Should my Xfce look Minty?

[eoinoc333]

Hey,

I installed Linux Mint 13 Xfce, and when I'm logging in it looks like what I presume is the default look of Xfce.

For example, there's the mouse background, and the mouse icon on the "Applications Menu".

Shouldn't it look like Linux Mint? It looked as I expected when testing it out on the live CD. But after installing, things are different.

Thanks for any pointers.

[kherring7383]

With the Xfce version of Mint 13, your desktop environment is now Xfce version 4.10. This simply means your are now using all the features that are part of Xfce which includes it's desktop compositor, icons, backgrounds and etc. When Xfce is being used there is basically very few Mint features if any. It seems that Xfce has been around forever and there are many who really like it because its fast and very stable. But on the other hand there are also many who don't like because they it seems to have a primitive look and feel. In the end it comes down to what you like and what works for you. That's the great thing about using Linux in the first place. You simply have a choice. As for the live version and how it looked when you used it, I really can't explain it and I would have to see it for myself. As for me personally I tried this version for several days when it was first released but didn't see anything new or ground breaking so I went back to Cinnamon. As for using Mint Xfce, I'd like to recommend that you try it out for a while since it does have its good points and see how you like it. Then if you don't, then simply use either use Mate or Cinnamon.

[zerozero]

Shouldn't it look like Linux Mint? It looked as I expected when testing it out on the live CD. But after installing, things are different.

Thanks for any pointers.

yes, mint has an homogeneous loo&feel across all the edition (apart from kde), furthermore if you have one "xfce" in the live session and another after installation something is not right there; now what is it?
1- that difference is visible immediately after installation and first boot?
2- are you reusing a HOME from a previous install? or is this a completely clean install?
3- that look breaks after any kind of updates/software installations?

[jjaythomas]

Probally Config files if using previous '/home' partition
But
If using a external monitor on a laptop/netbook (never seen live CD/DVD diferent then install thou)
the laptop display default over the (larger?) external monitor. External monitor shows Xfce default wallpaper ect. You can deactivate 'laptop LCD' in settings>display. The external monitor than will display Mint wallpaper icons ect.

Might be problem
J.Jay

[teilnehmer]

Hey,

I had the same behavior. For me, it was because I re-used the same username. Since re-install is so fast, I re-installed, and beforehand (from the live-cd) renamed my user directory (from jan to jan_backup). After install, I had a nice minty desktop and copied the directories from the backup folder that I needed.

Alternatively, you could create a new user and make that new user sudo-capable, or you could hunt down the config files that caused the error.
I tried the latter but felt like I began with a dirty start. Re-install takes 30 minutes, so what the heck?

[eoinoc333]

@teilnehmer That must be it.

Yes, I am using my /home partition from a previous install.

It was always my intention to keep /home separate so that I could later switch distros and keep the same home. But that's not so easy if some config files are messing it up for me

Thanks all.

[teilnehmer]

I have the same setup. Because moving files on the same partition is lightning quick, I still believe the separate home partition is a good setup. Just let the new system create the user with all the install files, then move your stuff and the .firefox or .libreoffice or whatever you had that you want to use again. Takes 5 minutes and is way easier than backing everything up (which you would have to do if you had all data together).

[jjaythomas]

You'll have config files conflicting...
not so much from a version upgrade (if same distro)
a little more if DE changes (Xfce4.8 to Xfce 4.10)
exspecially if a distro change (they might not use same configs, modified config and store configs in different palaces)

The best thing to do is clone the '/home' partion (calling something else and move files/directories over. Most media/documents copy over no problem. It the Configs and the hidden files that might cause problems (had T-bird mozzilla folder screw up because app version couldn't migrate mail from 1version to a new version. (very old laptop tried upgrade from Buntu 9.10 to 12.04) some mail saved from my son's scout troop (nothing important !

J.Jay

[teilnehmer]

(Oops, sorry, I double posted - scanning the thread I thought my last posting wasn't there and figured something went wrong during transmission. My bad...)

[Beardedragon]

Minty Maya.png (658.13 KiB) Viewed 1423 times

My LM13 Xfce came, looking like this.

[jjaythomas]

Thats the Mint default wallpaper...

no Icons on desk or a panel (mint's on bottom)?

Looks like detect wrong display/montior resolution. Try keyboard shortcut 'alt-F2 if can get Xfrun?Finder dialog run display and try different resolutions.

J.Jay

P.S. as others stated a good way to reuse a '/home' is to change the user name (no backup needed). And reinstall using the home partition and user name want. The install will create (default) user. Then copy files over using thunar (remember to change file permisions) and being carefull with the hidden/config (the . files) files.

J.Jay

[Beardedragon]

Thats the Mint default wallpaper...

no Icons on desk or a panel (mint's on bottom)?

Looks like detect wrong display/montior resolution. Try keyboard shortcut 'alt-F2 if can get Xfrun?Finder dialog run display and try different resolutions.

J.Jay

P.S. as others stated a good way to reuse a '/home' is to change the user name (no backup needed). And reinstall using the home partition and user name want. The install will create (default) user. Then copy files over using thunar (remember to change file permisions) and being carefull with the hidden/config (the . files) files.

J.Jay

I "Hide" both the Panel on top and the Cairo-dock on the bottom. Resolution is 1920x1080 on a Samsung SyncMaster.

[jjaythomas]

Okay sorry

You may want to try creating new user (call testuser or such) to see if a default user looks right. if does then start copy/pasting configs ect. (remember change permisions). If all seem okay deleate old user and change testuser name/password to old.

May save a new/full install

J.Jay