[CentOS] Installing a gnome-desktop on CENTOS-6.3 following minimal system install.

James B. Byrne

byrnejb at harte-lyne.ca
Fri Oct 5 13:05:36 UTC 2012


I am still trying without much success to get a desktop on my minimal
+ virtualization install of a CentOS-6.3 kvm host.  When I run startx
I get a desktop but other than the icons for computer, home and trash
there is nothing displayed.  I can right click the mouse and from
there I can open a terminal window and creat a folder on the desktop
but I have no title bar and no status bar.  There are no drop down
menus for applications, system or anything else.

This is the content of my env:

env | sort
_=/bin/env
COLORTERM=gnome-terminal
CVS_RSH=ssh
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:abstract=/tmp/dbus-tComprYFWO,guid=d2919a7fcf4b75fd97d539fe00000062
DISPLAY=:0.0
G_BROKEN_FILENAMES=1
GNOME_DESKTOP_SESSION_ID=this-is-deprecated
GNOME_KEYRING_SOCKET=/tmp/keyring-Q8NLAk/socket
GTK_RC_FILES=/etc/gtk/gtkrc:/root/.gtkrc-1.2-gnome2
HISTCONTROL=ignoredups
HISTSIZE=1000
HOME=/root
HOSTNAME=vhost04.hamilton.harte-lyne.ca
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
LESSOPEN=|/usr/bin/lesspipe.sh %s
LOGNAME=root
LS_COLORS=.  .  . *.xspf=01;36:
MAIL=/var/spool/mail/root
ORBIT_SOCKETDIR=/tmp/orbit-root
PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/root/bin
PWD=/root/Desktop
SESSION_MANAGER=local/unix:@/tmp/.ICE-unix/2690,unix/unix:/tmp/.ICE-unix/2690
SHELL=/bin/bash
SHLVL=3
SSH_AGENT_PID=2691
SSH_AUTH_SOCK=/tmp/keyring-Q8NLAk/socket.ssh
TERM=xterm
USER=root
WINDOWID=29365969
WINDOWPATH=7
XAUTHORITY=/root/.Xauthority
XDG_SESSION_COOKIE=2a071ee033f2806e361d3a1300000010-1349440548.28361-792141036

I have installed the following packages via yum:

reinstall     gnome-desktop-2.28.2-9.el6.centos.x86_64
install       gdm-1:2.30.4-33.el6_2.x86_64
groupinstall  "x window system"
groupinstall  "general purpose desktop"
install       gnome-desktop

ps shows these active processes that appear to pertain to the window
session:

root      2651  2623  0 08:35 tty1     00:00:00 /bin/sh /usr/bin/startx
root      2667  2651  0 08:35 tty1     00:00:00 xinit
/etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc --
/usr/bin/X :0 -auth /root/.serverauth.2651
root      2668  2667  1 08:35 tty7     00:00:20 /usr/bin/X :0 -auth
/root/.serve
rauth.2651
root      2674  2667  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/bin/ck-xinit-session /usr/b
in/ssh-agent /etc/X11/xinit/Xclients
root      2681     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00 dbus-launch
--sh-syntax --exit-w
ith-session
root      2682     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:01 /bin/dbus-daemon
--fork --print-
pid 5 --print-address 7 --session
root      2690  2674  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00 /usr/bin/gnome-session
root      2691  2690  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00 /usr/bin/ssh-agent
/etc/X11/xini
t/Xclients
root      2698     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/devkit-power-daemon
root      2721     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/gnome-settings-daem
on
root      2724     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00 seahorse-daemon
root      2725     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00 gnome-keyring-daemon
--start
root      2729     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00 /usr/libexec/gvfsd
root      2735     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec//gvfs-fuse-daemon /
root/.gvfs
root      2745  2690  0 08:35 ?        00:00:01 metacity
root      2756  2690  0 08:35 ?        00:00:02 nautilus
root      2759  2690  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00 gnome-power-manager
root      2763  2690  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
gnome-volume-control-applet
root      2764  2690  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/gdu-notification-da
emon
root      2767  2690  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/polkit-gnome-authen
tication-agent-1
root      2770     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/udisks-daemon
root      2773  2690  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00 bluetooth-applet
root      2775     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/polkit-1/polkitd
root      2776  2770  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00 udisks-daemon: polling
/dev/sr0
root      2784     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/restorecond -u
root      2786     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/gvfsd-trash --spawn
er :1.8 /org/gtk/gvfs/exec_spaw/0
root      2788     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/gvfs-gdu-volume-mon
itor
root      2790     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/gvfs-gphoto2-volume
-monitor
root      2792     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/gvfs-afc-volume-mon
itor
root      2798     1  0 08:35 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/gvfsd-burn --spawne
r :1.8 /org/gtk/gvfs/exec_spaw/1
root      2801     1  0 08:36 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/gvfsd-computer --sp
awner :1.8 /org/gtk/gvfs/exec_spaw/2
root      2805     1  0 08:36 ?        00:00:00
/usr/libexec/gvfsd-metadata
root      2821     1  0 08:37 ?        00:00:03
/usr/bin/gnome-terminal -x /bin/
sh -c cd '/root/Desktop' && exec $SHELL
root      2822  2821  0 08:37 ?        00:00:00 gnome-pty-helper
root      2823  2821  0 08:37 pts/0    00:00:00 /bin/bash
root      2841     1  0 08:37 ?        00:00:00 seahorse-daemon

So what is it that I am missing?  What other step is required to get
my 'normal' gnome desktop with the utilities ans such displayed in the
title bar?


-- 
***          E-Mail is NOT a SECURE channel          ***
James B. Byrne                mailto:ByrneJB at Harte-Lyne.ca
Harte & Lyne Limited          http://www.harte-lyne.ca
9 Brockley Drive              vox: +1 905 561 1241
Hamilton, Ontario             fax: +1 905 561 0757
Canada  L8E 3C3




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