How do I set the default window manager under Fedora 21?

fedora xfce mate
user3719454 picture user3719454 · Feb 7, 2015 · Viewed 15.9k times · Source

Fedora 21 comes with the ugly Gnome 3, and I installed XFCE and MATE, but I don't know, how to set either of them as a default X window manager. After I logout from Gnome 3, I don't see any selection from installed window managers.

Answer

John Schmitt picture John Schmitt · Feb 8, 2015

As I interpret your question, you want to install switchdesk

$ yum install switchdesk switchdesk-gui

and run that. You can also try changing settings in /etc/sysconfig/desktop as described here.

If you want to simply try out a different desktop environment at login time, try installing lightdm or kdm (from the fine folks who bring us KDE) and pick one before you log in.

EDIT The advice above maybe outdated.

GDM does not seem to allow you to choose your desktop environment the way KDM and lightdm (and others probably) do. Using my favourite DM, lightdm, as an example (use sudo or switch to root):

$ sudo yum install lightdm
...
$ sudo systemctl reboot

It is possible to do this without rebooting 

$ sudo systemctl stop gdm  # this will abruptly halt your session and take you to a text console

Log in as root and then type

$ systemctl start lightdm

When I change DM, I like to reboot to make sure my changes persist. If (like mine did) your machine does not boot to a graphical screen, then log in as root and type:

$ systemctl start lightdm

Both KDM and lightdm allow you to select a DE from a pulldown menu.

If you want to revert back to Gnome's display manager:

$ sudo systemctl enable gdm
$ sudo systemctl disable lightdm

Related questions

Could not reliably determine the server's fully qualified domain name

I have just installed Apache 2.2.17, and I am using it first time. Now when I try to start the server using the command service httpd start it gives me the message: httpd: Could not reliably determine the server's fully qualified …

Read More
How to list the contents of a package using YUM?

I know how to use rpm to list the contents of a package (rpm -qpil package.rpm). However, this requires knowing the location of the .rpm file on the filesystem. A more elegant solution would be to use the package …

Read More
curl: (6) Could not resolve host: google.com; Name or service not known

when I try to load a web page to terminal it gives curl: (6) Could not resolve host error. I have internet in my PC and trying from my home internet connection. So as I there is no any proxy involve …

Read More