I need some help here from the experts.

Some background below, but here’s the question:

Can I run KDE and Gnome on bazzite? How can I install and manage multiple images? I feel silly asking this, but I’m just not finding the correct documentation.

Background:

I have been running KDE desktop Bazzite on my PC for a while now, and I’m loving the robust and easy system (not to mention the ease of gaming). But I have found that one program just doesn’t work correctly, and I had a game (Stellaris) freeze my system several times.

I ended up installing EndeavorOS on an older PC to experiment, and found out that the program in question (openAndroidInstaller) requires a Gnome portal to access my hardware. (Long live the Terminal!) Now I suspect that perhaps the game freeze wouldn’t happen with Gnome either. So I want to have both on bazzite, but can’t figure it out.

  • bsergay
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    4 months ago

    Can I run KDE and Gnome on bazzite?

    Both GNOME and KDE Plasma are supported on Bazzite.

    How can I install and manage multiple images?

    Multiple images can only coexist as follows:

    • Dual-boot
    • Rebase to second image -> pin second image with sudo ostree admin pin <insert digit> -> rebase back to original image. From now on, you can access this second image from GRUB. It’s recommended to designate a different user to the second image; and only access it through that. While what has been just described technically works, and you could even keep the second image up to date with a super cumbersome upgrade path, managing a system like this is not supported and could lead to unforeseen circumstances. Though, it is valid to pin your original image -> test another image through rebasing (and a new designated user) -> rollback to original image. Pinning the original image is not necessary, but I like to play safe. Note that rpm-ostree reset might be needed sometimes for rebasing.

    Now I suspect that perhaps the game freeze wouldn’t happen with Gnome either. So I want to have both on bazzite, but can’t figure it out.

    So, IIUC, you’re just interested to know if this problem persists on GNOME or not. So, consider the following:

    • Pin your current deployment with sudo ostree admin pin 0.
    • Create a new user, but don’t use it yet.
    • Rebase to Bazzite’s GNOME image.
    • Reboot
    • Enter through the new user (or create a new one).
    • Test out whatever you want.
    • Rollback through rpm-ostree rollback
    • Reboot
    • Continue using your original user.
    • UNY0N@lemmy.worldOP
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      4 months ago

      Thank you for the detailed answer!

      Based on all the answers I’ve recieved, I see that’s it’s probably best that I leave the DE alone. At the end of the day, I just need to make sure that I have the correct dependencies for the app in question. Installing the entirety of Gnome was really just my lazy fix idea.