Install KDE CE on Mint 7 GNOME? n00b needs help here.REVIVED

[metroid_maniac]

OK, i am a bit of a n00b concerning Linux, so I need some help here. I want to install Mint 7 KDE CE on my GNOME install of the same version. I know how to enter stuff into terminal, I just don't know what. Any help would be much appreciated

PS: I have a Mint 7 KDE CE live DVD already burned, if it helps.

[rich_roast]

Mint 7 KDE CE is a separate distribution from Mint 7 Gloria (which is the "standard" edition which uses Gnome). It is therefore not possible to install one on top of the other any more than one would install, say, Vista on top of another copy of Vista with a different windows theme.

The question is what would you like to achieve? If you only want to choose one desktop environment, then I would advise using the live dvd to play with kde for a bit and then make your decision - if you wish to keep Gnome then no further action is needed, if you end up preferring kde then I would suggest a fresh install using the DVD. Finally, if you can't decide or want to keep both, then keep the gnome edition you have installed, and install the kde metapackages through synaptic -> search for "kde".

That said, I would strongly advise picking just one. The disadvantages of having two big, bloated desktop environments hanging around are that they tend to conflict for resources, take up +twice as much hd space for the same experience (well, you can't use both at the same time on the same computer, really), and besides which kde is an awfully big download and a real monter of an install. So I'd suggest picking one of them, and then installing whichever system you decide to keep.

[metroid_maniac]

I have on real lack of Hard Drive space ( I think I allocated too much to Mint) But what do you mean about the resources? Also, does the Installer need to repartition or does it use the available partition used by my Mint 7 install?

[rich_roast]

Hi,

By resources I just meant what's available in terms of processing cycles and memory, RAM and hard drive, on your machine. Since KDE and Gnome both do essentially the same thing, it is less efficient to have both installed on your system if you're only going to be really using one or the other. By conflicts specifically I was thinking about the added potential for things like data libraries to get mixed up further down the line. For example, some people have decided to uninstall KDE further down the line to return to Gnome, then found out that that uninstalls KDM (the login manager) and now they're can't log-in graphically. That's a particular example; what I'm simply trying to say is that having KDE and Gnome simultaneously on the same box is asking for unnecessary trouble, unless (and I emphasise unless) you really do want to have both installed because you're going to use them. Perhaps a machine with multiple users and one loves Gnome whilst the other one loves KDE.

Re. HD space - I'm not sure I follow you here. If you post the output of the following command here we'll be clearer:

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df -l

As to the Mint installer, the partitioner will do whatever you tell it to. If you want it to install over your current Mint partition you can tell it to. If you want it to repartition your HD in any other way, it can be told to do that, too.

[metroid_maniac]

Right. And I guess the installer will overwrite all my files on my Linux Mint partition. KDE looks better at performing some of the tasks I want than GNOME so I think it will be fine to install it. On my previous Ubuntu installation I had Kubuntu installed as well.

EDIT: to avoid the un-install problems you wrote would it just be OK to re-install mint-meta-gnome after un-installng mint-meta-kde to avoid the problems?

EDIT: how do I add the "repositories" necesary to install? I know, I am quite a n00b.

[rich_roast]

Hi there,

The installer will completely overwrite all of the files contained in the partition you tell it to install in. That means that, yes, if you tell it to install on the partition where you currently have Mint installed, it will overwrite all of it.

I'm sorry, I must be a bit slow today, I don't follow your second edit. I think I might have overcomplicated the issue, so let me try to boil it down:

[*]If you prefer KDE, best option is to reinstall Mint using the DVD that you burned
[*]If you prefer GNOME, best option is to leave everything alone
[*]If you want both, best option is to leave everything alone and open synaptic ("Package Manager" on the main menu), look for "kde" (second paragraph of description is "This metapackage includes all the official modules released with KDE that are not specific to development"), mark it for installation and wait for it to download and install.

There shouldn't be any need for any removals of anything following these guidelines, unless you wish to proceed on some different route, in which case let us know. The potential problems I have mentioned in previous posts are hypothetical and I mentioned them for informational purposes only as a warning about issues related to having both desktop environments installed on the same box, but if you want both of them then that is, of course, groovy and fine and you should have them. I'm sorry if that confused matters.

The repositories that you need should already be there by default, I think. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[metroid_maniac]

I try to install mint-meta-kde but it gives me:

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mint-meta-kde:
 Depends: kio-sysinfo but it is not going to be installed

[rich_roast]

I stand corrected. That package isn't on the repository.

This link might help.

[metroid_maniac]

Is mint-artwork-kde required? I get

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E: /var/cache/apt/archives/mint-artwork-kde_1.3.0_all.deb: trying to overwrite `/usr/share/pixmaps/apps/openoffice_about.bmp', which is also in package mint-artwork-gnome

as an error message.

EDIT: just a second...

EDIT: thanks to http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 9&p=179824 I have successfully installed now.

EDIT AGAIN: I cannot seem to mount my Windows partition... This is bad as I am using KTorrent to download something and my files are on there.

EDIT ONCE MORE: Updates FTW! No more trouble.

EDIT FOR THE FINAL TIME: my KDE sessions just look like a regular KDE distro. No Mint KDE icon at the bottom left.

[metroid_maniac]

That still doesn't fix my problem. When I try to start a KDE session, the splash screen appears but when it's finished it black-screens on me.

EDIT: so let me get this straight:
LXDE is like a memory efficient KDE
XFCE is like a memory efficient GNOME
and Fluxbox is pretty much as stripped down as possible.

[rich_roast]

I would like to simply disagree. On my family's 7 year old P4 computer we have a differnt desktop for each user. I like LXDE, my 15 year old like Gnome, and my 8 year old likes KDE 4. The "bloat" of HD space for these DE on this 20 gig drive is tiny. When I have LXDE I have a fast computer. My daughter gets the programs she is use to and my son gets to see the shinny KDE 4 goodness. (I love KDE 4 just not on a P4 CPU

-Marc

That's fair, I agree on a multi-user machine there are good reasons to install every environment under the sun if they're all going to be used. I got the impression in this thread that we were talking about a predominantly single-user machine, and in that case I find the problems that can be caused by a multi-environment install are more than the benefits, based on my own experience of these things. I remember having kde and gnome side-by-side on my old P4 for a good year before I realized that I had never once used kde in all that time. The bloat and possible conflicts aren't a huge issue, I know, but it's still not justified if the programs are never being used.

The OP had Mint Gloria already installed, had a Mint KDE disk if he'd decided to switch, and I tried to provide guidance if the OP had chosen to have both, in case of wanting to test both over a longer term, perhaps. But I stand by my opinion ('tis all it is) that the large downloads (I'm sensitive to these; low bandwidth + wireless connection = long waits) and potentially complicated install (as evidenced by the five edits in a post above) are hassle which might be avoided. I'm just thinking about cost/benefit and felt it worthwhile making that clear.

EDIT: so let me get this straight:
LXDE is like a memory efficient KDE
XFCE is like a memory efficient GNOME
and Fluxbox is pretty much as stripped down as possible.

That's my understanding.

That still doesn't fix my problem. When I try to start a KDE session, the splash screen appears but when it's finished it black-screens on me.

Sorry, have lost track of the narrative. Which login manager are we using, KDM or GDM?

[metroid_maniac]

I am using GDM. I can launch a KDE session by selecting "session" and "KDE". It asks me if I want to make it my default session, I say no, it gives me the splash screen but then it black screens on me. I have to reboot. Everything is fine on my GNOME sessions. On my splash screen, it shows the KDE icon rather then the Mint KDE CE icon.

[rich_roast]

I have heard various murmurs that KDE prefers to be started by KDM. If it seems like a good idea to try this, it can be achieved by following the quick instructions here.

[metroid_maniac]

And GNOME has no problems with this?

[rich_roast]

And GNOME has no problems with this?

Sorry, I wish I knew. If it does then it should be possible to use the same instructions to switch back to GDM.

[metroid_maniac]

Bump. How do I replace KDE 4 with KDE 3?