Install Gnome Desktop with TightVNC on Debian 7

Last Updated: Fri, Jul 31, 2015
Debian Linux Guides Server Apps
Archived content

This article is outdated and may not work correctly for current operating systems or software.

This guide provides steps to install Gnome desktop and TightVNC on a Debian 7 VPS. When completed, you will be able to connect to your VPS with a VNC client and use Gnome desktop.

Step 1:

The first step is to install Gnome desktop and the required fonts for Gnome. Run the following commands to update your Debian system.

apt-get update

apt-get upgrade

To install Gnome desktop:

apt-get install gnome

To install the required fonts for Gnome:

apt-get install xfonts-100dpi xfonts-100dpi-transcoded xfonts-75dpi xfonts-75dpi-transcoded xfonts-base

Step 2:

Install the TightVNC server software.

apt-get install tightvncserver

Step 3:

Create a new password for the TightVNC server.

tightvncserver :1

Stop TightVNC to configure the setup and enable Gnome desktop.

tightvncserver -kill :1

Now, edit the configuration file for TightVNC. You can use your text editor of choice here, I prefer nano.

nano ~/.vnc/xstartup

Replace the contents of this file with the text below.

#!/bin/shxrdb $HOME/.Xresources

xsetroot -solid grey

x-terminal-emulator -geometry 80x24+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &

# x-window-manager &

gnome-session &

Save the file.

Step 4:

Start the TightVNC server.

 tightvncserver -geometry 1024x720 :1

Now you can access VNC at SERVER_IP:1 ( port 1 ) from any VNC client. Replace SERVER_IP with the IP address of your Vultr VPS.

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