RAM Adjusted Desktop Starter (rads)
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rads - Starts [no] desktop environment based on available RAM. Automatically boots into graphical desktop environment, when there is enough RAM. Or into terminal-only, when there is too little RAM. Useful inside virtual machines.
rads Default Settings
[edit]
rads (older version screenshot)By default, Kicksecure VMs are configured with 1280 MB of virtual RAM. This can be reduced on systems with limited available resources.
- If total RAM is more than 512 MB, the default graphical desktop environment (DE) (Xfce) is started.
- If total RAM is 512 MB or less, the DE is not started.
This feature is useful for users with low RAM, as Kicksecure can still function with as little as 384 MB of RAM.
If configuration or troubleshooting is needed, assigning 512 MB of RAM will automatically boot into the graphical desktop environment. Additional settings are available in the /etc/rads.d folder to configure this feature: more RAM can be allocated (while still opting not to start a desktop environment), different display managers can be used, and so on. See the /etc/rads.d/30_default.conf file for configuration examples.
rads Configuration
[edit]It is possible to prevent a desktop environment from automatically starting, regardless of how much RAM is independently assigned.
In the terminal, complete the following steps.
1. Open file /etc/rads.d/50_user.conf in an editor with root rights.
Select your platform.
See Open File with Root Rights for detailed instructions on why using sudoedit improves security and how to use it.
Note: Mousepad (or the chosen text editor) must be closed before running the sudoedit command.
sudoedit /etc/rads.d/50_user.conf
Notes:
- When using Kicksecure-Qubes, this must be done inside the Template.
sudoedit /etc/rads.d/50_user.conf
- After applying this change, shut down the Template.
- All App Qubes based on the Template need to be restarted if they were already running.
- This is a general procedure required for Qubes and is unspecific to Kicksecure-Qubes.
Notes:
- This is just an example. Other tools could achieve the same goal.
- If this example does not work for you, or if you are not using Kicksecure, please refer to Open File with Root Rights.
sudoedit /etc/rads.d/50_user.conf
2. Add the following content.
rads_start_display_manager=0
3. Save the file.
4. Done.
The procedure is now complete.
See Also
[edit]- Disable the Graphical Desktop Environment
- Advice for Systems with Low RAM
- Troubleshooting
- Kicksecure GitHub rads repository
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