title: "can you install a xfce4 deskto - Perplexica"
source: "http://localhost:3000/"
author:
published:
created: 2025-02-10
description: "Chat with the internet, chat with Perplexica."
tags:
- "clippings"FydeOS, an open-source operating system based on Google's Chromium OS, offers users the flexibility to install and use various Linux desktop environments. One popular choice is the Xfce4 desktop environment, known for its speed, lightweight nature, and user-friendliness. This guide will walk you through the process of installing Xfce4 on FydeOS.
Before proceeding with the installation, ensure that your FydeOS system meets the following prerequisites:
Open a terminal window and run the following commands to update your system and install necessary tools:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install build-essential libx11-dev libxau-dev libxdmcp-dev libxtst-dev libxi-dev libxkbfile-dev libxcb1-dev libxcb-util-dev libxcb-render-util-dev libxcb-xkb-dev libxcb-image0-dev libxcb-shape0-dev libxcb-keysyms1-dev libpango1.0-dev libpangocairo-1.0-dev libglib2.0-dev libgtk-3-dev libstartup-notification0-dev libgdk-pixbuf2.0-dev libatk1.0-dev libcairo2-dev libxcomposite-dev libxdamage-dev libxfixes-dev libxi6 libxext6 libxrandr-dev libxrender1 libxss-dev libxtst-dev libnss3-dev libasound2-dev libpulse-dev libgstreamer1.0-dev libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-dev libgtk-3-doc libatk1.0-doc libglib2.0-doc
Download the latest stable version of Xfce4 from the official website or use the following command to download it directly:
wget https://archive.xfce.org/src/xfce/xfce4/4.14/xfce4-4.14.0.tar.bz2
tar -xvf xfce4-4.14.0.tar.bz2
6
3. Compile and install Xfce4:
Navigate to the extracted directory and run the following commands:
cd xfce4-4.14.0
mkdir build
cd build
../configure --prefix=/usr/local/xfce4
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install
6
4. Set up the display manager:
To use Xfce4 as your default desktop environment, you'll need to set up a display manager like LightDM or SDDM. For this guide, we'll use LightDM:
sudo apt install lightdm
sudo systemctl enable lightdm
7
5. Set Xfce4 as the default session for LightDM:
Edit the LightDM configuration file using your preferred text editor (e.g., nano or vim):
sudo nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf
Add the following lines at the end of the file:
[Seat:*]
display-setup-script=/usr/local/xfce4/bin/xfce4-setup-10
[SeatDefaultXServer]
command=/usr/local/xfce4/bin/Xorg -nolisten tcp
Save and close the file, then restart LightDM to apply the changes:
sudo systemctl restart lightdm
An alternative method is to use a script that automates the installation process. The following script, created by coonrad, installs a minimal Xfce4 environment on Debian-based systems like FydeOS:
Open a terminal window and run the following command to clone the repository containing the script:
git clone https://github.com/coonrad/Debian-Xfce4-Minimal-Install.git
cd Debian-Xfce4-Minimal-Install
8
2. Run the installation script:
Make the script executable and run it with sudo privileges:
chmod +x install.sh
sudo ./install.sh
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
3. Set up LightDM (if not done by the script):
If the script didn't set up LightDM automatically, follow steps 4 and 5 from Method 1 to configure LightDM and set Xfce4 as the default session.
After completing the installation, reboot your system. Upon booting, you should see the LightDM login screen with Xfce4 as an available session. Select Xfce4 to log in and start using your new desktop environment.
If you encounter any issues during or after the installation process, consult the official Xfce documentation for troubleshooting tips and common problems: Xfce Docs
Happy Linuxing!
What are the system requirements for running Xfce4 on FydeOS?
How do I switch between desktop environments in FydeOS after installing Xfce4?
Can I use my existing Google account and data with Xfce4 on FydeOS?
What other lightweight desktop environments can I install on FydeOS besides Xfce4?
How do I customize the appearance of Xfce4 on FydeOS?