How to install Desktop Environments on CentOS 7?

1. Installing GNOME-Desktop: Install GNOME Desktop Environment on here. # yum -y groups install "GNOME Desktop" Input a command like below after finishing installation: # startx GNOME Desktop Environment will start. For first booting, initial setup runs and you have to configure it for first time. Select System language first. Select your keyboard type. Add online accounts if you'd like to. Finally click "Start using CentOS Linux". GNOME Desktop Environments starts like follows. How to use GNOME Shell? The default GNOME Desktop of CentOS 7 starts with classic mode but if you'd like to use GNOME Shell, set like follows: Option A: If you start GNOME with startx, set like follows. # echo "exec gnome-session" >> ~/.xinitrc # startx Option B: set the system graphical login systemctl set-default graphical.target and reboot the system. After system starts Click the button which is located next to the "Sign In" button. Select "GNOME" on the list. (The default is GNOME Classic) Click "Sign In" and log in with GNOME Shell. GNOME shell starts like follows: 2. Installing KDE-Desktop: Install KDE Desktop Environment on here. # yum -y groups install "KDE Plasma Workspaces" Input a command like below after finishing installation: # echo "exec startkde" >> ~/.xinitrc # startx KDE Desktop Environment starts like follows: 3. Installing Cinnamon Desktop Environment: Install Cinnamon Desktop Environment on here. First Add the EPEL Repository (EPEL Repository which is provided from Fedora project.) Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) How to add EPEL Repository? # yum -y install epel-release # sed -i -e "s/\]$/\]\npriority=5/g" /etc/yum.repos.d/epel.repo # set [priority=5] # sed -i -e "s/enabled=1/enabled=0/g" /etc/yum.repos.d/epel.repo # for another way, change to [enabled=0] and use it only when needed # yum --enablerepo=epel install [Package] # if [enabled=0], input a command to use the repository And now install the Cinnamon Desktop Environment from EPEL Repository: # yum --enablerepo=epel -y install cinnamon* Input a command like below after finishing installation: # echo "exec /usr/bin/cinnamon-session" >> ~/.xinitrc # startx Cinnamon Desktop Environment will start. For first booting, initial setup runs and you have to configure it for first time. Select System language first. Select your keyboard type. Add online accounts if you'd like to. Finally click "Start using CentOS Linux". Cinnamon Desktop Environment starts like follows. 4. Installing MATE Desktop Environment: Install MATE Desktop Environment on here. # yum --enablerepo=epel -y groups install "MATE Desktop" Input a command like below after finishing installation: # echo "exec /usr/bin/mate-session" >> ~/.xinitrc # startx MATE Desktop Environment starts. 5. Installing Xfce Desktop Environment: Install Xfce Desktop Environment on here. # yum --enablerepo=epel -y groups install "Xfce" Input a command like below after finishing installation: # echo "exec /usr/bin/xfce4-session" >> ~/.xinitrc # startx Xfce Desktop Environment starts. share improve this answer edited Jul 6 at 3:38 slm ♦ 165k 40 304 474 answered Jan 28 '15 at 7:02 KasiyA 3,238 4 10 29

I tried installing mate following your example. Got an error on groups in the yum command but continued to install. Copy/pasted your commands so there weren't any typos. xinit is giving up and not starting mate... what is happening? $ startx xauth: file /home/***/.serverauth.12401 does not exist –  Jakke Dec 8 '15 at 1:53 I downloaded the 7GB version of CentOS 7 and installed it on VirtualBox, and surprisingly, there is no GUI. 7GB as compared to Ubuntu's 1GB with GUI. And the step 1 in the answer gave me error "Cannot find a valid baseurl for repo"... oh well... P.S. I just found that it is defaulted to "Minimal installation" during the installation -- you just have to change it to GNOME or something else –  太極者無極而生 Dec 12 '15 at 17:02 @太極者無極而生 usually the base url error occurs due to network client not running. If your virtual box network is configured properly the simple give command "dhclient" –  Ravi Shekhar Jul 26 at 9:49 I did the XFCE install on a new CentOS 7 VM and it didn't put in the X11 files, so you may also need to run # yum groupinstall X11 That did the trick for me. –  Mark Fidell Sep 29 at 10:46 @KasiyA, can you please update your answer to include that using dhclient works on virtual box for network client not running.. and yum groupinstall X11 is needed, at least for XFCE install... your answer helped a lot, thanks :) –  Sundeep Oct 7 at 10:42