Minimal Openbox install problems

Troubleshooting
1

Creating a bug report/issue

X I have searched the existing open and closed issues

Required Information

  • DietPi version | cat /boot/dietpi/.version
    G_DIETPI_VERSION_CORE=9
    G_DIETPI_VERSION_SUB=18
    G_DIETPI_VERSION_RC=1
    G_GITBRANCH=‘master’
    G_GITOWNER=‘MichaIng’
    G_LIVE_PATCH_STATUS[0]=‘applied’
  • Distro version | echo $G_DISTRO_NAME $G_RASPBIAN
    trixie
  • Kernel version | uname --all
    Linux DietPi 6.12.47+rpt-rpi-v8 #1 SMP PREEMPT Debian 1:6.12.47-1+rpt1 (2025-09-16) aarch64 GNU/Linux
  • Architecture | dpkg --print-architecture
    arm64
  • SBC model | echo $G_HW_MODEL_NAME or (EG: RPi3)
    RPi Zero 2 W (aarch64)
  • Power supply used | (EG: 5V 1A RAVpower)
    5V 3A
  • SD card used | (EG: SanDisk ultra)
    SanDisk

Additional Information (if applicable)

  • Can this issue be replicated on a fresh installation of DietPi?
    Yes
    ← If you sent a “dietpi-bugreport”, please paste the ID here →
  • Bug report ID | echo $G_HW_UUID
    d9cf8aae-ed53-4fe5-934b-7eb2e171def8

Steps to reproduce

  1. apt install xorg openbox
  2. touch .xinitrc
  3. cp /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc ~/.xinitrc
  4. Edit: ~/.xinitrc
  5. Add: exec openbox-session
  6. sudo usermod -aG video dietpi
  7. Run: startx

Expected behaviour

  • Monitor display with mouse pointer and right click menu.

Actual behaviour

  • Momentary blank monitor display with no mouse pointer, then console is displayed with frozen command line cursor.

Extra details

  • Are packages or configuration files missing to install Openbox?
2

Maybe you should install a regular desktop first? Like lxde from our software catalog? Just as an idea.

3

Did you install x11 beforehand with dietpi-software?
And can you check x11 logs for errors, to see why it’s not starting.

4

Jappe,

Thanks! Openbox works after installing X11 using dietpi-software instead of apt install xorg.

Jim

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