Install Gnome Desktop with TightVNC on Debian 7

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.