Non-Gnome Desktop

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CentOS 7 Comments

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

  • 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.

  • 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.