How do I load a different desktop on a UEFI system

[Ed_P]

I have a Porteus flash drive that boots flawlessly on a UEFI machine. The version of Porteus is Razor. If I want to change the desktop to KDE4 how do I do that? Without starting from scratch? Is it possible?








Merry Christmas brokenman.

[brokenman]

If you can boot on UEFI then the title of this thread is not suitable. Please update the title to read 'how do i load a different desktop?'

If you are using razor, then download KDE from: http://dl3.porteus.org/i486/current/modules/
Place it in your optional folder. /mnt/sdxY/porteus/optional

On your next boot hit TAB at the boot menu and enter noload=razor load=kde and you shoud boot into KDE.
To make it permanent either replace it in the base folder or add the load/noload lines to your porteus.cfg file located at /mnt/sdxY/boot/syslinux/porteus.cfg

[fanthom]

better - keep all your desktops in /optional and then use 'load=desktop_name' cheatcode (one cheat required instead of two).

[Ed_P]

If you can boot on UEFI then the title of this thread is not suitable. Please update the title to read 'how do i load a different desktop?'

I disagree. The question is specific to the new build your script created on my flash drive. And that required several nukes of the drive and runs of the script before I got it working so I don't want to take any chances and loose it. If I have to start over I will buy a new flash drive. On a normal install of Porteus my question may be a nit but not on this one, not with my limited capabilities.

But your directions seem to imply that I don't have to start over, that I can just add to the folders on the 2nd partition and leave the 1st partition alone. And that I can have both desktops on the same flash drive!! Not the solution I was expecting.

Just so we communicate better, here's what I envisioned the process would be.

Download 64-bit KDE Porteus.
Boot the new KDE ISO.
Nuke the flash drive.
Rerun the UEFI script.
Re-add the WiFi drivers
Test the new build.

And that's why I asked my question.

OK?

[Ed_P]

If you are using razor, then download KDE from: http://dl3.porteus.org/i486/current/modules/
Place it in your optional folder. /mnt/sdxY/porteus/optional

Should I use an i486 module with my x86-64 Porteus system?

[brokenman]

The subject is not related to UEFI in any way shape or form. Like I said, if you can boot, then UEFI is working and from here on in you are just talking about porteus. People searching for problems about UEFI will gain nothing from this thread at all. I'd like to keep UEFI threads to a minimum so searching is easier in the future.

It is akin to having a problem with the ignition of your car. You ask about the ignition and it is fixed. Then while driving you notice a problem with the clutch. If you were to ask a question would you start with: Ignition question ...

Should I use an i486 module with my x86-64 Porteus system?

No, but perhaps you should update your profile and change it from i486 to x86_64. I originally put a 64bit link but changed it because of your profile.

But your directions seem to imply that I don't have to start over

You don't need to start over. You can put ALL the porteus desktops in your optional folder and then as fanthom recommended just use a single load=kde cheatcode to load kde.

EDIT: I see you have now updated your profile.

[Ed_P]

The subject is not related to UEFI in any way shape or form. Like I said, if you can boot, then UEFI is working and from here on in you are just talking about porteus. People searching for problems about UEFI will gain nothing from this thread at all.

This thread is about Porteus on partition 2 which is where your UEFI script puts it. I suspect the vast majority of Porteus systems are on partition 1 and are complete normal installs.

I'd like to keep UEFI threads to a minimum so searching is easier in the future.

I understand and while this thread isn't about the UEFI partition it is about a byproduct of your UEFI script, namely the 2nd partition.

Remember my Porteus expert friend, this is the Newbie section of the forums, of which I am very qualified to be.

It is akin to having a problem with the ignition of your car. You ask about the ignition and it is fixed. Then while driving you notice a problem with the clutch. If you were to ask a question would you start with: Ignition question ...

Both my questions would be "My car doesn't work, can you fix it?".

Should I use an i486 module with my x86-64 Porteus system?

No, but perhaps you should update your profile and change it from i486 to x86_64. I originally put a 64bit link but changed it because of your profile.

Since this thread is about the UEFI version of Porteus on my flash drive, it is about a 64-bit version, which you told me I have to use. (See another tie to the UEFI version of Porteus.)

But your directions seem to imply that I don't have to start over

You don't need to start over. You can put ALL the porteus desktops in your optional folder and then as fanthom recommended just use a single load=kde cheatcode to load kde.

Of course, as a Newbie, I have no idea where the current Razor desktop is stored, so moving isn't as easy as you think. But don't panic, I don't mind using 2 cheatcodes.

BTW Pressing TAB on the Bootstrap menu does nothing for me.

EDIT: I see you have now updated your profile.

Actually I tried to expand it to include 2.0 32-bit AND 2.1 64-bit but couldn't fit everything in the box.

[brokenman]

I understand and while this thread isn't about the UEFI partition it is about a byproduct of your UEFI script, namely the 2nd partition.

Irrelevant. UEFI has nothing to do with it. Before UEFI was born I ALWAYS used two partitions with Porteus on the second partition. Millions of users have multiple partitions on their computers and removable devices. Almost everyone that has ever dual booted wind0ze and linux has had multiple partitions by necessity.

Your question/thread is plainly and simply about how to run a different desktop. How you boot or from which partition is of no concern.

Remember my Porteus expert friend, this is the Newbie section of the forums,

Precisely why I want you to rename your thread to something more appropriate. A newbie looking for how to boot into another desktop will never find this. A newbie looking to fix a UEFI problem will find nothing of value here.

Since this thread is about the UEFI version of Porteus on my flash drive

There is no such thing as a UEFI version of Porteus. To boot Porteus on a UEFI computer you must lay things out differently and use a different boot loader, but Porteus doesn't change.

I'm not going to continue to argue and I'm not going to change your thread name in the interest of freedom of speech. What I WILL do is block the thread from all search engines in the hope that nobody searching for relevant and useful information stumbles upon it with hopeful anticipation.

[Ed_P]

I understand and while this thread isn't about the UEFI partition it is about a byproduct of your UEFI script, namely the 2nd partition.

Irrelevant. UEFI has nothing to do with it. Before UEFI was born I ALWAYS used two partitions with Porteus on the second partition.

Really!! What's on the 1st partition? I multi-partition hdds with the OS on the 1st partition and Data on the 2nd one. Multi-partition removable drives aren't too popular with Windows users. Windows doesn't support anything but the 1st partition on removable drives. (unless you tweak the OS).

Since this thread is about the UEFI version of Porteus on my flash drive

There is no such thing as a UEFI version of Porteus. To boot Porteus on a UEFI computer you must lay things out differently and use a different boot loader, but Porteus doesn't change.

That's not what you said before.

copied the new 64bit porteus folder from the ISO to the flash drive

One of the things the script does is copies a new 000-kernel.xzm to the porteus/base folder so if you copied everything over from the new 64bit porteus you downloaded, you just overwrote the UEFI 000-kernel.xzm module. Downlaod it again from here and replace the existing in the porteus/base folder.

Bolding mine.

I'm not going to change your thread name in the interest of freedom of speech. What I WILL do is block the thread from all search engines in the hope that nobody searching for relevant and useful information stumbles upon it with hopeful anticipation.

Seems fair.


Now how do I access the optional desktop? Pressing the TAB key when booting did not bring up an option to do that.

[wread]

@EdP
Somehow I am guessing you are a lawyer in real life...., aren't you?

[brokenman]

Really!! What's on the 1st partition?

A bootloader and lots of free space so windows can use the device.

Now how do I access the optional desktop? Pressing the TAB key when booting did not bring up an option to do that.

EFI/Boot/refind.conf is the configuration file for your boot loader. Open it in a text editor and scroll to the bottom and look for the line containing the UUID you are booting to. On the end of this line you can add any of the cheatcodes. Here is an example of my refind codeblock.

Code: Select all

menuentry "Porteus v2.1 MATE" {
	icon EFI/Boot/myicons/mate.png
        volume UEFISYS
	loader /EFI/porteus/vmlinuz
	initrd /EFI/porteus/initrd.xz
	options "from=UUID:d2c78202-d77d-4fea-a793-e3758ed1b438/v2.1 load=kde"
}

This will load KDE from the porteus/optional folder.

[Ed_P]

Thank you sir.

But at this point I don't feel comfortable editing the EFI partition's files. I think I will download the KDE ISO and test it on my machine. That way I have more access to it and it's less complicated to boot than the flash drive.

(And no I'm not a lawyer. )

[igreka]

Really!! What's on the 1st partition?

A bootloader and lots of free space so windows can use the device.

Now how do I access the optional desktop? Pressing the TAB key when booting did not bring up an option to do that.

EFI/Boot/refind.conf is the configuration file for your boot loader. Open it in a text editor and scroll to the bottom and look for the line containing the UUID you are booting to. On the end of this line you can add any of the cheatcodes. Here is an example of my refind codeblock.

Code: Select all

menuentry "Porteus v2.1 MATE" {
	icon EFI/Boot/myicons/mate.png
        volume UEFISYS
	loader /EFI/porteus/vmlinuz
	initrd /EFI/porteus/initrd.xz
	options "from=UUID:d2c78202-d77d-4fea-a793-e3758ed1b438/v2.1 load=kde"
}

This will load KDE from the porteus/optional folder.

Hey Brokenman and everyone else here,

First off, this might not be true anymore for the new build of Porteus. I do not have the refind.cfg but instead a lilo.cfg. If I get it right, a user should update this file with new value and rerun the installation script to have the system "commit" to the changes (i.e. have a new porteus.cfg. Or am I just wrong and a shameful noob!

Second, is the Razor desktop the new razor-qt or is the old one.

Finally, I am new here so be ready to read a LOT of stupid questions from me. Luckily, I am a fast learner and I intend to pay off everyone who helps me by helping out (once I get the hang of it) answer questions other newbies may have.

That said, I love Porteus (with a ounce of aspirin, at times) and I thank Brokenman, Francois, and every contributors for your helpful posts.

Thanks

P.S: No, the title is not appropriate at all. I was looking for days for "how to change the default desktop environment" for days and stumbled upon this thread by pure luck!

[francois]

Hello igreka.

What is your question exactly? The best thing would be for you to start a new thread.

Do you want to save changes from your desktop environment? There is the changes cheatcode.

Have a look to the cheatcodes list which are used with the bootloader menu entries:
http://www.porteus.org/tutorials/26-gen ... -them.html

[Ed_P]

First off, this might not be true anymore for the new build of Porteus. I do not have the refind.cfg

Welcome aboard igreka. The refind.cfg file is only found in brokeman's UEFI version of Porteus, the normal install does not use it.

What worked for me for testing different desktops, in normal Porteus, was to:

Create a separate folder on my Porteus drive, which I named "modules".
Downloaded the DE modules I wanted to try. 003-lxde.xzm, 003-mate.xzm, etc
Put them in the "modules" folder.
Added the extramod= cheatcode to my Porteus bootmanager. In my case extramod=/mnt/sda5/porteus/modules.
Added the load= cheatcode to my Porteus bootmanager. load=lxde, then load=mate, etc
Rebooted.

But as francois said:

The best thing would be for you to start a new thread.

There's no extra charge for doing that.

Second, is the Razor desktop the new razor-qt or is the old one.

I believe it is the old one until 3.1 is released.