• Registered: 2010-03-06
  • Posts: 71

Topic: openbox based distros?

Besides Crunchbang, are there any other openbox based distros?  I would install openbox on top of Ubuntu, but I'm new to linux and getting Crunchbang to work took me to my absolute limit and every day was filled with constant confusion.  I'm not sure I could install openbox on top of Ubuntu and make it work right.

Here's what I've found, and why I don't use them:

LXDE, which uses openbox but it was difficult to configure the menu (which wasn't the openbox menu) and LXDE didn't use the autostart.sh file which made it really difficult to get programs to start at boot (the desktop file I made only worked half the time, some of them wouldn't work at all).

Crunchbang was great, but I recently bought a new computer and Crunchbang doesn't work on it (at least, the lan and sound don't).  I couldn't compile the drivers that came with the mobo because Crunchbang doesn't include a compiler.  I thought about using a 9.10 Ubuntu cd and installing Crunchbang with the 9.04 script (since Ubuntu 9.10 recognizes my lan and sound), but that's a little over my head at this time and I need something stable.

I found WattOS, which seems a lot like Crunchbang, but brighter, uses Perlpanel or Lxpanel or something but is only available in 32 bit (I need 64) and I couldn't get the live cd to boot on the new computer or old one, so could never try it.

So besides those, are there any linux distributions that use openbox and openbox's menu, autostart.sh, etc and are as easy to modify as Crunchbang was?

Thanks.

  • From: California, USA
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
  • Posts: 8,647

Re: openbox based distros?

ArchBang:

http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/topic/5988/

boxpup:

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=49468

Configuring Openbox on any Linux distro is the same. Also getting Openbox working on Ubuntu is not that hard. Feel free to ask on forums for help.

Note: ** Please read before posting **

BTW if you wish to contact me, send me an e-mail instead of a PM.
  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 271

Re: openbox based distros?

wattos
http://www.planetwatt.com/

Sheng-Chieh

Tux's Links
http://shengchieh.50webs.com/tuxslinks.html
  • Registered: 2010-03-06
  • Posts: 71

Re: openbox based distros?

Sorry if I wasn't clear.  I'm looking for distros that use openbox and are 64-bit.  Wattos and boxpup are both 32-bit.

  • From: U.S.A!
  • Registered: 2010-03-14
  • Posts: 37

Re: openbox based distros?

Most folks running Openbox are doing so on aging x86 hardware, so not too many distros are going in that direction...yet.   

Distrowatch is a good place to look for this type of info.  Here is a query with about a dozen results:
http://distrowatch.com/search.php?categ … tus=Active

--
Saying that only masochists use Windoze is a slap in the face to fun-loving, leather-masked gents worldwide.
  • From: Nijmegen, Holland
  • Registered: 2009-12-11
  • Posts: 230

Re: openbox based distros?

madbox openbox version is 32 bits but runs very well on my 64 bits pc.
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/topic … usb-toram/
I did an openbox install on a Hardy base on an older pc  and that wasn' t too difficult.
You can find info on this forum and on http://urukrama.wordpress.com/openbox-guide/
If you have some patience you could take a 64bits minimal Lucid Lynx install and put openbox on top of that.
I installed Archbang 64 bits on my new pc and it is working the fastest and snappiets of everything I tried so far.
But it isn't an easy distro and I had some serious install problems: http://stillstup.blogspot.com/2010/03/i … hbang.html

Last edited by pablokal (2010-03-14 15:08:19)

GNu/Linux: Nu nog schoner: http://linuxnogschoner.blogspot.com/  Dutch

pablokal's Website

  • Registered: 2010-03-06
  • Posts: 71

Re: openbox based distros?

Well, I've looked it over and I know I want to take advantage of 64 bit, since I paid for it, so that limits my options.  I know I don't want to build it up from scratch, so stuff like arch is out.  I also know I want something stable and that recognizes my hardware without problems.  Of all the distros I've tried that do that, there are only a couple that would work, namely Opensuse, PCLinuxOS, and Ubuntu.  But, PcLinuxOS isn't available as 64 bit.  I'm indifferent on Opennsuse and don't see any advantage to it over Ubuntu and I'm familiar with Ubuntu, so I've decided to go with that and then install openbox on it using this guide:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Openbox#Installing

Well, here goes.  I hope everything works out.

  • Registered: 2010-03-06
  • Posts: 71

Re: openbox based distros?

I've been working on getting open box to work right on this Ubuntu installation all day and I'm getting frustrated.  I've got another computer running crunchbang so that I can compare and even though I've matched it as closely as possible, here are a few problems I'm having:

The session manager keeps changing my wallpaper to the wallpaper behind the session manager (it's gdm I believe).  What session manager does Crunchbang use?  It works perfectly.

Second, I believe that problem causes a glitch when I open the openbox menu.  I light yellow line appears around the screen a couple pixels wide for a split second when I open the menu.

Third, I can't get the openbox-logout to work.  I've even installed the openbox-logout-script-basic and edited the menu to match Crunchbang, but it just won't do anything.

I've created a pipemenu with obmenu to point to my Places.  Instead it doesn't do anything and nothing shows up.

Any advice on these problems?

  • From: Nijmegen, Holland
  • Registered: 2009-12-11
  • Posts: 230

Re: openbox based distros?

I've even installed the openbox-logout-script-basic and edited the menu to match Crunchbang, but it just won't do anything.

I would bet  some money it being a permissions problem. Right click on the file and see who is owner and edit this and other permissions when necessary.

I know I don't want to build it up from scratch, so stuff like arch is out

Archbang  is comparable to crunchbang in that you don' t have to build the whole setup.
That is done; you only may face some tweaking problems and of course it is quite something else to work with a non debian system if you are used to that.

Last edited by pablokal (2010-03-15 13:03:18)

GNu/Linux: Nu nog schoner: http://linuxnogschoner.blogspot.com/  Dutch

pablokal's Website

  • Registered: 2008-11-25
  • Posts: 4,363

Re: openbox based distros?

^ Crunchbang uses gdm which is now called gdm-legacy in the more recent Ubuntu releases.

ledomira wrote:

Any advice on these problems?

What version of Ubuntu are you trying to add openbox to? If it is Lucid then you can expect problems until the final release. In this case an update to xorg or gdm  may solve your problems.

  • From: California, USA
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
  • Posts: 8,647

Re: openbox based distros?

Well technically the session manager is lxsession-lite. GDM is the login or display manager.

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  • Registered: 2010-03-06
  • Posts: 71

Re: openbox based distros?

omns wrote:

^ Crunchbang uses gdm which is now called gdm-legacy in the more recent Ubuntu releases.

ledomira wrote:

Any advice on these problems?

What version of Ubuntu are you trying to add openbox to? If it is Lucid then you can expect problems until the final release. In this case an update to xorg or gdm  may solve your problems.

I've installed Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic.  It recognizes my new computer hardware whereas the current release of Crunchbang 9.04 doesn't.

After a lot of struggling, I'm running into too many problems trying to put openbox on top of Ubuntu.  I've decided that I'm going to download an Ubuntu minimal install and then run the Crunchbang 9.04 install script on top of that and hope it has fewer problems.

  • From: California, USA
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
  • Posts: 8,647

Re: openbox based distros?

Could you be more specific on the problems are you having?

Note: ** Please read before posting **

BTW if you wish to contact me, send me an e-mail instead of a PM.
  • Registered: 2008-11-25
  • Posts: 4,363

Re: openbox based distros?

ledomira wrote:

After a lot of struggling, I'm running into too many problems trying to put openbox on top of Ubuntu.  I've decided that I'm going to download an Ubuntu minimal install and then run the Crunchbang 9.04 install script on top of that and hope it has fewer problems.

You will have issues doing it that way as the 9.04.01 script pulls in packages from the CrunchBang 9.04.01 repos that will probably be incompatible with Karmic.

Have a look at ADComp's Madbox which is openbox based on Karmic.

  • Registered: 2010-03-06
  • Posts: 71

Re: openbox based distros?

I expected to have a few problems, but trying to configure openbox on top of a full Ubuntu gnome installation was killing me.

So far I've done the minimal install and run the install script.  It loaded into Crunchbang and although it lacked a few things (conky, tint2, and the crunchbang extended menu), I was able to copy my menu.xml, rc.xml, and autostart.sh from my old computer onto the new computer and then my menu was the exact same after reboot.  I then installed the Nvidia drivers and I'm online with it now.

The only real problem I've encountered is that there is no sound.  I don't know if it's just muted or if I need to download something to fix it but I don't know how to adjust it.  The volwheel application that was on crunchbang never seemed to work, even on my old computer, but the sound worked so I didn't care.  I'll work a little more and see if I can figure it out.  If you know the solution, please let me know.

Thanks.

  • From: California, USA
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
  • Posts: 8,647

Re: openbox based distros?

Have you run alsamixer (in terminal) and made sure nothing is muted?

You can also install a mixer with GTK GUI like gnome-alsamixer.

Note: ** Please read before posting **

BTW if you wish to contact me, send me an e-mail instead of a PM.
  • Registered: 2010-03-06
  • Posts: 71

Re: openbox based distros?

Ok, I figured out that the default program used to control audio in Crunchbang (a least when it's installed on Ubuntu 9.10 from a script) is gnome-volume-control.  That had it muted.  I just unmuted it and baddabing.  I added that to my openbox menu and have it there for future use.

I've also found out that my favorite taskbar, Crunchbang Panel, doesn't have a 64 bit Karmic version, so I couldn't get it to work.  Since I was trying to configure everything, I had to use a computer with no task switcher, program launcher, or tray etc like tint2 (and I don't really like tint2, so didn't feel like using it).  Anyway, I set up some keyboard commands in rc.xml to open the openbox menu wherever I want.  Then I've been alt-tabbing between programs.  I actually feel like I can do things faster and I like having some extra space where the taskbar usually is.  I still kind of miss a program launcher though.  I think I'll install Adesk bar, if there's a 64bit karmic version.

So far, doing the minimal install with the #! script has been a lot easier than trying to put openbox onto a full Ubuntu installation.

  • Registered: 2009-10-08
  • Posts: 91

Re: openbox based distros?

I have been using Unity for quite a while now. If you have been looking for an easily customizable openbox distro I am surprised you haven't heard of it yet. It uses openbox with the openbox right click menu as well as lxpanel, has the autostart.sh for easy autostarting, basically an rpm-based crunchbang. The smart package manager is a bit different than synaptic, but has improved alot in the past few months. The unity core comes in 32bit and 64bit, where TinyMe is only 32bit right now. The iso is 238mb and very basic allowing you to install all your own apps for customizing and has mklivecd for easy making of live backup cd's or branching your own distro. Give it a spin, the RC1 was released a little while ago and works very well.

"I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use as my telephone; my wish has come true because I can no longer figure out how to use my telephone."
AMD PhenomII x4 955be, MSI 785GT-E63, 8GB DDR2, Radeon hd5570, Unity Gnomemini x64
  • Registered: 2010-03-06
  • Posts: 71

Re: openbox based distros?

I liked TinyMe, but the repositories lacked a few things I use a lot and I couldn't use the Crunchbang Panel on it.  I may revisit it in the future when they have a 64 bit version.

  • Registered: 2010-05-14
  • Posts: 1

Re: openbox based distros?

http://pclinuxos.com/?p=626

Here is another one, an openbox distro

  • Registered: 2010-10-06
  • Posts: 5

Re: openbox based distros?

Zenwalk
http://www.zenwalk.org/modules/tinycont … .php?id=57

Last edited by mtnbiker72 (2010-11-05 04:21:42)

  • Registered: 2011-06-26
  • Posts: 292

Re: openbox based distros?

Gentoo/Sabayon 7 LXDE has 64-bit support and will squeeze supposedly everything you've got in your CPU through optimised packages...

What is truth? said jesting Pilate; and would not stay for an answer. - Francis Bacon.
  • hinto
  • #! Junkie
  • Offline
  • From: Cary, NC
  • Registered: 2010-12-08
  • Posts: 343

Re: openbox based distros?

semplice http://semplice-linux.sourceforge.net/
-H

What brought me to Debian was one-stop shopping.
What brought me to SID was apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade
  • gensym
  • #! CrunchBanger
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2011-10-17
  • Posts: 130

Re: openbox based distros?

CTKArch

'Multiple exclamation marks,' he went on, shaking his head, 'are a sure sign of a diseased mind.', {Eric}
  • Registered: 2011-07-27
  • Posts: 449

Re: openbox based distros?

+1 epidenimus,


Saved me the trouble to mentioning distrowatch search. Though guessing OP may need to buckle hiz seatbelt. Gonna be ALOT of openbox releases out there. Yikes ! wink


Sighs, PS ... Oops ... NECROBUMP, lol. Oh well ...

Last edited by CBizgreat! (2012-01-30 17:36:44)