Non-Gnome Desktop
So,
1. I installed a minimal CentOS-7.
2. I then installed epel-release.
3. I then installed etckeeper from epel.
4. I then ran yum update -y.
5. I then rebooted (kernel update).
6. I then ran “yum groups install “X Window System”
7. I then ran “yum groups “MATE Desktop”
8. I then ran startx.
Result: Graphical destop wallpaper appears, spinning disc in center for 2-3
seconds then this:
X.Org X Server 1.15.0
Release Date: 2013-12-27
. . .
(==) Using config directory “etc/X11/xorg.conf.d”
(==) Using system config directory “/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d”
Initializing built-in extension . . . Initializing built-in extension DR12
Loading extension GLX
waiting for X server to shut down (EE) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.
Said log file (/var/log/Xorg.0.log) contains:
X.Org X Server 1.15.0
Release Date: 2013-12-27
[ 76.833] X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
[ 76.833] Build Operating System: 2.6.32-220.17.1.el6.x86_64
[ 76.833] Current Operating System: Linux lanet126.hamilton.harte-lyne.ca
3.10.0-123.9.3.el7.x86_64 #1 SMP Thu Nov 6 15:06:03 UTC 2014 x86_64 [
76.833] Kernel command line:
BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.10.0-123.9.3.el7.x86_64
root=/dev/mapper/CentOS_lanet126-root ro crashkernel=auto rd.lvm.lv
7 thoughts on - Non-Gnome Desktop
I’ve done this a few times now, and it’s worked every time:
Install the CentOS 7 Live CD.
Install epel-release
Install Mate Desktop
Remove the parts of gnome that I don’t use and that don’t seem to be required.
No choice of desktop is presented by gdm when I log in; the default and only selection is Mate.
This are the portions of gnome I still have installed, because I use them, because something that I use appears to require them, or because I haven’t gotten around to removing it.
$ rpm -qa | grep gnome gnome-devel-docs-3.8.1-2.el7.noarch gnome-icon-theme-legacy-3.8.2-3.el7.noarch gnome-menus-3.8.1-4.el7.x86_64
libobasis4.3-gnome-integration-4.3.3.2-2.x86_64
gnome-schedule-2.2.2-1.el7.CentOS.noarch libgnome-2.32.1-9.el7.x86_64
libgnome-devel-2.32.1-9.el7.x86_64
gnome-color-manager-3.8.2-6.el7.x86_64
libgnome-keyring-3.8.0-3.el7.x86_64
libgnomeui-2.24.5-8.el7.x86_64
libgnome-keyring-devel-3.8.0-3.el7.x86_64
gnome-python2-gnomevfs-2.28.1-14.el7.x86_64
gnome-settings-daemon-3.8.6.1-9.el7_0.1.x86_64
gnome-desktop3-3.8.4-4.el7.x86_64
gnome-video-effects-0.4.0-6.el7.noarch gnome-documents-3.8.5-10.el7.x86_64
gnome-dictionary-3.8.0-4.el7.x86_64
gnome-bluetooth-3.8.2.1-3.el7.x86_64
gnome-shell-3.8.4-32.el7_0.x86_64
gnome-keyring-3.8.2-8.el7.x86_64
libgnomekbd-3.6.0-4.el7.x86_64
libgnomeui-devel-2.24.5-8.el7.x86_64
gnome-session-3.8.4-11.el7.x86_64
libgnomecanvas-devel-2.30.3-8.el7.x86_64
gnome-games-3.4.2-2.el7.nux.x86_64
gnome-themes-standard-3.8.4-3.el7.x86_64
gnome-online-accounts-3.8.5-9.el7_0.1.x86_64
gnome-font-viewer-3.8.0-3.el7.x86_64
gnome-icon-theme-3.8.2-3.el7.noarch gnome-python2-2.28.1-14.el7.x86_64
gnome-keyring-pam-3.8.2-8.el7.x86_64
gnome-python2-gconf-2.28.1-14.el7.x86_64
gnome-user-docs-3.8.2-4.el7.noarch gnome-icon-theme-symbolic-3.8.2.2-2.el7.noarch gnome-bluetooth-libs-3.8.2.1-3.el7.x86_64
gnome-clocks-3.8.2-8.el7.x86_64
gnome-terminal-3.8.4-8.el7.x86_64
gnome-python2-canvas-2.28.1-14.el7.x86_64
gnome-vfs2-devel-2.24.4-14.el7.x86_64
gnome-python2-bonobo-2.28.1-14.el7.x86_64
gnome-disk-utility-3.8.2-5.el7.x86_64
gnome-python2-gnome-2.28.1-14.el7.x86_64
gnome-chess-3.10.2-1.el7.CentOS.x86_64
gnome-calculator-3.8.2-4.el7.x86_64
gnome-vfs2-2.24.4-14.el7.x86_64
libgnomecanvas-2.30.3-8.el7.x86_64
Can you confirm line 7 above? It might be a typo.
— SNIP –
On board chipset.
lspic -vv reports
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev03) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Lenovo Device 3048
. . .
Not yet. But mate works without rebooting if I install Gnome3
What do you mean by ‘close an generic …’?
That matches my experience. I can install from the LiveCD with a graphical interface and get KDE and Mate. But I suspect that is because the LiveCD is providing Gnome3. If I use the Minimal install DVD instead then I simply cannot get Mate or KDE to run as desktops without having first installed Gnome3. Neither alternative desktop will work without and both always work with Gnome3 present.
Typos on lines 6 and 7. Mate was installed successfully along with the X
Windo System.
Yes! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Now, to test this I removed Gnome3 rather than start over with a fresh install. So it is possible that installing Gnome Desktop makes some configuration change of which I am unaware that permits Mate to work thereafter. However, using startx /usr/bin/mate-session does indeed bring up the Mate desktop without Gnome3 installed.
This whole exercise in frustration was due to the fact that I am singularly unimpressed with the Gnome3 experience. Others have made all the arguments and comments respecting its opaqueness and inflexibility that I can think of;
and quite a few more besides. So, suffice to say, it will not be installed here.
What I cannot understand is why an Enterprise Distro is packaging an evidently tablet based GUI to begin with. Where do they think RHEL gets installed; cell phones?
I’ve always heard that managing software developers is like herding cats – so the direction goes more or less toward what someone wants to write instead of what would be most useful. I mostly run remote sessions under x2go, where gnome3 won’t work at all so I’m using MATE
on CentOS 7. But I don’t really object to having the gnome desktop installed if it brings along settings and maybe some applications to help things work. Disk space is cheap.