2

If I install a different desktop environment on ubuntu, will it delete files or programs installed earlier?

Could I use those programs installed with ubuntu if I replace the environment with xfce?

Braiam
  • 66,947
  • 30
  • 177
  • 264
user174792
  • 21
  • 2
  • Installing a DE will not affect installed programs. Take a look at my answer [Here](http://askubuntu.com/questions/162516/switching-window-manager-desktop-environments/162518#162518), it might help you with the installation. – Mitch Jul 13 '13 at 09:02
  • Agree. `xfce4` just installs XFCE, while `xubuntu-desktop` installs xfce4 **and** might install new programs (those who do not belong to `ubuntu-desktop`). – ignis Jul 13 '13 at 10:23

1 Answers1

2

Changing Desktop Environments is like changing clothes, yourself will be the same. There's almost 0 risk of data loss (you always should do backups) and almost no glitches (Unity and Gnome 3 don't play well together). There's no risk of something bad happening whatsoever.

Braiam
  • 66,947
  • 30
  • 177
  • 264
  • Does changing DE change drivers installed? Any connection of drivers and DE? My Laptop is new but RAM is just 4GB. Nvidia and Realteck are there. Also, sleep-wakeup problem comes easily. Ubuntu 16 works fine but slow. – Satya Prakash Sep 26 '17 at 03:28
  • 1
    @SatyaPrakash no. DE is way too low in the stack to even affect kernel modules. Report a bug instead. – Braiam Sep 26 '17 at 10:47