Newbie, in doubt about which version to choose

Randfeon · 2011-09-05 22:40:55

Hello there, I asked somewhere on the Internet about a lightweight Linux distro I could try, and they told me about Crunchbang - so I figured I should give it a try, even though I don't know... pretty much anything about this side of the world. Windows born and raised. Yup. The first hurdle I think I'll have to defeat is which version (according to the download page) I should get, either Openbox or XFCE. Both seem interesting to me, and I've even tried Xubuntu a few times in the past, so I guess I'm a bit more familiar with it.

Anyway, after I install one of the versions, is it possible to just reach for the package manager, get the other WM and have it fully functional? I'd like to try both of them to see which one I'll like more (especially seeing how I've seen people mention how un-XFCE-like Xubuntu is), but I don't have enough discs to burn, patience to get off my chair and buy more, or a computer capable of booting through USB. So yeah.

dubois · 2011-09-05 22:49:55

Hello -- during the installation process you'll be offered the opportunity to install both. EDIT -- no reason to copy more than the initial torrent file. Try them both then make up your mind. There may then be no reason to remove either after that. wink

Last edited by dubois (2011-09-05 22:53:13)

ivanovnegro · 2011-09-05 23:40:03

Welcome Randfeon, yes you can have a multi session, you can also run the cb-welcome script after the install when you reboot your machine.

sunfizz98 · 2011-09-06 00:48:49

Welcome! You can have both and still eat your pie. You'll be able to install the other window manager through the post-installation script (cb-welcome script). Does your computer support usb install?

Randfeon · 2011-09-06 01:33:08

Thanks for the quick replies, guys, I'll try to remember the cb-welcome when I'm done. I've decided to go with XFCE at first until I learn some more stuff about Openbox, and then I'll see what I'll do.

By the way, this is quite a bit unrelated to the topic but I don't want to make a new one: I'm somewhat stingy about my diskspace and I tend to uninstall things very quickly. So, if I want to go back to single-booting XP, all I need to do is boot with its disc, fixmbr, and then delete the Crunchbang partition, right?

thevdude · 2011-09-06 12:59:42

That'd do it. I removed the partition first, but just make sure you can boot from your disk before you do that. WinXP doesn't like booting from USB, and I had to go through boxes of stuff to find my USB CD/DVD drive to boot windows and fixmbr.

Awebb · 2011-09-06 13:40:50

Since #! is Debian with some packages added, you can use it in any fashion you like. Search with apt-cache search crunchbang to find the desktop packages. Install both and choose at login time.

Xardas · 2011-09-06 14:26:58

Randfeon wrote:

Thanks for the quick replies, guys, I'll try to remember the cb-welcome when I'm done

It's even easier than that smile , you don't have to remember anything. After the installation, and after booting for the first time, crunchbang will present you with a welcome screen. It's easy to follow, and one of the options it offers you is to install Xfce alongside your current version.

If you want to switch between the two, simply log out, click session (in the login menu) and choose Xfce.

Good luck!

Randfeon · 2011-09-08 03:58:48

Got everything up and running without any major problems (well, I did have to play around with GRUB to make it see my messed up Windows partition), and went with XFCE as I sad. I found it pretty amazing how the whole installation process was done in about ten minutes, and after logging in on Openbox for a minute I found it to be pretty nice.

Thanks for everything, guys.

CrunchBang Linux

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#1 2011-09-05 22:40:55

Newbie, in doubt about which version to choose

#2 2011-09-05 22:49:55

Re: Newbie, in doubt about which version to choose

#3 2011-09-05 23:40:03

Re: Newbie, in doubt about which version to choose

#4 2011-09-06 00:48:49

Re: Newbie, in doubt about which version to choose

#5 2011-09-06 01:33:08

Re: Newbie, in doubt about which version to choose

#6 2011-09-06 12:59:42

Re: Newbie, in doubt about which version to choose

#7 2011-09-06 13:40:50

Re: Newbie, in doubt about which version to choose

#8 2011-09-06 14:26:58

Re: Newbie, in doubt about which version to choose

#9 2011-09-08 03:58:48

Re: Newbie, in doubt about which version to choose

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