Raspbian and Gnome

Peer

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Is there a way to install the Gnome desktop on Raspbian?
 


Not sure about that one, but maybe. If you try, I'd suggest a minimal Gnome (gnome-core) to start because the full desktop package may be too bloated for the Pi. You might also need the Gnome Display Manager (gdm) package to launch the desktop environment.

There are other ways to get Gnome on the Pi. I think that openSUSE and Fedora may offer an ARM-based solution that would provide Gnome out of the box. And Arch Linux is also a possibility.

Cheers
 
Installing gnome-core is a good shout, but I think a more lightweight login/display manager like Slim or lightdm would probably be a better option than GDM.
 
Hi all :)

Stan, are you talking about replacing Raspbian with one of the ARM solutions from the others? I am not very big on Raspbian (& hope I'll get a Pi from Santa Claus), but it is Debian-based.

Although Debian produces a distribution for the arm architecture, it is compatible only with versions later than the one used on the Raspberry Pi (ARMv7-A CPUs and higher vs the Raspberry Pi's ARMv6 CPU). At least that was at end of June, I have not checked since.

Cheers, I'll watch and learn.

Wiz
 
Installing gnome-core is a good shout, but I think a more lightweight login/display manager like Slim or lightdm would probably be a better option than GDM.
Any method for lightening the load on a Pi is a good idea. But GDM and Gnome DE are pretty tightly bound to one another. While LightDM will work, you might have to tweak some things... and that may be difficult for a new user to troubleshoot.
 
Stan, are you talking about replacing Raspbian with one of the ARM solutions from the others?
and....
Although Debian produces a distribution for the arm architecture, it is compatible only with versions later than the one used on the Raspberry Pi (ARMv7-A CPUs and higher vs the Raspberry Pi's ARMv6 CPU).

Yes, there are many... but the Gnome DE it not typically specified among the choices. It seems that it is still possible to use Gnome with some of the many options that are available, but again, how well it may work on a Pi is still somewhat questionable to me. And as you noted, the ARM version makes a difference, as well as which version of the Pi.

Again, my direct answer to @Peer's question, is that it may be possible to install Gnome in the typical Raspian distribution, but I'm not certain that it can be done, or if so, how difficult it may be or what problems may be encountered. I'm a new Pi owner myself with the Pi 3 B+ purchased earlier this year, so my experiences are very limited. But deviating from the OP, I've looked at some possibilities to install Gnome on Pi in other ways, assuming that a Gnome desktop is the desired outcome.

One common method of getting Raspian or other OS'es up and running is to use the NOOBS (New Out Of Box Software) installation manager. This includes (or used to include) a choice to install Arch Linux for Pi. I think that the third party OS options change frequently though, so Arch may no longer be there, but Arch still can be installed regardless. As I understand the NOOBS manager, Raspian is the only one that is actually included... all the others will need an internet connection and will be downloaded and installed on demand.... this process will be much slower than installing Raspian.

Specific Google searching for which Pi version and which OS is really needed. But some of my generic searching found these below for some various possibilities. Each may or may not provide specific installation instructions, but the overview they offer may help in understanding the Pi installation process overall.

Arch:
https://www.unixmen.com/install-arch-linux-raspberry-pi/
https://ladvien.com/installing-arch-linux-raspberry-pi-zero-w/
https://elinux.org/ArchLinux_Install_Guide
https://www.novaspirit.com/2017/04/25/installing-arch-linux-raspberry-pi/

Fedora:
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Architectures/ARM/Raspberry_Pi
https://opensource.com/article/17/3/how-install-fedora-on-raspberry-pi (a bit outdated)
http://pidora.ca/
http://fedberry.org/

openSUSE
Pi: https://en.opensuse.org/HCL:Raspberry_Pi
Pi 2: https://en.opensuse.org/HCL:Raspberry_Pi2
Pi 3: https://en.opensuse.org/HCL:Raspberry_Pi3
and https://www.suse.com/c/opensuse-raspberry-pi-3-zero-functional-system-easy-steps/

I hope that Santa brings you one of these neat little toys, Wizard. I find the standard Raspian distro (with PIXEL desktop) to be very fast and responsive, but I don't think it will be a multi-multi-OS machine for you, though you may well prove me wrong! :eek::D Also note that the video output is HDMI only, so you'll need a HDMI capable monitor or TV (not sure if adapters are available, or if they might work).

Once set up properly with a wireless network, you can use a smartphone or a tablet to make a "remote desktop" connection to the Pi. This lets the phone or tablet become your mouse, keyboard, and monitor. A very handy trick! Of course a tablet is more comfortable to use.

@Peer, if I can squeeze in some testing time, I will see if I can install Gnome on my Pi and report back. I'm not a Gnome fan, but it's an interesting question! :D

Cheers
 
If I can squeeze in some testing time, I will see if I can install Gnome on my Pi and report back.
I did give it a go today... several attempts between installing and purging gnome-core but I was not successful. It does seem to make a serious attempt to install, but I finally get errors or one or more packages and it fails to complete. This was trying to install into the standard Raspian system.

I have a long work cycle starting tonight, but when I get a chance I will try some of the other methods from the links above to see if I can get any kind of Gnome desktop to work.

Cheers
 
did give it a go today... several attempts between installing and purging gnome-core but I was not successful. It does seem to make a serious attempt to install, but I finally get errors or one or more packages and it fails to complete. This was trying to install into the standard Raspian system.
Yes his happend too, but if I had installed gnome-software I saw all Gnome progrms in the hotbar.
But aafter an Reboot it hasn´t load the hotbar.
I´m making now a new installation of raspbian.
 
Stan when I read your posts and saw that list of links, my first thought was

"WOW ... Wizard, shut yo' mouth!!".

So I'll quit while I am behind :eek::oops::rolleyes:

But I got as far yesterday as downloading a Raspbian that I could boot on the Dell live, and it looks very interesting.

Cheers, and good luck with it all, Peer :p

Wiz
 

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