It probably does ask during the setup if you'd like to have a graphical desktop or not, if it isn't the default. Still, having grahpical desktop on a server is a waste of resources and I recommend sticking to console. Of course if the server is actively used in a fashion that needs X running, and a desktop also, then it's already decided but most servers just offer something that doesn't need to be visible on the server itself (like webpages or databases or something that off-the-server programs use), and in those cases it's just sensible to let all possible resources be used for the serving job, and not to a graphical nice desktop running on top of hogging X server.

Well like I say - I don't really care about resources or the GUI using them, I have a gig of ram so a GUI is not going to eat up that much and as it is not going to be a production server and only a local server that is not going online, then security won't be an issue either.

All I need so I don't have to connect via a work station (Or the net - I seriously do not want to configure it's networking) is a interface I can work with locally without the need for using command line (I Sux at it anyway - yes I should learn but just don't have the time )

I just need something I can test a few scripts on and I'm sick of the pain that windows/apache is having to keep setting stupid permissions here there and every where and then 9/10 it won't work.

Some stuff I can test on windows/apache and thats fine but other stuff I need Linux for and just want a simple easy to use test server with php/mysql/apache.

Like I say - Security? Who Cares - it won't be online - so not an issue.
Learn command line? in an ideal world, yes that would be an option but I just don't have the time at the moment.

So, anyway I had to put it online (And reinstall to get internet - temporarily) and types

sudo aptitude install ubuntu-desktop [? think that was it] and it ran a whole load of stuff i.e. downloaded and installed - then I ran the start command and I'm at the same stage as that chap on page two (Of this thread) I had a login screen user/password and that takes me to a blank screen with just the mouse cursor so obviously I've done something wrong..

Will try a reboot and see if I can login again but any ideas would be great fully appreciated..

Thanks

I would recommend you install package ubuntu-desktop. That will give you the Gnome GUI.

Nope ubuntu desktop is not needed..

Actually it's quite simple when you sort out the nuts and bolts of what is posted in the thread (Mainly the beginning is the answer)

I had to re-install but the method to get a GUI on Linux server is as follows;

Install LAMP

Then as pljvaldez said - at the CLI

sudo aptitude install xubuntu-desktop

Which will download the necessary files and install them

Then as binary_y2k2said
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start

And you are taken to a GUI Login/Login with your username/password and you have a GUI to at least start to figure what to do...

Now though I suppose the real fun will begin ^_^

Thanks for the help - appreciated

I am also desiring a graphical interface.. Not really necessary but I just would like a graphical view so while Im working directly on the server I can launch firefox and search for solutions to problems I am having..

However the graphical interfaces are a couple of hundred megs, I ran a sudo aptitude install x-window-system-core gnome-core gnome and It is installing items such as sound, etc..
(Should I have just installed gnome-core, and not gnome?)

Is there a more bare minimalistic gui? I looked into xubuntu-desktop but after unzipping it was around 700mb.. I would like a very slim extremely basic interface..

Basically just a desktop with thunar and firefox.. thats about it..
any packages that will do just this? Or if I could launch thunar or firefox from the command line without any gui (I'm pretty sure thats impossible) that would be ideal..

Also, after installed, if I do not install (or choose to uninstall gdm) how do I launch gnome from the command line.. will it be like a service? /etc/init.d/gnome start
?

Thanks in advance for any help...

You could checl out DSL, Damn Small Linux and Puppy. There are others but I"ve never tried them.

I've installed Ubuntu Server 8.10, and it appears to be working fine. I installed the File Server, Print Server, and SSH Secure Server options. I'm able to PuTTY my way into the server from my WinXP Pro box.

Quick note: Server is a dedicated box, with a dedicated HDD for the OS and 4 more HDDs for the data. My WinXP Pro boxes are physically different boxes.

I've tried various methods of downloading Webmin. Doing it from the server's desktop didn't work because the connection timed out (I've got all lines ending with "universe" uncommented). I've tried doing it from my remote desktop using PuTTY, but it also timed out.

So, I've downloaded webmin_1.441_all.deb and saved it to my desktop, burned it to a CD, and inserted it into the DVD ROM drive on the server. At this point, I'm lost ...

How do I install it from the CLI?

A word of advice on asking questions. Don't attach your question to someone elses old thread. Their thread was for asking their question. When questions get answered the threads peter out. Always create a new new thread to ask a new question.

Don't give up on a download just because the repository times out. That means that the repository is down or it's too busy to respond. If the file does not exist you will get a different message.

Here is a tutorial on:
Installing Webmin On Ubuntu Feisty Fawn (7.04)

The preferred method of installing Webmin is using this method since using a .deb file may compromise your server's security because you need to enable the root account.

These instructions are for Ubuntu 7.04 but they also apply to Ubuntu 7.10, 8.04 and 8.10

My error. I was thinking that my question was an extension of the previous conversation in this thread, and it seemed appropriate, especially if anyone else searches (like I did) & found it, with them having the same issue. I'll definitely remember your gentle reminder for all future questions. Thank you.

I also downloaded the tar.gz version and have burned them both to CD, so I can put the CD in the drive and then follow the instruction on the HowToForge link you've provided. It appears that all the information I'll need is in that link (provided I can access the cd drive, but I'll ask that question in a new/separate thread!). And, I'll use the tar.gz version, since I won't need to do anything with the "root user" but can still use my own (admin) login.

At least with Webmin, I will be able to run the server headless, and won't have to use the monitor I've bolted to the wall above my desk (I can use it for building/troubleshooting other systems - mostly relatives!).

I was not chastising you at all. I find that when folks see that thread is growing quite long that the answer must be in there somewhere and rather than read all of the posts they skip over the thread altogether. You have a better chance at getting answers to your questions if they are new and fresh. You did the correct thing in searching the forum first for your answer but not finding it in another thread your question deserves a thread of it's own.

I was only making a suggestion as to how to use this resource more effectively.

Cheers.

When I try to install the gui I get the error "Could not resolve 'security.ubuntu.com'

Hi all, i ve installed the ubuntu 8 to my Dlell laptop and ran the "sudo aptitude install ubuntu-desktop" as root to install the gui, but i got the fallowing message " couldnt find any package whose name or description matched "ubuntu-desktop" no packeges will be installed, upgraded, or removed ..

Why do I get this message - what do i need to do to install gui to this server?

Thanks

I ve also ran "sudo apt-get update" to update the /etc/apt/sources.list I get " failed to fetch archieve.ubuntu.com .... couldnt not resolve ca.archive.ubuntu.com - I couldn have messed networking during the installation. how can i check that?

I believe your "sudo apt-get install" is correct, but you're using the wrong package name (ubuntu-desktop is not valid). There are two main desktops, one is KDE & the other is Gnome. KDE is older, more "mature" but Gnome is not far behind. Both have many similarities to the Windows GUI, but are different from Windows as well as different from each other. I can't explain the differences, it's more a matter of what you want to use. I've used KDE with Open-Suse, and Gnome on my daughter's Ubuntu (desktop/workstation) computer. Both are good. You should do a little research (search online & ye shall find) to decide which one you want, and then you should be able to make an informed decision. Once you've gotten that far, I'm not sure of the exact package name (maybe as simple as "kde" or "gnome" but you need to figure that out through the same research). I'm not being obnoxious or obtuse, I'm merely suggesting that you should make an informed decision. You can probably install both and boot to one or the other, ot doesn't matter because the OS kernel is still Ubuntu, you're just changing the front end GUI.

HTH.

In what form is gui a security risk? is it because it has extra services, or is it because the gui invirement?