Installation Instruction of Lubuntu on Raspberry Pi

Here is a summary how to install Lubuntu on Raspberry Pi:
(Tested on Raspberry Pi 5, 8 Mb)

Install Ubuntu Server 24.04 via Pi Imager

  • maintain user data, wifi, etc. in advanced options

Now it also makes sense to increase the partition size of the data partition to make use of the full size of the sd card.

Start Pi and Log In

Update System

  • sudo apt update
  • sudo apt upgrade

Disable Cloud Init

  • sudo dpkg-reconfigure cloud-init
  • Disable all services (uncheck everything except “None”)

Restart the computer

  • sudo reboot

Install Lubuntu

  • sudo apt install lubuntu-desktop
  • sudo reboot

Boot seems to be stuck, display manager is not starting
Switch to console 2

  • ALT-F2
  • login

Enable the display manager

  • sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target
  • sudo reboot

Activate SDDM in Lubuntu

  • sudo dpkg-reconfigure sddm

X11 not running, there must have been graphics compatibility issues

  • sudo apt install xserver-xorg-video-fbdev

create the following file (or dir if needed), and add the following lines

  • sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/99-fbdev.conf
    Section “Device”
    Identifier “Raspberry Pi FBDEV”
    Driver “fbdev”
    Option “fbdev” “/dev/fb0”
    EndSection

Restart SDDM

  • sudo systemctl restart sddm

This instruction works for 24.04. For 24.10 it is also working but there is currently an issue with the lxqt-config-session module which will not open. This prevents the user from beeing able to edit the session settings, e.g. change window manager or autostart in GUI.

5 Likes

Nice. We have had various versions of this over time but this is way more complete. We should touch this up and move it into the docs.

One question to answer is which Pis this is known to work with.

I guess the quirks are necessary because we’re using Server since that assumes a non-graphical environment. I’m a little surprised that in the process of installing X (as dependency of Lubuntu itself) that doesn’t all get switched over but oh well.

The lxqt-config-session bit is a a little odd. I trust you’ve tried to run it directly as well as through lxqt-config itself? What about in terminal?

2 Likes

I just added comment that it was tested on RPi5 8Mb.

@wxl Did you add the link to the Ubuntu instruction? Thx for that.

The lxqt-config-session issue is in fact a little bit odd. Tested it it from the lxqt-config as well in terminal, both failed. Can open lxqt-config-session via sudo but that is of course not the same. Funfact, I could open it from plasma desktop with same user.
Had also a post on this, but no meaningful response…
https://discourse.lubuntu.me/t/cant-open-config-session-settings-from-lxqt-configuration-center/5252/13

Yep, that was my link.

As for lxqt-config-session issue, I’d pastebin the full strace output and link it to that other post. Maybe we can get it figured out.