GUI Desktop (XWindows Gnome)

installation on Linux VPS Ubuntu 14.04

OS
Do you want a graphical environment (GUI desktop) in your VPS
server, just like on your computer at home or at work? This can be
done!
This tutorial is just about how to install a graphical environment
(GUI) on Linux VPS server and VNC server to let you connect to
your VPS GUI desktop from your computer and to use VPS server
as a desktop computer, run Firefox, Openoffice and other
programs. This tutorial is valid for Linux Ubuntu 14.04 OS version.

For GUI desktop installation we choose minimal Ubuntu 14.04 OS

version.
Since Gnome XWindows GUI will use alot of RAM, it is
recommended to choose at least VPS3or bigger plan with 1GB or
more RAM.
Reinstall your VPS with minimal Ubuntu OS and log in to
your VPS server ssh command line as “root”.
1) Preparation of empty VPS server for GUI installation:
Uninstall and remove all unnecessary services (if really not
needed):
root@server:~# apt-get purge apache2* bind9* samba*

Update existing packages:

root@server:~# apt-get update
root@server:~# apt-get upgrade

Install text editor “nano”:

root@server:~# apt-get install nano

2) GUI desktop installation:

root@server:~# apt-get install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-desktop

3) Install Remote Desktop Server (RDS), we use vnc4server for

Linux:
root@server:~# apt-get install gnome-panel gnome-settings-daemon metacity
nautilus gnome-terminal

root@server:~# apt-get install vnc4server

4) Configure RDS VNC server, and create VNC connection

password.

root@server:~# cp /usr/bin/vncserver /usr/bin/vncserver.bkp

root@server:~# nano /usr/bin/vncserver

Find this text line ( Must be Line no:57 ):

"# exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrcnn".

And add the lines below:

"gnome-panel &n".
"gnome-settings-daemon &n".
"metacity &n".
"nautilus &n".
"gnome-terminal &n".

It have to look like this:

"# exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrcnn".
"gnome-panel &n".
"gnome-settings-daemon &n".
"metacity &n".
"nautilus &n".
"gnome-terminal &n".

5) Now start VNC session and set password:

root@server:~# vncserver

To start VNS server again after reboot just type "vncserver"

command in shell command prompt.

6) Download and install VNC program on your computer from

here:
http://www.tightvnc.com/download.html
7) Run VNC program on your computer:
Enter in the VNC program address bar IP address of your VPS
server and the end of address add a colon : with number 1 (as in
this example, we launched VNC server, with the number 1), for
example.:
192.168.0.1:1
Press “Connect” button and enter VNC password you have set
before:

TA-DA! You have connected to your VPS server GUI desktop