The ClearOS Desktop environment is useful for certain application which require the X interface. For simplicity and security, ClearOS comes with only the graphical console for enough Webconfig components to enable remote administration through a web browser.

You will need to exit the graphical console in order to use the graphical desktop. This is because only one or the other can occupy the graphical space at a time. To exit the graphical console type the following keystroke combination, CTRL + ALT + BACKSPACE

This will place you at a black screen with a red box asking for root's credentials. If you log in here, you can relaunch the graphical console. For now, stay at the red screen.

Switch to command line by pressing CTRL+ALT+F2. Log in as root.

To install the graphical desktop from command line please run the following:

yum --enablerepo=clearos-core install gnome-terminal kdemultimedia

There will be quite a few packages that get downloaded and installed.

From the console and with the Graphical Console logged out, start the graphical desktop by typing:

startx

To destroy your graphical desktop hit Ctrl+Alt+Backspace.