Install GUI for Ubuntu server from desktop CD

Question

I have very low internet speed in my home. I need to install GUI for Ubuntu server edition without the use of the internet. I have an Ubuntu desktop CD. How do I do this?

Solution

You can follow these steps (but, accordingly to psusi's comment, this only will work with the DVD or Alternate CD versions of Desktop Edition)

[1] First step: add your CD / DVD to the sources list.

• Option A: Edit the Source.list and comment all the repositories excepting the CD with:

  sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

• Option B: Use Apt-cdrom

  1. test: sudo apt-cdrom --no-act add
  2. if everything is OK: sudo apt-cdrom add
  3. sudo apt-cdrom ident
  4. sudo apt-cdrom -d "your-cdrom-mount-point" -r

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[2] Second step: update with: sudo apt-get update

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[3] Third step: install desktop environment

• Option A (recommended): install a graphical desktop manager without some of the desktop addons like Evolution and OpenOffice, but continue to use the server flavor kernel:

  sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-desktop

• Option B: install a graphical desktop manager with ALL desktop addons like Evolution and OpenOffice:

  sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

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[4] Fourth and final step: restore your source list to the previous state

Uncomment everything you had 'commented' before (if you want, comment CD again) with:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

Comments

[atenz]

Try this askubuntu.com/a/150148/63025

[psusi]

This won't work with the desktop cd; you need the dvd or the alternate cd.

[Paulo Coghi]

Good to know. I will update the answer

[Paulo Coghi]

Someone can explain the reasons for the down votes?