Changing to KDE from Other Window Managers

I have been writing in this blog whenever I had a new learning experience in my tux box. This shows that I have a new one this time. Yes, indeed but rather a very simple one - Windows Manager.

If you aren’t aware or probably forgot in due course of time that GNOME and KDE are one amongst the numerous window managers available to be operated under X windows system, I bring it to your kind notice. When I first installed FC4 on my system, I decided to have the default GNOME over the X. For months, I have been working over it that I got bored and yesterday I decided to try KDE for sometime. Although I have previously logged into KDE and made up some personal preferences for desktop, its been months since I did it. So, after a long time I logged into KDE. To my surprise, as it should have done, it didn’t ask me whether I would like to choose KDE as my default window manager or just use it up for the current session. This was my first suspicion. So, I went in, tweaked up the desktop to my current flavours and requirements. Then, I decided to check whether its getting into KDE or GNOME from next login. So, I restarted my system and the login screen was up.

When i entered my login name and password, it went straight to the GNOME welcome screen rather than KDE, which I was very much eager to see. Once into GNOME, I started finding out how to make KDE the default WM. After a hour of Google and trying out things, still I remained in vain. The X was booting only GNOME by default and not the KDE. As it was late into the night already, I decided to ask some LUGies the next day and shut my system down.

Day 2

I was happy to find my buddy Prashant online. I told him my experience and he too started to Google. Though he came up with the web page for a different solution, it did open up a new door to me. And, at the end of it I finally made KDE to be the default WM. This is how it should b done…

Check the file: /etc/sysconfig/dektop

There will be, most probably, only a single line there

DESKTOP=”GNOME”

now change this line to something like this

DESKTOP=”KDE”
DISPLAYMANAGER=”KDE”

Remember, this file can only be altered as *root*.

Now, either restart X with ” CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE ” or Reboot the system.

When you login now, you will directly get into KDE.

Hope, this finds useful to someone at least some day. If it did, then please comment my blog so I will come to know that someone indeed got use of my blog.

The Journey of the ChennaiTuxian Continues…