CentOS / RHEL 7 : How to Install GUI

For the new installation of RHEL 7, GUI doesn’t come with the default installation. If you do not click on the “Software Selection” link and pick “server with GUI” then there will be no GUI after reboot, only “Base Environment ” will be installed.

RHEL 7 software selection

RHEL 7 server with GUI

To enable GUI after system installation, you can use the following method.

Installing the environment group “Server with GUI”

1. Check the available environment groups :

# yum grouplist
Loaded plugins: langpacks, product-id, search-disabled-repos, subscription-manager
This system is not registered to Red Hat Subscription Management. You can use subscription-manager to register.
There is no installed groups file.
Maybe run: yum groups mark convert (see man yum)
Available Environment Groups:
   Minimal Install
   Infrastructure Server
   File and Print Server
   Basic Web Server
   Virtualization Host
   Server with GUI
Available Groups:
   Compatibility Libraries
   Console Internet Tools
   Development Tools
   Graphical Administration Tools
   Legacy UNIX Compatibility
   Scientific Support
   Security Tools
   Smart Card Support
   System Administration Tools
   System Management
Done

2. Execute the following to install the environments for GUI.

# yum groupinstall "Server with GUI"
.......
Transaction Summary
====================================================
Install  199 Packages (+464 Dependent packages)
Upgrade               (   8 Dependent packages)

Total download size: 523 M
Is this ok [y/d/N]:

The above will install the GUI in RHEL 7, which by default get installed to text mode.

3. Enable GUI on system start up. In RHEL 7, systemd uses ‘targets’ instead of runlevels. The file /etc/inittab is no more used to change run levels. Issue the following command to enable the GUI on system start.

To set a default target :

# systemctl set-default graphical.target

To change the current target to graphical without reboot :

# systemctl start graphical.target

Verify the default target :

# systemctl get-default
graphical.target

4. Reboot the machine to verify that it boots into GUI directly.

# systemctl reboot

Installing core GNOME packages

“Server with GUI” installs the default GUI which is GNOME. In case if you want to install only core GNOME packages use :

# yum groupinstall 'X Window System' 'GNOME'
....
Transaction Summary
===========================================================
Install  104 Packages (+427 Dependent packages)
Upgrade               (   8 Dependent packages)

Total download size: 318 M
Is this ok [y/d/N]: