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--- proxmox:guests_vms_and_containers:install_a_gui [2021/06/21 13:01] – [A full desktop with all the extras (better choose another option)] peter
+++ proxmox:guests_vms_and_containers:install_a_gui [2021/06/21 13:24] (current) – [To check what display manager is configured in your system] peter
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
   * [[Proxmox:Guests (VMs and Containers):Install a GUI:A more functional minimal desktop environment|A more functional minimal desktop environment]]
   * [[Proxmox:Guests (VMs and Containers):Install a GUI:A full lightweight desktop environment|A full lightweight desktop environment]]
-  * [[Proxmox:Guests (VMs and Containers):Install a GUI:A full lightweight desktop environment without minding the recommendations|A full lightweight desktop environment without minding the recommendations]]
+  * [[Proxmox:Guests (VMs and Containers):Install a GUI:A full lightweight desktop environment with additional recommended applications|A full lightweight desktop environment with additional recommended applications]]
   * [[Proxmox:Guests (VMs and Containers):Install a GUI:A full desktop with all the extras|A full desktop with all the extras]]
-  *
-  *
+----
+===== Quick Options =====
   * Ubuntu default desktop:  **sudo apt install ubuntu-desktop**
@@ Line 43: / Line 41: @@
 ----
-===== For a minimal install =====
+==== For a minimal install ====
 <code bash>
@@ Line 58: / Line 56: @@
 ----
-===== Other Options =====
+===== Install a display manager =====
+A Display Manager is responsible for starting the display server and loading the desktop while managing user sessions and authentication.
+By default, GNOME Desktop uses GDM3 as its display manager, but it is a bit heavy on the resources side.
+==== Install ====
+A lighter and more resource-friendly display manager can be used.
+<code bash>
+sudo apt install lightdm
+</code>
+==== Start ====
+Start the display manager and load the GUI with the following command:
+<code bash>
+sudo service lightdm start
+</code>
+==== To check what display manager is configured in your system ====
+<code bash>
+cat /etc/X11/default-display-manager
+</code>
+returns:
+<code bash>
+/usr/bin/lightdm
+</code>
+==== To shutdown the GUI ====
+<code bash>
+sudo service lightdm stop
+</code>
+----
 ===== Add a non-root user =====
@@ Line 80: / Line 113: @@
 **NOTE:**  The sudo at the end adds the user, **peter**, to the sudo group.
 </WRAP>
+----
+===== Tips =====
+  * TIP1:  The **--no-install-recommends** options applies to all dependencies packages recursively.
+    *  So first install the xorg package to make sure all graphic drivers and other packages are installed.
+  * TIP2:  If network-manager and network-manager-gnome are installed, then it is best to use it to configure your network and delete everything at /etc/network/interfaces file (except the lo interface) in order to avoid conflicts.
+  * TIP3:  If you need remote desktop via x11vnc then choose option 2 to 6 (You may also need to add option **-auth guess** and **-loopso** that vnc works before you login and after you logout).
+  * TIP4:  At options 2 to 6 if you wanna stop lightdm autostarting then run the command **sudo systemctl disable lightdm** and you can start it whenever you want with **sudo systemctl start lightdm**.
+    * To re-enable it run **sudo systemctl enable lightdm** and check it with **systemctl is-enabled lightdm**.
+      * If the re-enable does not work, and the is-enabled commands has output static run **sudo apt install --reinstall lightdm** to fix it.
+  * TIP5:   You can install the specific desktop environment metapackage like lxde, xfce4, mate-desktop-environment, plasma-desktop, unity, gnome.
+    * However, you will need more packages than just xorg in most cases and these packages or metapackages might install packages that are not longer preferred by any Ubuntu flavor.
+    * For example lxde installs wicd as recommendation when all flavors (including lubuntu) use network-manager and network-manager-gnome nowadays.
+    * To see differences between packages you can search here: http://packages.ubuntu.com/
+  * TIP6: If upon boot you see the greeter and it throws you back to tty again, then simply restart the lightdm by firing **sudo service lightdm restart**.
+----
+===== How to remove the GUI from Ubuntu server =====
+<code bash>
+sudo apt remove ubuntu-desktop
+sudo apt remove lightdm
+sudo apt autoremove
+sudo service lightdm stop
+</code>
 ----