Start completely fresh with new sys-gui and clean fedora-40-minimal template. (Delete old and reinstall with salt formula.)
In sys-gui template ("fedora-40-minimal" if unmodified), install necessary packages and shutdown template:
gui-templ# dnf install qubes-manager qubes-linux-desktop-manager qubes-vm-guivm lightdm-gtk dummy-psu-receiver dummy-psu-module dummy-vm-backlightAwesomeWM: gui-templ# dnf install awesome
Switch sys-gui template to the one just created and start sys-gui.
In sys-gui, open a Xen console, login as user. In sys-gui terminal execute:
sys-gui$ echo "exec awesome" | tee ~/.xinitrc 1> /dev/null
sys-gui$ XSESSION=awesome
sys-gui$ mkdir ~/.config/awesome/ && sudo cp /etc/xdg/awesome/rc.lua .config/awesome/
(The above command is unnecessary, but it moves the Awesome config to user dir to avoid errors from editing it should you do so. I personally consider it a part of correctly configuring Awesome, but it will run fine without.)
In dom0 terminal, execute:
dom0$ qubes-prefs default_guivm sys-gui
Restart QubesOS and select GUIVM session in display manager menu.
[details="Summary:"]
As of this moment, there are still minor problems that persist: - sys-gui is labeled as dom0 in the window manager, - there is a several seconds' wait with a black screen while the window manager loads, and - notifications for sys-gui are sent to dom0 (this is an upstream problem that cannot be fixed with just configuration).
I plan to expand this to be OS independent, but right now Debian is posing some problems that I need to diagnose. It will be more of a priority for me if this gets likes and constructive replies; however, my schedule is unpredictable and I may have to shelf this if things come up.
[/details]