How to install GUI desktop on a server?

105,705

Solution 1

Depending on which desktop you wish to install, you install the the meta-package that installs all the necessary packages. You can use apt-get or aptitude to do this.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

installs the Unity desktop

sudo aptitude install kubuntu-desktop

would install the KDE desktop

Other desktop meta-packages are xubuntu-desktop, ubuntu-gnome-desktop, lubuntu-desktop, and edubuntu-desktop .

Solution 2

If you wan to install a graphical desktop manager without some of the desktop addons like Evolution and OpenOffice, but continue to use the server flavor kernel use the following command

sudo aptitude install --without-recommends ubuntu-desktop

Solution 3

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

Solution 4

If you just need to run virtual GUI (GUI exsists but you dont need to see it) on the computer for testing or other purposes.

sudo apt-get install xvnc4viewer

Is a setup I have.

Solution 5

From Ubuntu 20.04, we could use sudo apt install ubuntu-desktop-minimal to minimal install ubuntu-desktop, it removes around 80 packages (and related cruft) from the default install, including Thunderbird, LibreOffice and so on.

The command could replace the old command sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-desktop or sudo aptitude install --without-recommends ubuntu-desktop.

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105,705

Paul Lindner

Defining quotes: "The present letter is a very long one, simply because I had no leisure to make it shorter." — Blaise Pascal "The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." —Steven Wright

Updated on September 17, 2022

Comments

Paul Lindner almost 2 years

After installing Ubuntu server how do I install the desktop environment?
Paul Lindner almost 14 years

For onlookers, here's additional info I found useful that's on the same wavelength as the answer - ubuntugeek.com/install-gui-in-ubuntu-server.html
Scaine over 13 years

So, the server isn't running the desktop, but you can still VNC from a client machine and get a desktop? That would be perfect for my needs (dunno about the OP).
hookenz about 10 years

yeah you see a graphical shell.
Meirion Hughes about 10 years

dam... started the install from the answer and scrolled down to this. :(
JHowIX over 8 years

my version of aptitude doesn't have that option. It does have --without-recommends
AZhu over 8 years

@JHowIX try using apt-get instead, that one worked for me.
Hover Ruan about 8 years

sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-desktop or sudo aptitude install --without-recommends ubuntu-desktop