KDE or XFCE desktop

[Sergio Arana]

Hello everyone, I've been trying for over a week to get either KDE or XFCE desktop to work on my Dell Latitude E3340 laptop, running on FreeBSD 13.2 and after I've been watching and reading how to install and configure it. I still can't get it to work. I have updated the whole system and still won't work. I put in my /home directory the .xinitrc file with the line exec XFCE4-session or KDE-session and still won't work. I installed SLIM and configured the whole thing, but no luck at all. Please help. I would really appreciate it.

 

[dbdemon]

You will need to give us some more details about how it doesn't work. How far do you get before it fails? In particular, do you get any any error messages? Any error messages in relevant log files? What have you tried to make it work?

 

[jmos]

I put in my /home directory the .xinitrc file with the line exec XFCE4-session or KDE-session and still won't work.

Of course it doesn't. Where did you get those lines? exec executes existing files, and XFCE4-session or KDE-session won't exist on an unmodified installation.

Chapter 8. Desktop Environments

This chapter demonstrates how to install numerous desktop environments, including web browsers, productivity software, document viewers, and financial software

docs.freebsd.org

But prior to this … you also wrote about SLIM: Does it work? And the next question is: Did you already get a plain Xorg up?

 

[SirDice]

Configure X itself first. Make sure that works. Then move on to adding a DE or WM.

Chapter 5. The X Window System

This chapter describes how to install and configure Xorg on FreeBSD, which provides the open source X Window System used to provide a graphical environment

docs.freebsd.org

 

[Sergio Arana]

Of course it doesn't. Where did you get those lines? exec executes existing files, and XFCE4-session or KDE-session won't exist on an unmodified installation.

Chapter 8. Desktop Environments

This chapter demonstrates how to install numerous desktop environments, including web browsers, productivity software, document viewers, and financial software

docs.freebsd.org

But prior to this … you also wrote about SLIM: Does it work? And the next question is: Did you already get a plain Xorg up?

I think the problem is with xorg, because, I type STARTX and it goes right back to the command line and gives me the message to review the log file.

 

[jdakhayman]

You likely do not have your graphics configured. You need to determine what chipset is being used. Ensure that the proper kernel modules are being loaded then try to load xorg. Once you have that, you can then work toward getting a wm or a DE going.

 

[astyle]

I'd like to point out to OP that specific graphics hardware can vary from one computer to the next. So, in OP's case,

Dell Latitude E3340 laptop

it might be good to get the manual/spec sheet for the laptop:

Dell Latitude 3340 Owner's Manual | Dell US

and see from there that the graphics are:

 

[kpedersen]

I think the problem is with xorg, because, I type STARTX and it goes right back to the command line and gives me the message to review the log file.

Did you read the log file? It will probably just note that you are missing the modesetting/intel driver mentioned by astyle.

This part of the handbook looks like where you are currently at:

https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/x11/#x-graphic-card-drivers