Configuring Xfce on Arch LInux (32-bit)

thomas.hedden · 05-04-2020, 01:33 PM

I have installed 32-bit Arch Linux on an old laptop.
The default desktop environment is Gnome. That runs, but it's slow: I want to run XFCE.
I have installed the XFCE desktop environment, several window managers, etc., but I can't get the XFCE desktop to run upon booting. The only one I can get to run is Gnome. I can get to a root prompt to make any changes I want. Can anyone tell me whether I still have to install anything else and/or how to configure my system so that it will launch XFCE on booting?

sevendogsbsd · 05-04-2020, 01:37 PM

Arch has not had a 32 bit version for several years. Is this a derivative or an old, not updated install? Also, Arch has no default desktop as it has no default anything: the user installs everything by hand.

Can you provide more details?

thomas.hedden · 05-04-2020, 01:41 PM

https://archlinux32.org/download/

sevendogsbsd · 05-04-2020, 01:46 PM

Not an official Arch release. Does this release have systemd or another init system? You will have to configure the display manager (xdm, gdm, lightdm, etc) to start at boot, then you can choose whatever desktop environment or window manager you like.

I have no experience with non-systemd Arch. If your install uses another init system, you will have to read their docs.

teckk · 05-04-2020, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Can anyone tell me whether I still have to install anything else and/or how to configure my system so that it will launch XFCE on booting?

What does your ./xinitrc look like? Or are you using a display manager?

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xfce
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xinit

thomas.hedden · 05-04-2020, 03:31 PM

I have no .xinitrc file
The file /etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service is a symbolic link to /usr/lib/systemd/system/lxdm.service
This file is produced by typing:
# enable lxdm.service
When the system boots, what appears to be the background of a desktop environment flashes across the top of the screen for just a moment, then disappears, and then a message is displayed at the top of the screen saying:
Starting version 245.4-2.3-arch
/dev/sda2: clean, ... files, ... blocks
I can press Ctrl-Alt-F2 to get to a login prompt and configure things, although it keeps switching back to the first screen after a few seconds, so it is very difficult to do anything. So, what I've done is to delete or move this symbolic link and then reboot. Now, I can get to a login prompt and login as root.

teckk · 05-05-2020, 09:46 AM

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Systemd
If you want to disable lxdm, disable it, don't delete random files.

Stop, read the wiki.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/

The wiki will be your first goto if you are going to use Arch. And it's a rolling release, it changes all the time.

ondoho · 05-06-2020, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomas.hedden

I have installed 32-bit Arch Linux on an old laptop.
The default desktop environment is Gnome. That runs, but it's slow: I want to run XFCE.
I have installed the XFCE desktop environment, several window managers, etc., but I can't get the XFCE desktop to run upon booting. The only one I can get to run is Gnome. I can get to a root prompt to make any changes I want. Can anyone tell me whether I still have to install anything else and/or how to configure my system so that it will launch XFCE on booting?

If you were using vanilla Arch I'd say to you: you installed it, you set it up, at the very least you should be able to give us much more detailed & relevant information about the problem.
I can only assume that the same goes for archlinux32.

FWIW, I did away with display managers completely and prefer the ~/.xinitrc method.

dosensuppe · 03-07-2021, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomas.hedden

I have installed 32-bit Arch Linux on an old laptop.
The default desktop environment is Gnome. That runs, but it's slow: I want to run XFCE.
I have installed the XFCE desktop environment, several window managers, etc., but I can't get the XFCE desktop to run upon booting. The only one I can get to run is Gnome. I can get to a root prompt to make any changes I want. Can anyone tell me whether I still have to install anything else and/or how to configure my system so that it will launch XFCE on booting?

Disable the current display manager. (systemctl disable)
Put this in your shell configuration file ie. .bashrc:

Code:

if status is-login
    if test -z "$DISPLAY" -a "$XDG_VTNR" = 1
        exec startx -- -keeptty
    end
end

so that whenever you login it starts your window manager of choice. You need to have that set in your .xinitrc

Code:

exec startxfce4

also copy the default xinitrc in your user directory

Code:

cp /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc ~/.xinitrc

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xinit
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xfce#Starting

otherwise you could also use lightdm or a similar "display manager" which you start with systemd then and where you can simply select the desired DE/WM
hope that helps. otherwise rtfm