Linux Ubuntu Desktops

1. Install RDP

  1. Execute one of the following sets of instructions:

    Expand for Ubuntu Install instructions

    • Via: xrdp

      1. Install

        sudo apt update && sudo apt install xrdp -y

      2. Confirm

        sudo systemctl status xrdp

      3. Configure

        sudo usermod -a -G ssl-cert xrdp

      4. Restart

        sudo systemctl restart xrdp
        A reboot might be required.
    Expand for Rhel Install instructions:

    • Via: xrdp.x86_64

      1. Install

        sudo dnf install xrdp.x86_64

      2. Enable xrdp

        sudo systemctl enable xrdp
    Expand for Azure instructions

    Please reference the Azure doc

  2. Open firewall port 3389 via instructions contained elsewhere in this document.

2. Install one or more of the following desktops…​

RDP support will need to be installed in order to access the Desktop remotely via remote desktop.

2.1. LXDE

This is a low resource desktop environment suitable for X Windows or RDP.

  1. Install

    sudo apt update -y && sudo apt upgrade -y && sudo apt-get -y install lxde

2.2. XFce

This is a low resource desktop environment suitable for X Windows or RDP.

  1. Install

    sudo apt update -y && sudo apt upgrade -y && sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies -y

2.3. Cinnamon

This will take a while…​

  1. Install

    sudo apt update -y && sudo apt upgrade -y && sudo apt install cinnamon-desktop-environment -y

  2. Verify

    cinnamon --version
    Example
    Cinnamon 5.2.7

2.4. GNOME

GNOME is probably installed by default.

  1. Update the system first

    sudo apt update -y && sudo apt upgrade -y

  2. Then one of the folowing:

    1. Do this for a minimal install:

      800MB
      sudo apt -y install ubuntu-desktop-minimal

    2. Or this one for a full install:

      2GB
      sudo apt -y install ubuntu-gnome-desktop

  3. GNOME Tweaks

    sudo apt -y install gnome-tweaks

3. Select default desktop

  1. View available Desktops and Select a different one

    sudo update-alternatives --config x-session-manager
    Example desktops
    There are 2 choices for the alternative x-session-manager (providing /usr/bin/x-session-manager).

  Selection    Path                       Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/bin/gnome-session      50        auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/cinnamon-session   50        manual mode
  2            /usr/bin/gnome-session      50        manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: