How do you run Ubuntu Server with a GUI?

Question

Trying to run a Ubuntu server for the first time.. But everything is in a terminal, is there a way to switch to a Gui? Also, the server doesn't have direct access to the internet.. So, is there a way to share it from a laptop?

Answer 1

There's no specific distribution called “Ubuntu server”, it's all Ubuntu. There are different installation media for Ubuntu desktop and server, but the difference is only in the initial installation program and the set of packages included. The server installation media doesn't install a GUI by default, but it's just a package installation away.

To install a desktop environment, you'll need to enable package installation from the Internet (the desktop packages aren't on the server installation CD). The installation program should have done that for you if it found an Internet connection, but apparently it didn't.

Then run these commands to install a desktop environment:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

You should get a graphical login prompt at that point (I'm not completely sure; if you don't get one, reboot).

Once you have a GUI, you should go and enable a few more software sources, at the very least security updates and the universe repository. Click on the Ubuntu button, and search for "Software Sources”, and check the “restricted”, “universe” and “multiverse” boxes (in addition to “main”) in the first tab, and check at least “-security” and “-updates” (and you might as well check the others) in the “Updates” tab.

• How do I enable the "multiverse" repository?
• How do I enable the "Universe" repository?

Answer 2

Ubuntu Server never comes with a GUI. All activities that you need to do on a server can to be done through terminal. Even if you download the GUI, you will probably be able to access internet and get online support via forums or through chat. But there are no server / activities management tools for linux as yet which need a GUI for management.

If you are looking for some GUI similar to Windows Server, then such GUI does not exist for Linux Server. But you can download a Ubuntu desktop on a server to get the UI...All server related activities will still be required to be done through the terminal. You can download the desktop GUI on the server through the following command...

Following are the options

1. To install the default Unity desktop: sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

2. To install graphical interface without addons like (Email, Openoffice): sudo aptitude install --without-recommends ubuntu-desktop

3. To install a very light weight desktop environment, just the basic GUI (xfce): sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop

Answer 3

Ubuntu Server has no GUI, but you can install it additionally. Simply login with the user you created during installation and install the Desktop with.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

Afterwards type

reboot

and you are done.

Answer 4

The reason why it's called "Server" is because it's lightweight (no GUI or extra packages) to run the machine as lean as you possibly can. Adding a GUI to it defeats the purpose of a Server installation.

However, installing as Server then using apt-get install/aptitude install your choice of a desktop can help to weed out unnecessary applications than from doing a direct installation of a Ubuntu Desktop release. If you're going this route, I personally like

sudo aptitude install --without-recommends ubuntu-desktop

EDIT: However, if you're using it as a real "Server" (ftp, web hosting, DNS, etc.), it is highly recommended to learn how to navigate Ubuntu via its shell instead of the GUI.

And what UbuntuIngrained said about the necessity of knowing the shell isn't necessarily true. There are packages that install GUIs for different server functions.

Answer 5

Gathering from what you are saying I assume you would like one of two things:

1. Re-install MacOS
2. Install a GUI on the (already cleanly wiped) system.

Am I correct in this?

If it's the first, you should mark this and ask a Moderator to move it the "Ask Different" section, if it's the second you once again have two choices:

1. Download the Ubuntu 11.04 Desktop installation DVD and install all the required packages on the server, or
2. Simply install the Desktop Edition on the system from scratch (my suggestion, since you have already wiped everything of interest anyways) and then install any needed server components on top of that using Ubuntu's package manager, Synaptic, or the CLI.

Answer 6

Install gnome package via sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop. You might additionally need to install: x-window-system-core, xserver-xorg, gnome-desktop-environment, gdm but apt-get will probably do that.

As to the internet thingy: You can set up a bridge or emulate a router. How to do that depends a bit on your hardware. There is a myriad of forum posts and howtos available on that subject. Use Google.

Packages of interest: bridge-utils OR dnsmasq. The hostapd package is for WLAN access point if you want your laptop to be one. But frankly I don't see, why you don't connect your sever to the internet. A WLAN card is cheap and easy and I suppose your internet laptop is connected through a router already.

Answer 7

The thing is, there is no GUI included with the server edition. You can install and use Webmin - a web based graphical interface, or, if you want desktop-like GUI, you'll need to pick and install the packages manually. The bare minimum would be Xorg, a window manager and probably a file manager.