How To Set Up GUI On Amazon EC2 Ubuntu server

I'm using an amazon Ubuntu EC2 instance which is only has a command line interface. I want to setup UI for that server to access using remote desktop tools. Is there any way to apply GUI to the EC2 instance?

This can be done. Following are the steps to setup the GUI

Create new user with password login

sudo useradd -m awsgui
sudo passwd awsgui
sudo usermod -aG admin awsgui

sudo vim /etc/ssh/sshd_config # edit line "PasswordAuthentication" to yes

sudo /etc/init.d/ssh restart

Setting up ui based ubuntu machine on AWS.

In security group open port 5901. Then ssh to the server instance. Run following commands to install ui and vnc server:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
sudo apt-get install vnc4server

Then run following commands and enter the login password for vnc connection:

su - awsgui

vncserver

vncserver -kill :1

vim /home/awsgui/.vnc/xstartup

Then hit the Insert key, scroll around the text file with the keyboard arrows, and delete the pound (#) sign from the beginning of the two lines under the line that says "Uncomment the following two lines for normal desktop." And on the second line add "sh" so the line reads

exec sh /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc. 

When you're done, hit Ctrl + C on the keyboard, type :wq and hit Enter.

Then start vnc server again.

vncserver

You can download xtightvncviewer to view desktop(for Ubutnu) from here https://help.ubuntu.com/community/VNC/Clients

In the vnc client, give public DNS plus ":1" (e.g. www.example.com:1). Enter the vnc login password. Make sure to use a normal connection. Don't use the key files.

Additional guide available here: http://www.serverwatch.com/server-tutorials/setting-up-vnc-on-ubuntu-in-the-amazon-ec2-Page-3.html

Mac VNC client can be downloaded from here: https://www.realvnc.com/en/connect/download/viewer/

Port opening on console

sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 5901 -j ACCEPT

If the grey window issue comes. Mostly because of ".vnc/xstartup" file on different user. So run the vnc server also on same user instead of "awsgui" user.

vncserver

So I follow first answer, but my vnc viewer gives me grey screen when I connect to it. And I found this Ask Ubuntu link to solve that.

The only difference with previous answer is you need to install these extra packages:

apt-get install gnome-panel gnome-settings-daemon metacity nautilus gnome-terminal

And use this ~/.vnc/xstartup file:

#!/bin/sh

export XKL_XMODMAP_DISABLE=1
unset SESSION_MANAGER
unset DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS

[ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
[ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
xsetroot -solid grey
vncconfig -iconic &

gnome-panel &
gnome-settings-daemon &
metacity &
nautilus &
gnome-terminal &

Everything else is the same.

Tested on EC2 Ubuntu 14.04 LTS.

For Ubuntu 16.04

1) Install packages

$ sudo apt update;sudo apt install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-desktop
$ sudo apt install gnome-panel gnome-settings-daemon metacity nautilus gnome-terminal vnc4server

2) Edit /usr/bin/vncserver file and modify as below

Find this line

"# exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc\n\n".

And add these lines below.

"gnome-session &\n".
"gnome-panel &\n".
"gnome-settings-daemon &\n".
"metacity &\n".
"nautilus &\n".
"gnome-terminal &\n".

3) Create VNC password and vnc session for the user using "vncserver" command.

lonely@ubuntu:~$ vncserver
You will require a password to access your desktops.
Password:
Verify:
xauth: file /home/lonely/.Xauthority does not exist
New 'ubuntu:1 (lonely)' desktop is ubuntu:1
Creating default startup script /home/lonely/.vnc/xstartup
Starting applications specified in /home/lonely/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /home/lonely/.vnc/ubuntu:1.log

Now you can access GUI using IP/Domain and port 1

stackoverflow.com:1

Tested on AWS and digital ocean .

For AWS, you have to allow port 5901 on firewall

To kill session

$ vncserver -kill :1

Refer:

https://linode.com/docs/applications/remote-desktop/install-vnc-on-ubuntu-16-04/

Refer this guide to create permanent sessions as service

http://www.krizna.com/ubuntu/enable-remote-desktop-ubuntu-16-04-vnc/