By default, RHEL 8 installed as the minimal server which means you will get a command line mode. To get a graphical mode, you would need to change the installation type while installing the Redhat Enterprise Linux 8.
READ: Step by Step Guide To Install RHEL 8 with Screenshots
This guide will help you to install GNOME GUI on RHEL 8 on the top of the minimal server installation. The packages which we install for GNOME are part of Workstation package group.
I recommend you to configure a local YUM repository for faster installation.
READ: How to Configure the YUM repository using DVD on RHEL 8
First, list down the available package groups for RHEL 8.
# yum group list
Output:
Available Environment Groups:
Workstation
Custom Operating System
Server
Installed Environment Groups:
Minimal Install
Available Groups:
Container Management
.NET Core Development
RPM Development Tools
Smart Card Support
Development Tools
Graphical Administration Tools
Headless Management
Legacy UNIX Compatibility
Network Servers
Scientific Support
Security Tools
System Tools
Step 1: Install Gnome GUI using the YUM command.
# yum groupinstall Workstation
Output:
. . .
. . .
libblockdev-nvdimm x86_64 2.19-6.el8 LocalRepo_AppStream 70 k
perl-IO-Socket-IP noarch 0.39-5.el8 LocalRepo_AppStream 47 k
perl-IO-Socket-SSL noarch 2.060-2.el8 LocalRepo_AppStream 289 k
perl-Mozilla-CA noarch 20160104-7.el8 LocalRepo_AppStream 15 k
pinentry-gtk x86_64 1.1.0-2.el8 LocalRepo_AppStream 54 k
sane-backends-drivers-cameras x86_64 1.0.27-19.el8 LocalRepo_AppStream 57 k
sscg x86_64 2.3.3-4.el8 LocalRepo_AppStream 42 k
udisks2-iscsi x86_64 2.8.0-2.el8 LocalRepo_AppStream 45 k
udisks2-lvm2 x86_64 2.8.0-2.el8 LocalRepo_AppStream 68 k
webkit2gtk3-plugin-process-gtk2 x86_64 2.22.2-1.el8 LocalRepo_AppStream 11 M
adcli x86_64 0.8.2-2.el8 LocalRepo_BaseOS 102 k
sssd-proxy x86_64 2.0.0-21.el8 LocalRepo_BaseOS 118 k
Enabling module streams:
llvm-toolset rhel8
python36 3.6
satellite-5-client 1.0
virt rhel
Transaction Summary
===============================================================================================================
Install 1018 Packages
Total size: 929 M
Installed size: 2.8 G
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
Running transaction check
Transaction check succeeded.
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded.
Running transaction
Running scriptlet: kmod-kvdo-6.2.0.239-34.el8.x86_64 1/1
Preparing : 1/1
Installed: gdk-pixbuf2-2.36.12-1.el8.x86_64
Installing : gdk-pixbuf2-2.36.12-1.el8.x86_64 1/1018
Running scriptlet: gdk-pixbuf2-2.36.12-1.el8.x86_64 1/1018
Installed: gdk-pixbuf2-2.36.12-1.el8.x86_64
Installed: atk-2.28.1-1.el8.x86_64
Installing : atk-2.28.1-1.el8.x86_64 2/1018
Installed: atk-2.28.1-1.el8.x86_64
Installed: fontpackages-filesystem-1.44-22.el8.noarch
Installing : fontpackages-filesystem-1.44-22.el8.noarch 3/1018
Installed: fontpackages-filesystem-1.44-22.el8.noarch
Installed: perl-Exporter-5.72-396.el8.noarch
Installing : perl-Exporter-5.72-396.el8.noarch 4/1018
Installed: perl-Exporter-5.72-396.el8.noarch
Installed: perl-libs-4:5.26.2-414.el8.x86_64
Installing : perl-libs-4:5.26.2-414.el8.x86_64 [========================================= ] 5/1018
. . .
. . .
sssd-krb5-2.0.0-21.el8.x86_64
sssd-krb5-common-2.0.0-21.el8.x86_64
sssd-ldap-2.0.0-21.el8.x86_64
systemd-container-239-8.el8.x86_64
tcl-1:8.6.8-2.el8.x86_64
tpm2-tools-3.1.1-3.el8.x86_64
tpm2-tss-2.0.0-4.el8.x86_64
userspace-rcu-0.10.1-2.el8.x86_64
wpa_supplicant-1:2.6-17.el8.x86_64
xml-common-0.6.3-50.el8.noarch
xmlrpc-c-1.51.0-5.el8.x86_64
xmlrpc-c-client-1.51.0-5.el8.x86_64
Complete!
Step 2: Issue the following command to enable the GUI as default so that system will boot into graphical mode.
# systemctl set-default graphical
Output:
Removed /etc/systemd/system/default.target. Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/default.target → /usr/lib/systemd/system/graphical.target.
Step 3: Reboot the system to boot into the graphical mode.
# reboot
Post reboot, log in with your user account.
RHEL 8 desktop will look like below.
System Information:
You have successfully installed GNOME GUI on RHEL 8.
That’s All.
