry sam did what you said did not work same thing happens no boaders on windows any other ideas

Seems that some config files are in conflict, question is which.
Did you remove Compiz completely (including configuration files)?
Did you restart the Xserver yet?

Please check before in gconf-editor if Metacity is default window manager.
path:
/desktop/gnome/applications/window_manager/default

To clear saved session files, please open Nautilus (filebrowser).
Press Ctrl+H to make all files visible.
Navigate to .metacity/sessions and delete all files.
You may also navigate to .nautilus and delete session- and metafiles.

You may also try to rename the folder .config, e.g config.broken.

done what you said did not work ither be searching for other solution on the net as well it may be a program i installed this is getting bad im thinking of re-installing to frustrating for me, windows with no boarders and always starts maximized i think you are right configuration problem tried removing and reinstalling compiz did not work same thing happens on kwin metacity and compiz all have same problem

main@mainubuntu:~$ metacity --replace
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x36002fb (main@mainu)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x1406fe2 (Mozilla Fi)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x1407430 (Quit Firef)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x14000bc (Mozilla Fi)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x1400223 (Mozilla Fi)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x140022f (Mozilla Fi)
Window manager warning: meta_window_activate called by a pager with a 0 timestamp; the pager needs to be fixed.

can anyone make this out

Unfortunately research brings up lots of issues like above with results of reinstallation.
Although the issue with no window borders concerns Compiz not Metacity.
Depends on how much work you like to invest and if there is a backup available.

But before a worst case scenario you may create a new user to check the behavior.

Anyway there is already a difference in the output.
##Buggy client is the app which is in conflict.
So it seems that Firefox has an issue.

Please check in system -> preferences -> sessions
which window manager appears in the list.

I'd stay with metacity for the moment
http://mail.kde.org/pipermail/unassigned-bugs/2009-January/005614.html

tried new user that did not work as well im going to play around for a few more days to find a solution if no luck reinstall may save me the time get back to you thank you Sam for your help. let you know if i work it out

Ok,
in the meantime a follow up
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=37074

Which graphic card? Did you make any changes to xorg.conf?

i think its a program in the kde-extra package did a complete re install and did not re install that package and everything is going well now thanks for helping out

That's a pity, I mean to completely reinstall. In case next time if you could assume the package and date of installation, you may take a look in Synaptic history and try it with a removal of packages which are in question.
Anyway, now I wish you a good time with the renewed installation.

thanks