Dang, mishit the keys and instead of choosing the xfce desktop I hit to carry on with the installation of a pre-selected Gnome. That by installing Debian 12.6.0 base. That on my 32bit 2GB RAM Asus laptop. What is the best way to revert the choice and get xfce after the installation is complete? It is still running, not fancying reinstalling it all again.
Replacing Gnome desktop on 32bit with xfce
- Thread starter Trynna3
- Start date
As much as you hate to do a complete install again that would be the best.
It can be done and I have done it myself more than once.
Sometimes it works without problems and sometimes it don't.
Changing from one desktop environment to another desktop environment just seems to be asking for trouble.
Nothing works better than a clean raw install.
It can be done and I have done it myself more than once.
Sometimes it works without problems and sometimes it don't.
Changing from one desktop environment to another desktop environment just seems to be asking for trouble.
Nothing works better than a clean raw install.
Thanks
Either way, it us up and running (Gnome). The system seems to be able to handle it. I don't mind actually, just was worried whether it won't have difficulties on such an old stuff. I'll try it and see.
You can go and download the Debian 12 .iso for XFCE <or> you can tell APT to install it and see how it fairs.
XFCE is considerably lighter than Gnome so it should work well on your machine.
How to Install Xfce on Debian 12
itslinuxguide.com
XFCE is considerably lighter than Gnome so it should work well on your machine.
How to Install Xfce on Debian 12
How To Install Xfce On Debian 12 - Itslinuxguide.com
Xfce on Debian 12 can be installed by using three methods which include using its default app installer, taskel utility, and synaptic package manager.
itslinuxguide.com
Caluser2000
Member
IT isn't and a piece of piss to do. Google is your friend
You should have Timeshift installed and a snapshot taken before monkeying around with DEs (desktop environments).
Cheers
Wiz
Cheers
Wiz
Caluser2000
Member
Rubbish!
Would you care to qualify that, or just appear negative to taking safeguards for a quick system restore?
Caluser2000
Member
I've been using multi DEs/Window Managers on Linux since the Corel Linux, Red Hat 5.2, Debian 2,x days without any disruption whatsoever to the OS. Just install the DE/WM via your Distos package manager log out to the logon screen, select the DE/WM you want to use and log staight in using the newly install DE/WM. It is as sinple as that. No reboot required...
The OP has just done a fresh install remember?
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Dial back on the attitude, please.
I was speaking for the benefit of the OP, who, according to his first post here coming up 7 weeks ago, said, in his original post
If his, or any other new user of Linux's, level of proficiency was insufficient to know better, he might delete his GNOME DE with a view to reinstalling an Xfce one, and that would brick his installation.
Further, he has not performed the reinstall yet
So my advice is precautionary, and thus valid. A backup would suffice, but Timeshift is versatile.
BTW the OP has modest specs on his machine, and might not wish to have an additional half a gig or so taken up with running 2 desktops.
If you have a desire to go on with this, I suggest you start a new thread, and we will not hijack that of the OP.
TIA
Wizard
W
Caluser2000
Member
What attitude. I'm just posiing FACTS!
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Well done, @Trynna3, that is a good approach for you to take.
I remember in my early linux days, I attempted to "lighten" the load on my then pc by swinging from cinnamon to mate, and I had it in mind if that didnt brighten things up I would drop to xfce.
The short of the story is, I did not need to drop to xfce because my pc borked/spat the dummy/crashed and burned....etc before I ever had the chance. A reinstall was forthcoming !
I second the use of Timeshift....I wish I had known of its existence back then....it would have saved me a tremendous amount of work.
I can do a reinstall/fresh install in under 2o mminutes now....such was not the case back then ! I knew close to zero, or at the very least not far from that.
So, from memory I don't think you have come across Timeshift in your journey (short as it is) just yet.
We will remedy that for you at the first opportunity.
In a nutshell, Timeshift is similar to windows system restore. The Major differences are that Timeshift actually works and can be depended on.
By any chance, do you have an external drive that you might be able to use to store Timeshift's snapshots on ?
I have timeshift set up in LMDE6, so I have had a hand on it, just in this Gnome I didn't even come to set it up. It has broken windows on the screen, flashing, the system is apparently struggling with it. but it looked promising at the very beginning, just now I cannot do anything, the screen is a mess.
Sure it's possible but not everyone is willing to go through the process and someone here could probably talk OP through it.
@wizardfromoz is talking about this.
It's your word choice that makes it sound like you are having an attitude towards another member's response. If you would have left out the word "piss" and actually explained to OP how to do it then it wouldn't have sounded like you are having an attitude because what's easy for one person may be hard for another person.
@Trynna3 I am actually installing a Debian vm to go through the steps of replacing Gnome with Xfce so I can write it out for you. But now I am confused are you currently running Debian 12 32bit or LMDE6, I don't think the latter has a 32 bit edition?
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Yes !....I remember that feeling/sight !
Just do the install process again.....no need to wipe the drive, the installer will clean any leftovers for you automatically
Good thing you have Timeshift set up for LMDE 6.
I find lmde 6 to be a brilliant OS. Very quick too.
Just do the install process again.....no need to wipe the drive, the installer will clean any leftovers for you automatically
Good thing you have Timeshift set up for LMDE 6.
I find lmde 6 to be a brilliant OS. Very quick too.
I do, several, old HDDs, from 200gb to 320gb, but if I manage this machine working well with xfce I might buy an 2.5sata ssd and use the current HDD as a backup (got extra enclosure). That will mean reinstalling the system once more (or cloning, for that matter, which might be faster).
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
LOL.....reinstalling is good practise !!...lol...
Do whatever is easier for you, mate.
I have two machines, one is Dell with LMDE and another is recently salvaged Asus where I am trying to figure out what would work the best. It had a hinge broken, I replaced it, got rid of Vista and now hoping to make it work like a normal machine.
This is assuming you currently have Debian 12 32bit with Gnome installed.
1. Logout of your system, so that you have the GDM login screen in front of you.
2. Press ctrl+alt+f3
3. You will get a login prompt in front of you, you can just login with you user credentials.
4. Run the following commands to remove Gnome.
Code:
sudo apt remove task-gnome-desktop gnome gnome-core5. Remove all the dependencies that aren't needed anymore.
Code:
sudo apt autoremove5. It seemed after the previous steps still some Gnome packages were there so then I ran the following commands.
Code:
sudo apt purge gnome*
dpkg --list | grep -i gnome | awk '{ print $1 }' | xargs apt purge -y
Code:
sudo apt autoremove7. Now we are going to install the Xfce desktop environment.
Code:
sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodiesYou will be prompted to verify if you want to remove those packages, press "Y" to continue. This process will take a few minutes, wait for it to finish.
8. You can now reboot your system.
Code:
sudo reboot
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