Install Gnome on Arch Linux

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Arch Linux is a lightweight Linux distribution that focuses on simplicity from a developmental standpoint. A default Arch Linux installation consists of very basic command line tools. This article will describe how to install the GNOME desktop environment on an Arch Linux system.

Steps

  1. Ensure that X Window is working by typing the startx command. This should bring up a very basic GUI as pictured. If you experience an error visit the Arch Linux wiki for troubleshooting. Type exit to exit the GUI environment.
  2. Install the packages ttf-dejavu and ttf-ms-fonts. These are font packages and are recommended in order to achieve a visually pleasing experience. These can be installed with the pacman -S ttf-dejavu ttf-ms-fonts command.
  3. Install the gnome package. Optionally you can also install gnome-extra and gnome-system-tools. Run pacman -S gnome gnome-extra gnome-system-tools to achieve this.
  4. Install gdm. This is only necessary if you did not install gnome-extra. Use pacman -S gdm to install it.
  5. Run xinit gnome-session to test GNOME. Refer to the Arch Beginners Guide for troubleshooting.
  6. Log out of the GNOME session by clicking System>Log Out.
  7. Type systemctl enable gdm.service. This command ensures that the GNOME Display Manager (GDM) is starting automatically on every boot providing the graphical login manager for your session.
  8. Reboot by typing reboot. When your computer boots back into Arch you should be greeted with the GDM login screen.
  9. Login to GNOME with your login information and enjoy GNOME.

Video

Tips

  • If you encounter errors installing packages check /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist to ensure that your mirrors are selected.
  • Visit the Arch Beginners Guide for alternative instructions as well as troubleshooting and instructions for installing X Window.

Things You'll Need

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