[HOWTO] run multiple Desktop Environments in one install
Posted: 09 Aug 2013, 21:44
So, I've been meaning to write this down for a while but never seemed to find the time!
In releases prior to Porteus 2.1, we offered CD's that included more than one Desktop Environment (e.g. KDE and LXDE). Now, each ISO comes with only one Desktop. I want to be clear that we're not limiting Porteus' ability to run multiple DE's from the same install (because we're not); we're only changing the way we package our modules and distribute them to keep the ISO size down and the interface simple.
Porteus is perfectly capable of running all 5 Desktops from the same installation, and here's how:
1) Place your desired desktop modules (e.g. 003-kde.xzm, 003-lxde.xzm, and 003-mate.xzm) on your media inside the folder /porteus/optional.
2) Boot your system with the cheatcode 'load=kde' to boot into kde, or 'load=lxde', etc.
That's it!
You could leave one desktop module inside /porteus/base and have it as your default desktop environment, and keep the other(s) in /porteus/optional. If you do this, it would be cleanest to avoid loading that desktop's module when you load your alternate. use the 'noload=' cheatcode in tandem 'load=' to accomplish this, e.g. 'noload=kde load=lxde' if your kde module was in /porteus/base and /porteus/optional. Remember: all modules and /porteus/base and /porteus/modules will be loaded at start up unless you prevent this with 'noload', and no modules in '/porteus/optional' will be loaded unless you specify them by 'load='. Both of these cheatcodes use search strings, and anything that matches your string (case sensitive) will be selected. So you could have '003-lxde.xzm' and 'my-lxde-extra-stuff.xzm'. Both would be loaded when you use 'load=lxde', but only the first would be loaded if you use 'load=003-lxde'.
I hope this makes sense, let me know if you have any questions and I'll help to clarify!
In releases prior to Porteus 2.1, we offered CD's that included more than one Desktop Environment (e.g. KDE and LXDE). Now, each ISO comes with only one Desktop. I want to be clear that we're not limiting Porteus' ability to run multiple DE's from the same install (because we're not); we're only changing the way we package our modules and distribute them to keep the ISO size down and the interface simple.
Porteus is perfectly capable of running all 5 Desktops from the same installation, and here's how:
1) Place your desired desktop modules (e.g. 003-kde.xzm, 003-lxde.xzm, and 003-mate.xzm) on your media inside the folder /porteus/optional.
2) Boot your system with the cheatcode 'load=kde' to boot into kde, or 'load=lxde', etc.
That's it!
You could leave one desktop module inside /porteus/base and have it as your default desktop environment, and keep the other(s) in /porteus/optional. If you do this, it would be cleanest to avoid loading that desktop's module when you load your alternate. use the 'noload=' cheatcode in tandem 'load=' to accomplish this, e.g. 'noload=kde load=lxde' if your kde module was in /porteus/base and /porteus/optional. Remember: all modules and /porteus/base and /porteus/modules will be loaded at start up unless you prevent this with 'noload', and no modules in '/porteus/optional' will be loaded unless you specify them by 'load='. Both of these cheatcodes use search strings, and anything that matches your string (case sensitive) will be selected. So you could have '003-lxde.xzm' and 'my-lxde-extra-stuff.xzm'. Both would be loaded when you use 'load=lxde', but only the first would be loaded if you use 'load=003-lxde'.
I hope this makes sense, let me know if you have any questions and I'll help to clarify!