You shouldn't mess anything up. You can install both KDE and XFCE if you want. Run tasksel in the terminal, and use the arrow keys and spacebar to select one or both, then tab to OK, and the installation should be straightforward, all the dependencies taken care of. Tasksel is a Debian package, but I think MX should install it by default. If not, it can be installed and then run. If you install both, you can select the one you want to run at each login.
Open Files Installed Via Terminal
- Thread starter Sikntired
- Start date
Okay, I installed tasksel and I selected both KDE Plasma & XFCE and then the only options were "back" or "next". I selected "next" and it redirected me to my home screen. Have to leave for now. Thanks for help and advice.....really appreciate it.
Last edited:
Okay, I ran tasksel and a dialogue box opened up and I chose KDE Plasma, The progress bar showed completion and before I could click on 'next' the box disappeared. ?? no idea why. I tried a second time and the same thing. In my first initial attempt to use Tasksel I chose to install XFCE and KDE Plasma. But in the middle of downloading I had to "kill the process" because I had a situation to address. Could this have had anything to do with my efforts now? Should I uninstall and reinstall Tasksel??
Last edited:
I closed out the terminal and a dialogue box came up and asked " Do you want to kill all processes?" I clicked "yes" and returned to homescreen. I know I should have left the installation continue but I had no choice as I did not know how long I'd be gone. Seems like I've got this "big rain cloud" over me and everything I try to do seems to exacerbate the problem. I really do appreciate your assistance and am willing to keep trying.
Would this be an option? I believe I have "bookworm".
computingforgeeks.com
Would this be an option? I believe I have "bookworm".
Install KDE Plasma Desktop on Debian 13/12 [Guide]
Install KDE Plasma desktop environment on Debian 13 or 12. Covers SDDM, Wayland vs X11, customization, Discover app store, and GNOME comparison.
computingforgeeks.com
Last edited:
You appear to have XFCE installed, as well as KDE. Log out, and when you log back in you should see a small option to choose a desktop environment, depending on what display manager you're using. Installing KDE usually makes SDDM the default, but I don't know if that happened. In a terminal/console, run
. This will tell you the default display manager, and it will be easier to explain how to find the desktop environment choice. You can also use
and you can see what was loaded. Press the q key to exit.
Reinstalling KDE wouldn't be a bad idea. We have no idea what was installed and what wasn't, and what might be partially installed.
Code:
cat /etc/X11/default-display-manager
Code:
systemctl status display-managerReinstalling KDE wouldn't be a bad idea. We have no idea what was installed and what wasn't, and what might be partially installed.
Okay, followed instructions and using both commands : /usr/sbin/lightdm and Light Display Manager is enabled. I installed KDE again as well. I will await further instructions. Thank you. Oh, and I am current on all updates. Just completed update involving
Python 3 - Tornado and security. I also logged out an then back in but saw no option to choose a desktop environment.
Python 3 - Tornado and security. I also logged out an then back in but saw no option to choose a desktop environment.
Last edited:
OK, lightdm is your default display manager. I had to reconfigure my system to bring it up and recall how it works. When you get the initial login screen, go to the upper right corner, and you will see a line of options, small print. The leftmost icon looks like an SD card with a wrench on it. Click there, and you can select the desktop environment you want. It's currently set to the default, which you probably do not want. You should be able to select either XFCE or Plasma, and perhaps also either with X11 or Wayland. Click on the one you want, make sure the correct button is selected, and enter your username and password. That should start a session using your choice. You can configure that however you want. You can choose a different session at each login if you want, and this is useful when you're trying to decide which you prefer. The default login should be whatever you used last, but it may be set to a single session type. You can always choose at login.
The only log-in screen I see is my homepage. The pic I showed you before was accessed via super-user key (Windows) and it brought up a quick-access menu. Where in the top toolbar there is a tiny wrench icon. I clicked on it and it displayed the pic showing XFCE and KDE but I have no options for any choice of sessions. I was looking at some tutorials and they reiterated that SDDM had to be enabled. So, I looked to enable SDDM in terminal and this is what I got.
Failed to enable unit: File /etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service already exists and is a symlink to /lib/systemd/system/lightdm.service.
Could the initial installation be corrupt and would it be advisable to remove everything and their dependencies and start fresh?
Failed to enable unit: File /etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service already exists and is a symlink to /lib/systemd/system/lightdm.service.
Could the initial installation be corrupt and would it be advisable to remove everything and their dependencies and start fresh?
Last edited:
The login screen is what you see when you first start the computer, or after a reboot. It's where you enter your username and password. You have to either reboot the computer or log out of the current session to get to it. When you get the choice of XFCE or Plasma, just click on the one you want to run. That will set the session to use. Then enter your username (if it's not there already) and your password and that session will start.
You couldn't enable SDDM because it's already enabled. There is nothing wrong, nothing else needed.
You couldn't enable SDDM because it's already enabled. There is nothing wrong, nothing else needed.
Yes, I understand what you are saying. But I do not have any other options to choose a session of either XFCE or Plasma. There are no other options visible. I'm sorry if I am exasperating you. But I am telling you what I see. I appreciate your attempt in trying to assist. I usually try to navigate things on my own and this now is the only OS I am running. I would love to be able to resolve this but perhaps maybe it is not to be. I guess I could use Timeshift to go back. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Happy Easter.
Update: I shutdown the computer and then restarted and lo and behold KDE Plasma Wayland appeared. Logging out and then logging back in did not trigger anything, It needed to be shutdown then restarted for changes to take place.
It is really nice looking and filled with many options and tools. However, I shutdown the session and restarted but I am NOT presented with any option or choice to change to XFCE or MX. It always boots into the KDE Plasma desktop environment. How does one go about correcting??
It is really nice looking and filled with many options and tools. However, I shutdown the session and restarted but I am NOT presented with any option or choice to change to XFCE or MX. It always boots into the KDE Plasma desktop environment. How does one go about correcting??
What you are telling me is not what I am seeing. I DO NOT see a list of options in the upper right corner or any other corner!! The computer boots into Desktop Session Plasma Wayland. There are no other options! The only thing I can figure out is when using Tasksel there was an option for Debian Desktop Environment along with other options Xfce and KDE Plasma. could it have been "ticked" by default? And maybe that is why it is going straight into the Plasma Desktop Environment? I also noticed that on the 'sign-on screen' when I move the cursor there is a lot of flashing which may indicate something is not as it should be. I'm trying to sort this out and wondering if I should use Timeshift to revert back. I really could use some direction here. I like Plasma but I'm afraid the installation is unstable.
Last edited:
There is no list until you click on the icon, which is very small. Then you get a small drop-down, which will have radio buttons, which will allow you to select the session you want when you click the little round button. I can't see your screen, so you're really going to have to be more specific about what happens. I can't read your mind from this distance, and I can't see your screen. I also can't show you mine, so you have to be able to figure some things out on your own.
I will attempt to try and describe what I see. When I fire up the computer it goes directly to the KDE Desktop Session Plasma Wayland sign-in. There IS NO LIST from which to choose. There are NO ICONS visible anywhere. There are NO LITTLE ROUND BUTTONS. There are NO DROP-DOWNS. The only thing visible is on the bottom left of my screen telling me "Desktop Session Plasma Wayland". I DID NOT CHOOSE the Plasma session, it booted into it. I do not have the option to choose any session. I DO NOT see my MX Homepage anymore. I gather this is what you are referring to with the small icon, etc. It is frustrating for you and me as I am attempting to paint a picture for you but from your response I am not doing well. I don't know what more I can do or how I can convince you that I am not seeing on my machine what you are seeing on yours. That's why I said that maybe the initial installation was compromised somehow and that I should consider restoring the system to a period prior to installation as stated in post#35. Please tell me how I can be more explicit and I will attempt to do so.
I will try again. When I turn on the computer I get the Grub Screen. I choose to boot into MX 23.6 Libretto. The computer boots. But instead of getting my MX linux Sign-in screen it boots directly into KDE Plasma sign-in screen. I do not have a choice. Hope this helps.
Similar threads
