RPi OS with minimal lxqt desktop

[The Traveler]

Howdy folks.
I've been using the lubuntu lxqt desktop for some time on my desktop PC with great success. It's a fast system, easy on resources and fairly simple to mod and tune to one's needs. I thought I'd share how I use it on a RPi. I assume you know how to configure raspi-config already so I don't cover that.

It's fairly simple to do, just follow these basic steps. If you use another username other than the default "pi" user, then use your name where the
instructions show <your username>.otherwise skip the adduser and usermod steps and use the default "pi" username.

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Burn a copy of the Raspberry OS lite version to your SD card and boot it up.
sudo adduser <your username>
sudo usermod -aG sudo <your username>
sudo raspi-config
-- reboot --
-- login with your username (if you added it previously) after reboot --
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
-- reboot --
sudo apt-get install lxqt-core
sudo apt-get install xinit
-- reboot --

At this point, after you reboot the last time, just login and type "startx" at the command prompt to start the lxqt desktop. The first time takes a bit longer as it sorts out it's configuration. Subsequent invocations of "startx" are much faster. If you prefer to have the desktop start automatically when you login add this code to your end of your .profile. Ie, from your home directory at the command-line type "nano .profile" to open the editor.

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if [[ -z "$DISPLAY" ] && 
   [[ $(tty) = /dev/tty1 ]] ;
     then . startx
     logout
fi

Don't miss the "," (full stop) between "then" and "startx" in line 3. I usually logout then back in the first time for the changes to take effect. As I don't use login managers like lightdm this method works perfectly.

You now have a "plain jane" lxqt desktop that you can configure pretty much however you wish.
I usually add the muon package manager: sudo apt-get install muon and use it to manage my installed packages.
As lxqt uses the qt toolkit you can really tweak your desktop appearance by installing the kvamtum qt desktop program via the command-line: sudo apt-get install qt5-style-kvantum or use muon and select the same package.

So, there you go. If you give it a shot I think you'll be impressed with how snappy the desktop is and how you can configure your RPi to be just the way you want it to be.

Cheers, be well and have fun!

Cheers.

[thatchunkylad198966]

Nice but it installs crap I don't need/want.
Better to do:

sudo apt install lxqt-core lxqt oxygen-icon-theme xorg xinit xserver-xorg-video-fbdev --no-install-recommends

Oh and if you want to startx to start the DE:

sudo nano ~/.xinitrc:

add: exec startlxqt

ctrl & x and y to save.



You don't really need sudo for the .xinitrc but it's the way I do it.
it's great, lightweight and vert fast.

[The Traveler]

Well and good. I've done it that way as well but it was a bit too minimal for me. Thanks for posting the alternative method.

Cheers and be well.

[thatchunkylad198966]

Well and good. I've done it that way as well but it was a bit too minimal for me. Thanks for posting the alternative method.

Cheers and be well.

Yeah it's the basic to get it up and running, I like it like that.
I have a .sh script that sets it all up and configures my username, samba password etc.
I don't have to remember off the top of my head, it's all saved in a .sh script that I run with sh script.sh here.

[pedrorleao]

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$ sudo update-alternatives --config x-session-manager

I see this solution in viewtopic.php?t=207647#p1284302