XFCE: Switchig to Versus Clean Install

Quick to answer questions about finding your way around Linux Mint as a new user.
Forum rules
There are no such things as "stupid" questions. However if you think your question is a bit stupid, then this is the right place for you to post it. Stick to easy to-the-point questions that you feel people can answer fast. For long and complicated questions use the other forums in the support section.
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
Locked
Kardosh

XFCE: Switchig to Versus Clean Install

Post by Kardosh »

Hello. I would like to ask somebody knowledgeable to confirm that I did not make a mistake when I just installed XFCE "something" on top of working LM17 Cinnamon installation and switched to using the new DE by this method found here in the Forums:
o Switch off ''auto login'' and ''timed login'' from the Desktop.
o Use Software Manager to install mint-meta-xfce
o Make a new user just for trying out xfce.
o Log Out
o Select the new user
o Select the session to be xfce
o Log in as new user
If all goes well, you change your normal login to xfce session too.
For some reason or another (or several reasons actually) I do prefer xfce even on a machine that has 2GB RAM and can handle Cinnamon. But, being a newbie to Linux, I am not completely sure if there is not some downside to an awkward way I got XFCE working on my production machine. Is there no difference in xfce installed in a clean installation and one glued up onto Cinnamon? Is the fabled stability of xfce as stable as in clean install without going through Cinnamon? Couldn't I squeeze more power from the machine by deleting everything and going the long way? I would not like to, but I do want to know how these thing work here in Linux-land - so that in a few years I would be as confident with my computer skills as I used to be before switching.

BTW, I love the 10 °C drop in reported temperatures after I switched to XFCE ;)
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
utamav

Re: XFCE: Switchig to Versus Clean Install

Post by utamav »

I am not at all a Linux guru but I had the very same question. I was told to do a fresh install for stability.

Also this article mentions never to mix the versions.

https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... almistakes

Once again, I don't know if the author is a guru or not.
Kardosh

Re: XFCE: Switchig to Versus Clean Install

Post by Kardosh »

Oh. That is exactly what I feared. :cry: But I will still give the system some time to show where the "pollution" occurs and if it's not something I could live with.
User avatar
jimallyn
Level 19
Level 19
Posts: 9075
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:34 pm
Location: Wenatchee, WA USA

Re: XFCE: Switchig to Versus Clean Install

Post by jimallyn »

The first Linux distro I ever used, back in 2002, was Mandrake. At login, you were given the choice of Gnome or KDE. (I mostly used KDE.) Never had any problems. Of course, that was a long time ago, and your mileage may vary.
“If the government were coming for your TVs and cars, then you'd be upset. But, as it is, they're only coming for your sons.” - Daniel Berrigan
Mute Ant

Re: XFCE: Switchig to Versus Clean Install

Post by Mute Ant »

I recognise that, I wrote it! I only broadcast methods that I have used myself with no problems. A huge part of Mint XFCE is the same as Mint Mate or Mint Cinnamon, out of Linux-GNU-Xorg-Gnome. Different by 5%, say, 150MB in 3000MB of installed system. If you try to remove Cinnamon, there's an excellent chance XFCE will fall over too [but it might not]. I run KDE too, and Openbox, all as different users. That's the important part try not to use different desktops with the same user. There's room for thousands of users in GNU, make a few spares, maybe?

''without going through Cinnamon'' Read up. MDM starts one, or the other. You can even switch to KDM and get the same choices.
WharfRat

Re: XFCE: Switchig to Versus Clean Install

Post by WharfRat »

Kardosh

This discussion might be of interest to you.

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 49#p885349

If everything is working, then leave it the way it is.

Good luck :wink:
User avatar
I2k4
Level 5
Level 5
Posts: 784
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:33 pm

Re: XFCE: Switchig to Versus Clean Install

Post by I2k4 »

In theory the desktop environments can be substituted without adverse effects, but in my experience a lot seems to depend on compatibility with specific machines and peripherals. The best advice may be to simply run what you've done until something doesn't work. My first question would be how much time and effort you had to put into reconfiguring the initial install and preinstalled software - if you didn't change too much you're best off reinstalling the preferred XFCE and working from scratch. But if you did put a lot of effort into making changes and making things work right, and your XFCE is working well so far, just carry on and hope everything continues to work. You'll be learning more about XFCE as you go, and the test drive on your system might be worthwhile before expending additional time and effort.
TRUST BUT VERIFY any advice from anybody, including me. Mint/Ubuntu user since 10.04 LTS. LM20 64 bit XFCE (Dell 1520). Dual boot LM20 XFCE / Win7 (Lenovo desktop and Acer netbook). Testing LM21.1 Cinnamon and XFCE Live for new Lenovo desktop.
Kardosh

Re: XFCE: Switchig to Versus Clean Install

Post by Kardosh »

Thank you.

The initial install was extremely painful, because I was just starting with Linux as such, Wi-fi did not work properly, had to switch to some experimental kernel to make it work, then there was language support problem for Libre Office as my main work tool which only worked with a different version than the one included in the install... and lots of smaller issues I do not really wish to go through again unless necessary. But then, it seems to me LM is very resilient to tinkerers, because the switched-on Xfce works so far. I just wanted to learn more about this possibility, that is why I asked. Next time, hopefully in 2019, I will probably start with Xfce from the very beginning just to be sure.

(BTW, I did not experiment on the "production machine" really. I did this only after I tried it on a very old laptop at home, where the switch to Xfce worked nicely.)

Do you think problems will occur later, even if I do not change anything? Because so far everything works as it should in Xfce. And then, if problems occur, what if I just switched back to original Cinnamon as installed? I believe it is still there, just inactive, because I changed default session to Xfce.

Sorry to bother you all with things that can be solved by a new install, but I really would like to know the options available and maybe some other newbies might be interested, too.
User avatar
I2k4
Level 5
Level 5
Posts: 784
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:33 pm

Re: XFCE: Switchig to Versus Clean Install

Post by I2k4 »

Sounds pretty good - my experience is Mint remains pretty stable once installed to the hard drive. I can't help with what might happen if you try to revert.

The one caution about 2019 is that while "LTS" support for the OS might last that long, historically the third party software repositories dry up after 18 months or so, so much depends on your interests there. I don't pay attention to LTS since I'm more interested in updates / improvements to photo software like GIMP and RawTherapee than with the OS, so long as it works well. Browsers, especially Chrome / Chromium, seem to supply updates for longer than usual but I'd expect to replace Mint 17 in late 2015 or early 2016 to keep software current. There seems to be a new system of "point releases" planned for Ubuntu 14.04 LTS that will be reflected somehow in Mint 17 but I have no idea how that's supposed to work.

Good luck and enjoy XFCE.
TRUST BUT VERIFY any advice from anybody, including me. Mint/Ubuntu user since 10.04 LTS. LM20 64 bit XFCE (Dell 1520). Dual boot LM20 XFCE / Win7 (Lenovo desktop and Acer netbook). Testing LM21.1 Cinnamon and XFCE Live for new Lenovo desktop.
Locked

Return to “Beginner Questions”