How To Install and Configure GNome on CentOS 7

1. How To Install and Configure Gnome Desktop on CentOS 7
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Table of Contents
Overview.......................................................................................................................................................1
Applies To......................................................................................................................................................1
Pre-requisites................................................................................................................................................1
Update System..........................................................................................................................................1
Pre-Install – Check Installation Status.......................................................................................................1
Pre-Install – Group Information................................................................................................................2
Pre-Install – Verify Install..........................................................................................................................3
Install Group Package – GNOME Desktop ....................................................................................................3
Post-Install – Launch GUI..........................................................................................................................3
Post-Install – Configure Default Environment ..........................................................................................3
Post-Install – Reboot Server......................................................................................................................4
Post-Reboot – Login..................................................................................................................................4

2. How To Install and Configure Gnome Desktop on CentOS 7
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Overview
In this guide we will go through the steps of installation and configuration of “Gnome Desktop” or
graphical user interface, with YUM Linux package management utility. Also, “GNOME Desktop” is a YUM
groups package.
Applies To
CentOS 7.1.1503 (Core), tested on CentOS 7.x (minimal install)
Pre-requisites
 Internet connection to fetch and install packages.
 DHCP or static IP Address enabled or assigned host.
 system update.
 sudo or root access to the host.
Update System
First thing that you have to ensure that the system is updated with current patches installed. If the patches
are not installed, run the command;
yum -y update
Pre-Install – Check Installation Status
Before you install the package, check if the package is already installed on the server, run the command;
if the package is already installed, skip to step “Post-Install – Launch GUI”.
yum grouplist

3. How To Install and Configure Gnome Desktop on CentOS 7
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Pre-Install – Group Information
To get additional information about group’s packages that will be installed with different groups, run the
command(s);
yum groupinfo "GNOME Desktop" -q
yum groupinfo "Server with GUI" -q

4. How To Install and Configure Gnome Desktop on CentOS 7
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Pre-Install – Verify Install
To know whether “GNOME Desktop” is already installed, run the command;
yum list installed | grep -i gnome
Install Group Package – GNOME Desktop
If the package is not installed, next step is to install package “GNOME Desktop”, to install the package run
the command;
yum group install -y "GNOME-Desktop"
Post-Install – Launch GUI
To start the GUI mode, once you close the session, GUI session will be terminated (it’s to test); run the
command;
startx
Post-Install – Configure Default Environment
To boot server with Graphical Mode loaded by default, systemd has to be reconfigured;
systemctl get-default
In case target is not set to graphical mode, to set graphical environment as default environment upon
boot, run the command;
systemctl set-default graphical.target

5. How To Install and Configure Gnome Desktop on CentOS 7
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Post-Install – Reboot Server
After systemd reconfiguration server has to be rebooted the server, after configuration which will enable
server to boot in GUI mode of “GNOME Desktop”.
Post-Reboot – Login
After login into the server, to check if gnome is loaded, you can run the command in the terminal;
ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"
or
gnome-shell --version