Making KDE the default desktop manager

tux_addict · 05-15-2007, 02:45 AM

I’d like to make KDE rather than GNOME the default desktop manager in Debian 4.0. I don’t wish to start GDM though. I simply want to log in from the command line with `startx’. Normally, this would involve a small change to $HOME/.xinitrc or /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc, but my attempts so far have yielded little fruit. Is there anyone out there who may be able to offer some guidance? Thanks.

jay73 · 05-15-2007, 02:48 AM

What if you select "Sessions" on thel log-in screen? It should offer you a choice of desktops, including KDE. Select it, log in and the system will ask whether you want to keep KDE as your default; I think the answer is obvious.

Jongi · 05-15-2007, 03:14 AM

I will assume that you have not already installed kde.

# aptitude install kde

At some point it will ask you which graphics manager you want to use, choose kdm.

tux_addict · 05-15-2007, 03:45 AM

Actually, as i mention in my post i would prefer to avoid the graphical greeter altogether (KDM and GDM) and log in from the command line with startx. Currently, when i disable GDM, startx launches me into GNOME. Using KDM rather than GDM would probably launch me into KDE (i will admit that i haven't tried it yet) but i am curious to know if there isn't some configuration file i could edit instead. For instance, in Slackware this is pretty straightforward. I appreciate the suggestions all the same!

Jongi · 05-15-2007, 04:07 AM

Can you post your /etc/inittab

EDIT: I just remembered I had wanted to do a similar thing to fix a problem i was having. I never did try the suggestions given here as i just re-installed.

HappyTux · 05-15-2007, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tux_addict

I’d like to make KDE rather than GNOME the default desktop manager in Debian 4.0. I don’t wish to start GDM though. I simply want to log in from the command line with `startx’. Normally, this would involve a small change to $HOME/.xinitrc or /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc, but my attempts so far have yielded little fruit. Is there anyone out there who may be able to offer some guidance? Thanks.

Have you tried using startkde or putting it in your .xinitrc for using startx? This would be after having removed the gdm package so that it never gets started or if not wanting to remove the package remove the gdm link in the /etc/rc2.d directory this will stop if from starting as well.

tux_addict · 05-17-2007, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Have you tried using startkde or putting it in your .xinitrc for using startx? This would be after having removed the gdm package...

Yes, Happy Tux, I did try making the changes in .xinitrc (exec=kde, or something of the sort)
I also made KDM my default login manager (dpkg-reconfigure kdm), as was suggested earlier, made the kdm script in /etc/init.d/ non-executable, then tried to log in to KDE with startx - and ended up in GNOME. So GNOME is still the default desktop.
As for Jongi's suggestion, logging in from the console is not the problem. The problem is logging in to KDE and not GNOME. I'm getting the sense that the Debian setup is a wee-bit complicated.

HappyTux · 05-17-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tux_addict

Yes, Happy Tux, I did try making the changes in .xinitrc (exec=kde, or something of the sort)
I also made KDM my default login manager (dpkg-reconfigure kdm), as was suggested earlier, made the kdm script in /etc/init.d/ non-executable, then tried to log in to KDE with startx - and ended up in GNOME. So GNOME is still the default desktop.
As for Jongi's suggestion, logging in from the console is not the problem. The problem is logging in to KDE and not GNOME. I'm getting the sense that the Debian setup is a wee-bit complicated.

I never really tried starting X in from the console before but all I had to do here was create an ~/.xinitrc make it executable then have exec startkde as the contents and kde started up with the startx command with me logged in as my normal user, it even restored my previous session as I had left it when logging out and stopping kdm.

S3xY · 05-18-2007, 10:31 AM

when u use GDM , or KDM and alot of GUI's
when u Login to the session it asked u if u want to make it Default or just this session
u want it default , choose make it default .
sure there is another ways through X config , but since u use GDM , ..

eco2geek · 05-19-2007, 12:15 AM

Try this.

First, nuke the startup links to kdm (or gdm, or xdm) with the command (as root),

update-rc.d -f kdm remove

Substitute gdm or xdm for kdm. This will keep X from starting. (To revert back, use the command "update-rc.d kdm defaults".)

Then, see what your current X session manager is with the command

update-alternatives --list x-session-manager

The output should look something like:

Code:

/usr/bin/startkde
/usr/bin/icewm-session
/usr/bin/gnome-session

Then, change it with the command

Code:

update-alternatives --config x-session-manager

There are 3 alternatives which provide `x-session-manager'.

  Selection    Alternative
-----------------------------------------------
*         1    /usr/bin/startkde
          2    /usr/bin/icewm-session
 +        3    /usr/bin/gnome-session

Press enter to keep the default[*], or type selection number:

Select "1" for "startkde" (mine's already set that way, as you can see) and then you should be able to type "startx" to start KDE.

tux_addict · 05-23-2007, 03:00 AM

Quote:

First, nuke the startup links to kdm (or gdm, or xdm) with the command (as root),

update-rc.d -f kdm remove...

Excellent advice eco2geek. I tried it out and now I can finally log into KDE underneath my beautiful, red Debian logo (I installed the linuxlogo package). I did another search on the Debian forum and discovered that my question had already been asked (and answered) before, so I AM guilty of being redundant. In any case though, I am grateful for the tip.

Meanwhile, update-rc.d and update-alternatives look like elegant solutions. Way to go Debian!

tux_addict · 05-30-2007, 03:20 AM

While doing a search, I encountered Andreas Janssen’s website where he notes the following: http://www.andreas-janssen.de/debian...-sarge.html.en.

Quote:

There are several ways to change the runlevels according to your wishes. The program update-rc.d from the base system is not to be recommended, because it is supposed to allow packages to create or remove links during installation/deinstallation. If you remove the links using update-rc.d, they will be automatically recreated once the package is updated. Instead, you should install and use programs like sysv-rc-conf (or) sysvconfig.

Just wanted to mention that.

eco2geek · 05-30-2007, 03:11 PM

AFAIK, using sysvconfig and/or sysv-rc-conf won't keep startup links from being recreated after an upgrade, either.

The only program I've seen that accomplishes that is one written specifically for Kanotix, named freeze-rc.d. (It still works.)

tux_addict · 06-09-2007, 05:01 AM

Splendid!

makuyl · 06-09-2007, 05:32 AM

You can add a "update-rc.d xdm stop 01 1 .", or something similar that won't actually do anything if xdm isn't started. It should keep upgrading the xdm package from creating new symlinks though.