Getting started with KDE Plasma on FreeBSD in VirtualBox
reddit / freebsd

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grahamperrin · 2022-06-21 03:45

Essentials:

1. for VirtualBox guest graphics, prefer VBoxSVGA
2. start the guest virtual machine (VM), install FreeBSD 13.1-RELEASE
3. during installation of the OS, when you add a user, make it a
member of the `wheel` group
4. after installation, follow the [freebsd-
update\(8\)](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=freebsd-
update&sektion=8&manpath=FreeBSD) routine
5. when the OS is up-to-date, enter the long string of commands below.

String of commands:

    time pkg install --quiet --yes kde5 plasma5-sddm-kcm sddm
virtualbox-ose-additions xorg && sysrc dbus_enable="YES" && sysrc
sddm_enable="YES" && sysrc vboxguest_enable="YES" && sysrc
vboxservice_enable="YES" && service dbus start && service vboxguest
start && service vboxservice start && service sddm start

## Two hints

### The long stuff

To get the long sting of commands on a cleared screen, after
installing and updating FreeBSD alone (without a desktop environment):

    cd /tmp && fetch --quiet -1 https://pastebin.com/raw/cmgcSL7h &&
clear ; cat cmgcSL7h

– or:

1. `cd /tmp`
2. `fetch --quiet -1 https://pastebin.com/raw/cmgcSL7h`
3. `clear`
4. `cat cmgcSL7h`

Then, you can manually copy type what's on screen – without looking
away (less likely to make a typing mistake).

### Logging in

Do not accept the *Plasma (Wayland)* default that's presented by SDDM.
Instead, use the menu to select:

* *Plasma (X11)*

## Notes

What's above is condensed, and specific to VirtualBox. Adapted from
<https://forums.freebsd.org/posts/560083>.

For the official quick start to KDE on FreeBSD, please see
<https://community.kde.org/FreeBSD/Setup#Quick_start>.

<https://www.freshports.org/emulators/virtualbox-ose-
additions/#message>

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GlacierShifter · 2022-06-21 03:53

Thank you! I wanted to give FreeBSD a go but the cursor wasn't working
on the login screen. Will try this.

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nickbernstein · 2022-06-21 05:57

This might make life easier as well:

https://github.com/nicholasbernstein/install-fbsd-desktop/

    fetch http://a.freebsddesktop.xyz -o - | sh

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grahamperrin · 2022-06-21 06:13

> `fetch http://a.freebsddesktop.xyz -o - | sh`

Thanks, can you make a separate post for this? I have some questions,
and corrections.

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nickbernstein · 2022-06-21 06:32

I've posted about it here a few times; I don't want to spam. I'd be
happy to answer any questions about it though.

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grahamperrin · 2022-06-21 16:44

Found: [a.freebsddesktop.xyz meta desktop installer tui](https://old.r
eddit.com/r/freebsd/comments/uzb0ed/afreebsddesktopxyz_meta_desktop_in
staller_tui/) – let's continue there.