How to Install Gnome GUI on CentOS 8 Using YUM Group Install

CentOS 8 and many Linux distributions have options to install minimal, GUI and others and minimal installation restrict resource utilization. However if minimal installation done while installation and GUI can be installed later.

This article describes How to Install Gnome GUI Desktop on CentOS 8 on top of minimal installation.

Step 1. Package Group List: Run the following command to check package group list for Gnome GUI packages installation on CentOS 8:

[root@linuxcnf ~]# dnf grouplist Last metadata expiration check: 0:58:35 ago on Sat 09 Nov 2019 11:18:51 PM IST. Available Environment Groups:    Server with GUI    Server    Workstation    KDE Plasma Workspaces    Virtualization Host    Custom Operating System Installed Environment Groups:    Minimal Install Available Groups:    Container Management    .NET Core Development    RPM Development Tools    Smart Card Support    Development Tools    Graphical Administration Tools    Headless Management    Legacy UNIX Compatibility    Network Servers    Scientific Support    Security Tools    System Tools    Fedora Packager [root@linuxcnf ~]#

Step 2. Package installation: Run the following commands to install Gnome GUI group packages on CentOS8:

  

[root@linuxcnf ~]# dnf groupinstall "Server with GUI" ………………. Upgraded:   bash-4.4.19-8.el8_0.x86_64                              dracut-049-10.git20190115.el8_0.1.x86_64 …………………   systemd-pam-239-13.el8_0.5.x86_64                       systemd-udev-239-13.el8_0.5.x86_64 Installed:   PackageKit-1.1.12-2.el8.x86_64                                                      PackageKit-command-not-found-1.1.12-2.el8.x86_64 …………………   xmlrpc-c-1.51.0-5.el8.x86_64                                                        xmlrpc-c-client-1.51.0-5.el8.x86_64 Complete! [root@linuxcnf ~]#

Step 3. Check Default Target: As shown in below output, multiuser.target set by default on minimal installation.

[root@linuxcnf ~]# systemctl get-default multi-user.target [root@linuxcnf ~]#

Step 4. Set Default Target: After installation of GUI will not change the default target. Run the following command to change the default run level from multiuser.target to graphic.target:

[root@linuxcnf ~]# systemctl set-default graphical.target Removed /etc/systemd/system/default.target. Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/default.target → /usr/lib/systemd/system/graphical.target. [root@linuxcnf ~]#

Step 5. Reboot: Finally, reboot the machine to start the server in the graphical mode. While rebooting system follow the instruction to complete GUI booting process.

[root@linuxcnf ~]# reboot

Once system will comes up, Login window will appear as below:

Done!!! GUI (Graphical User Interface) installation has been done.