POST Install GUI (CENTOS)

[Carlwill]

I installed CentOS as a bare install with no GUI. I was just told that the users need to have a GUI for whatever reason and I was wondering how I can install Gnome and all the dependancies for X Windows via YUM? I am sure I can just reinstall the OS but I would like to know how to get this installed using YUM.

Thanks for any info!

[root@tunafish ~]# cat /etc/redhat-release
CentOS release 4.4 (Final)

[Ned Slider]

Probably the easiest way is to use yum groupinstall which will install all packages in that group plus any dependencies. The syntax is:

yum groupinstall "groupname"

The group name must be in quotes, and yum grouplist will list all available groups:

# yum grouplist
Setting up Group Process
Setting up repositories
update                    100% |=========================|  951 B    00:00
base                      100% |=========================| 1.1 kB    00:00
addons                    100% |=========================|  951 B    00:00
extras                    100% |=========================| 1.1 kB    00:00
yumgroups.xml             100% |=========================| 557 kB    00:01
yumgroups.xml             100% |=========================| 4.6 kB    00:00
Installed Groups:
   Administration Tools
   Authoring and Publishing
   Compatibility Arch Support
   DNS Name Server
   Editors
   Engineering and Scientific
   FTP Server
   GNOME Desktop Environment
   GNOME Software Development
   Games and Entertainment
   Graphical Internet
   Graphics
   KDE (K Desktop Environment)
   KDE Software Development
   Legacy Network Server
   Mail Server
   MySQL Database
   Network Servers
   News Server
   Office/Productivity
   PostgreSQL Database
   Printing Support
   Server Configuration Tools
   Sound and Video
   System Tools
   Text-based Internet
   Web Server
   Windows File Server
   X Software Development
   X Window System
Available Groups:
   AptRPM
   Compatibility Arch Development Support
   Development Tools
   Horde-Apps
   Legacy Software Development
   XFCE-4.2
   drbd-heartbeat
Done
[root@Jessie ~]#

So, depending whether you want gnome or kde, do:

yum groupinstall "X Window System" "GNOME Desktop Environment"

or

yum groupinstall "X Window System" "KDE (K Desktop Environment)"

Hope that helps

Ned

EDIT: there's actually a very nice howto on yum here:
http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25880

[Carlwill]

Thanks - I had to build a LAMP server on CentOS for a software guy in the office and we was upset that I did not install a GUI.

Everything looks like it's installing fine. If I want to still have the server default to CLI, I would set init to runlevel 3, correct?

[Ned Slider]

If I want to still have the server default to CLI, I would set init to runlevel 3, correct?

Yep - you got it, and runlevel 5 for booting to the gui

[Carlwill]

Thanks - after install Gnome, /etc/inittab is still set to level 3. I installed Gnome remotely from home so I wont be able to tell until I get back to work if everything installed correctly.

[Bryan]

I had to build a LAMP server on CentOS for a software guy in the office and we was upset that I did not install a GUI.

What does he need the gui for?

[jasonpsage]

I'm a software developer and I'm not scared of the command line - but WHY does the aforementioned software developer need a GUI? Well... I can speculate....

vi is not nearly as easy to use as kwrite for starters. Flipping bewtten tasks with a mouse is easier the fg bg ampersands and looking at a command line task list of processes and bringing them to the foreground...

Oh then there is web browsing and googling for info... not fun using lynx - as much as I love lynx - you can't watch how to videos in lynx... silverlight (though I wish it didn't exist) or flash... another NO go at the command line...

There is atrend for web based software - web apps - and frankly - as much as I love a command line for automating things and getting around faster for various compiling and file operations - the GUI's worth is unquestionable...

It's almost unreasonable these days to wonder why a software developer would want a GUI installed.

--Jason

[Spankin Partier]

I agree. Yes its possible to develop webapps without a GUI, but it is easier to do so with one. Also the GUI is needed to verify how your webapp is going to look for the average user anyways. So why not use it from the start.

But in reality I generally do my webapp development on my desktop/laptop via sftp to my headless webserver. This way the data is always properly backed up, as with everything else on that server, yet I'm able to do my developing on any computer I have available.

I must admit that I have added LAMP to my laptop so I can do some development on the road. But I run the very real risk of loosing my data between backups since this laptop does not support multiple HDDs for a RAID array, and it can easily be lost due to a HDD failure. On top of that, I the whole laptop could be lost or stolen (or run over by a 10Ton forktruck like one laptop I had ) if I'm not careful.

BTW, Welcome to PcPerspective's Forums!