Best way to Install LXDE (Not LXQT) on Ubuntu 20.04

Question

I've successfully installed LXDE (not LXQT) on an upgraded Ubuntu distribution that began as the Lubuntu 18.04 Alternative iso's command line option system (18.04 to 20.04 - Alternative Iso Page For Limited RAM Systems) This is my family's preference for our limited RAM machines. I've tried just about every other option, but we like this setup (customized LXDE on Ubuntu LTS). My issue is that building my light system of choice has become less than intuitive, and may include some unnecessary packages, as the current repositories seem to force quite a bit of unwanted software. For example, sudo apt install lxde or sudo install lxsession and other similar tactics install LXQT or Gnome. To install LXDE --

I had to install openbox (while avoiding gnome):

sudo apt install xserver-xorg-core
sudo apt install openbox
sudo apt install xinit

I then had to install several packages in a row:[update: 2020-11-02 - I've identified the key packages necessary for installing the old LXDE]

sudo apt install --no-install-recommends --no-install-suggests xdg-utils libnotify4
sudo apt install lxsession

At this point, LXDE properly installs and runs on a virtual machine, but I'm wondering if there's a better way to install LXDE on Ubuntu 20.04? Should I move to Debian?

-P.S. This installation method does not boot well on my AMD Phenom II X4 810, Nvidia GeForce 210 machine. The system hangs after GRUB, and eventually stops at the normal message concerning memory blocks on the system drive, but I have to type alt-F2 to enter CLI. Just a quirk I believe is worth mentioning.

Thank you, everyone.

Solution

Install LXDE on Ubuntu 20.04

Using the terminal, type the commands below:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install lxde

When installing the display manager options will appear:

gdm

lightdm

select = lightdm

sudo apt purge gdm3 gnome-shell
sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt install xorg file-roller
sudo reboot

You will get the LXDE Desktop Environment, not Lubuntu or LXQT

Comments

[KGIII]

You may find this link interesting. Those all have LXDE as an option. I'm also an LXDE fan, but not because of low RAM. I've yet to decide what path I'll take from here. 18.04 has some support left.

[dee]

Thank you, @kgiii

[dee]

My family loves LXDE, and they have rejected fluxbox. I assume that they have already learned how to configure LXDE, and they like most of the defaults, but would not like to learn how to configure/customize another desktop/window manager. More importantly, I have a temporary fix for the boot issues I mentioned as a post script comment in the original post, which is to install another 20.04 OS on the same disk.

[Organic Marble]

I also am looking for where to go after LXDE. I've decided to go with Ubuntu MATE. The main thing I like about LXDE is that I must have a totally configurable menu system, and MATE has that. I've been experimenting with 20.04 MATE in a virtual machine and on an old laptop, and I think it will be just fine. You can also set the panel up so that it's very much like LXDE. Give it a look.

[dee]

It sounds like many folks are assuming that LXDE is dead, but it's still getting updates, and has active developers: LXDE Github It seems like the Ubuntu repositories are not as friendly as they once were with custom x.org installations (e.g. sudo apt install xorg no longer behaves as expected). I'm just wondering if anyone has found a better way to do this on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Also, 4K support is not an issue for me. And @OrganicMarble, I'm definitely going to play with Mate, thank you.

[guiverc]

You have tagged Lubuntu, but LXDE is not a Lubuntu desktop or package on any system later than 18.04. The LXDE updates as you put it are few & far between, if you look at the provided GitHub link, you'll note many ex-LXDE devs who are now working on LXQt on an almost daily basis (contast with github.com/lxqt). Also if you ignore the translation updates (minor grammar fixes) which don't advance the need for LXDE to port from GTK2 to GTK3, there isn't a lot of activity. GTK2 is it's problem (it's dead upstream once GIMP is fully ported, only gimp used functions get fixes now)

[guiverc]

Also FYI: I testing Lubuntu up to and into the 19.04 cycle with 1GB ram machines, and in my experience LXQt is still the lightest standard desktop on Ubuntu. Qt5 is lighter than GTK3 used by XFCE/MATE/etc, however yes, if you're wanting to use GTK3 programs then that lighter desktop will be wasted (Xubuntu in that circumstance maybe lighter, even MATE maybe). Switching to LXQt on limited RAM will mean changing to Qt5 apps which could be a pain. In the end only you can decide what's right for you.

[guiverc]

On your off-topic question about Debian, don't forget history is a pretty good guide as to the future. Qt5 replaced Qt4 long ago, with Qt4 being carried for some time by both Debian & Ubuntu, but both also dropped Qt4 at the same time too. GTK2 was depreciated by GTK3, but currently is still carried in Debian & Ubuntu.. that was one example, pick another depreciated tool [gksu etc] and compare, you'll find more examples of Debian & Ubuntu sharing resources

[dee]

@guiverc Thank you. I agree with your logic concerning the Lubuntu tag and have removed it. Would you mind expounding upon the phrase, "standard desktop". I have extrapolated possible meanings, but if your definition is beyond what I have imagined, it may lead me into another method of installation. At the moment, I assume the phrase indicates a fully featured desktop environment installed through officially supported Ubuntu disk images, like Kubuntu, Lubuntu, etc.

[guiverc]

Lightweight environments like OpenBox by itself (at least one Lubuntu dev prefers that), IceWM, Awesome, etc (even i3). There is\ a long list that maybe little more than window managers (not desktops) but can be used as a desktop (and are super light!). By default many are rather bare on installation as a team didn't set it up, but are highly configurable; most users already have their own configs and prefer to setup setup their own, which does detract them getting newbie users who go for per-configured standard desktops. (I'm using Lubuntu LXQt here, but I've an IceWM running nearby)

[guiverc]

How is this on-topic; please refer askubuntu.com/help/on-topic, Ubuntu and official flavors of Ubuntu (ubuntu.com/download/flavours) are on-topic on this site. The on-topic link provides alternate SE sites for non-Ubuntu OSes.

[Greenonline]

Installing a different OS (albeit related), isn't really an answer.

[karel]

task-lxde-desktop is not an Ubuntu package.

[guiverc]

Please refer askubuntu.com/help/on-topic, Ubuntu and official flavors of Ubuntu (ubuntu.com/download/flavours) are on-topic on this site. The on-topic link provides alternate SE sites for non-Ubuntu OSes.

[Zen99]

Dear sir, you provide useless answers. Please do not answer my questions anymore. I don't like where Ubuntu is going and so far I did not get any useful answers on this forum. Ubuntu is just like Windows 10 full of bloat and useless software. The original question has an excellent point - moving to Debian. Yes, move away from Ubuntu. With snap forced on user it becomes unacceptable and goes against FOSS and Linux principles!

[guiverc]

This is a Ubuntu Q&A site (not a forum; ubuntuforums.org is the Ubuntu Forum(s) which allows greater non-Ubuntu systems than this allows). I personally love Debian, & disliked systemd when it first came out but no longer care (it's another tool for our toolbox), but you should attempt to remain within site rules. You can still use Ubuntu without snapd if you don't want it.

[Admin]

Thank you, but as I gain more experience with Linux, I moved away from all the popular distros for beginners that include all the software that an average user may or may not need. The list includes Ubuntu, Mint, PCLinuxOS, Zorin OS, etc. I find much easier to add the packages I need to a base system than removing unwanted packages after installation. Ubuntu 22.04 ISO is 3.4 GB! Star ISO is 298 MB! I prefer Debian base without systemd, so Devuan, AntiX and Star are my choices. LXDE is my only choice of desktop environment. It is a shame that it is not actively developed, because it is great.

[Admin]

A Ubuntu jammy or 22.04 ISO is 1.4GB which includes the live system it can be installed on; 3.4GB? If you look there are many ISOs with differing options for main Ubuntu, as well as flavors. I'm listed jammy-live-server-amd64.iso 2022-04-21 06:14 1.4G for amd64 but it's available in other formats as well as for different architectures - if you're not happy with one, use another that's closer to your needs (and not all of what's included on the manifest/ISO is actually installed depending on the options you select!)

[Admin]

LXDE devs are working on LXQt for reasons they blogged about (GTK3 was too heavy etc.. Qt5 was lighter..) with LXQt the replacement for the old GTK2/LXDE. PCMan wrote wrote the pcmanfm that handled much of the LXDE desktop & also acted as file-manager, is the same dev who ported pcmanfm-qt that handles the same with LXQt ... it's the same with other core LXDE apps - they're still developed via LXQt as was blogged about when they abandoned the GTK3 port of LXDE.

[Admin]

Thank you for the suggestion. I installed 22.04 desktop. It is 3.4 GB, buggy and heavy. This review reflects my experience with Ubuntu 22.04 distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20220502#ubuntu Ubuntu rating on Distrowatch is 7.6, Star - 9.3, Devuan - 9.2. Ubuntu server is lighter than the desktop, but it contains many packages I do not need and systemd. I prefer to install the core CLI system using 298 MB Star netinstall ISO, then do apt install xorg slim lxde --no-install-recommends. The system uses 149 MB RAM on boot and 2.8 GB disk space. Lubuntu 18.04 was good, but not the 22.04