How to Remove Gnome-Desktop using Yum

In this step-by-step guide, we will discuss how to remove the GNOME Desktop Environment from a Linux system using Yum, a package manager for RPM-based Linux distributions.

The goal is to uninstall GNOME safely and efficiently, freeing up system resources and allowing you to install another desktop environment if desired.

Step 1: Open Terminal

First, open the terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or searching for “Terminal” in your applications menu.

Step 2: Update Package List

Before removing the GNOME Desktop Environment, it’s a good idea to update your package list to ensure you have the latest information on your installed packages. Run the following command:

sudo yum update

Step 3: List GNOME Packages

To identify the GNOME packages installed on your system, execute the following command:

sudo yum grouplist "GNOME Desktop Environment"

This will show you the list of packages associated with the GNOME Desktop Environment.

Step 4: Remove GNOME Packages

Now that you have the list of GNOME packages, you can remove them using the yum groupremove command. Run the following command to remove the GNOME Desktop Environment:

sudo yum groupremove "GNOME Desktop Environment"

Yum will prompt you to confirm the removal of the listed packages. Type ‘y’ and press Enter to proceed with the uninstallation.

Step 5: Clean Up Dependencies

After removing the GNOME packages, you should clean up any unused dependencies to free up additional system resources. Run the following command:

sudo yum autoremove

This will remove any orphaned packages that were installed as dependencies for the GNOME Desktop Environment.

Commands and Their Functions:

  • yum update: Updates your package list to ensure you have the latest information on installed packages.
  • yum grouplist: Lists package groups available in your system repositories, allowing you to identify packages associated with a specific group.
  • yum groupremove: Removes a specified package group, such as the GNOME Desktop Environment, and its associated packages.
  • yum autoremove: Removes orphaned packages that were installed as dependencies but are no longer needed.
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Terminal:

[root@server ~]# yum groupremove gnome-desktop
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Setting up Remove Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package gnome-desktop.i386 0:2.16.0-1.el5.centos.1 set to be erased
--> Processing Dependency: libgnome-desktop-2.so.2 for package: gnome-panel
--> Processing Dependency: libgnome-desktop-2.so.2 for package: eel2
--> Processing Dependency: libgnome-desktop-2.so.2 for package: nautilus-open-terminal
--> Processing Dependency: libgnome-desktop-2.so.2 for package: gnome-session
--> Processing Dependency: libgnome-desktop-2.so.2 for package: gnome-applets
--> Processing Dependency: libgnome-desktop-2.so.2 for package: gnome-utils
--> Processing Dependency: libgnome-desktop-2.so.2 for package: nautilus
--> Processing Dependency: libgnome-desktop-2.so.2 for package: eog
--> Processing Dependency: libgnome-desktop-2.so.2 for package: totem
--> Processing Dependency: libgnome-desktop-2.so.2 for package: control-center
--> Processing Dependency: gnome-desktop >= 2.9.91 for package: gnome-panel
--> Processing Dependency: gnome-desktop >= 2.6.0 for package: totem
--> Running transaction check
---> Package control-center.i386 1:2.16.0-16.el5 set to be erased
--> Processing Dependency: control-center >= 2.16.0-5 for package: orca
--> Processing Dependency: control-center >= 2.0 for package: gnome-volume-manager
---> Package eel2.i386 0:2.16.1-1.el5 set to be erased
--> Processing Dependency: libeel-2.so.2 for package: nautilus-cd-burner
---> Package eog.i386 0:2.16.0.1-6.el5 set to be erased
---> Package gnome-applets.i386 1:2.16.0.1-19.el5 set to be erased
---> Package gnome-panel.i386 0:2.16.1-7.el5 set to be erased
--> Processing Dependency: libpanel-applet-2.so.0 for package: gnome-python2-applet
--> Processing Dependency: libpanel-applet-2.so.0 for package: gnome-pilot
--> Processing Dependency: libpanel-applet-2.so.0 for package: gnome-netstatus
--> Processing Dependency: libpanel-applet-2.so.0 for package: libgail-gnome
--> Processing Dependency: gnome-panel >= 2.5.1 for package: gnome-netstatus
---> Package gnome-session.i386 0:2.16.0-7.el5.centos set to be erased
---> Package gnome-utils.i386 1:2.16.0-5.el5 set to be erased
---> Package nautilus.i386 0:2.16.2-7.el5 set to be erased
---> Package nautilus-open-terminal.i386 0:0.6-7.el5 set to be erased
---> Package totem.i386 0:2.16.7-6.el5 set to be erased
--> Running transaction check
---> Package gnome-netstatus.i386 0:2.12.0-5.el5 set to be erased
---> Package gnome-pilot.i386 0:2.0.13-16 set to be erased
--> Processing Dependency: libgpilotd.so.2 for package: evolution
--> Processing Dependency: libgpilotdcm.so.2 for package: evolution
--> Processing Dependency: libgpilotdconduit.so.2 for package: evolution
--> Processing Dependency: gnome-pilot >= 2.0.13 for package: evolution
---> Package gnome-python2-applet.i386 0:2.16.0-3.el5 set to be erased
---> Package gnome-volume-manager.i386 0:2.15.0-5.el5 set to be erased
---> Package libgail-gnome.i386 0:1.1.3-1.2.1 set to be erased
---> Package nautilus-cd-burner.i386 0:2.16.0-7.el5 set to be erased
--> Processing Dependency: libnautilus-burn.so.4 for package: rhythmbox
--> Processing Dependency: libnautilus-burn.so.4 for package: gnome-media
--> Processing Dependency: libnautilus-burn.so.4 for package: sound-juicer
--> Processing Dependency: nautilus-cd-burner >= 2.15.3 for package: sound-juicer
---> Package orca.i386 0:1.0.0-5.el5 set to be erased
--> Running transaction check
---> Package evolution.i386 0:2.12.3-19.el5 set to be erased
--> Processing Dependency: libeshell.so.0 for package: evolution-connector
--> Processing Dependency: libeutil.so.0 for package: evolution-connector
---> Package gnome-media.i386 0:2.16.1-3.el5 set to be erased
---> Package rhythmbox.i386 0:0.11.6-4.el5 set to be erased
---> Package sound-juicer.i386 0:2.16.0-3.el5 set to be erased
--> Running transaction check
---> Package evolution-connector.i386 0:2.12.3-11.el5 set to be erased
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

==========================================================================================
 Package                     Arch      Version                       Repository      Size
==========================================================================================
Removing:
 gnome-desktop               i386      2.16.0-1.el5.centos.1         installed      1.9 M
Removing for dependencies:
 control-center              i386      1:2.16.0-16.el5               installed      8.1 M
 eel2                        i386      2.16.1-1.el5                  installed      1.1 M
 eog                         i386      2.16.0.1-6.el5                installed      1.8 M
 evolution                   i386      2.12.3-19.el5                 installed       36 M
 evolution-connector         i386      2.12.3-11.el5                 installed      2.3 M
 gnome-applets               i386      1:2.16.0.1-19.el5             installed       31 M
 gnome-media                 i386      2.16.1-3.el5                  installed      5.2 M
 gnome-netstatus             i386      2.12.0-5.el5                  installed      972 k
 gnome-panel                 i386      2.16.1-7.el5                  installed       10 M
 gnome-pilot                 i386      2.0.13-16                     installed      1.7 M
 gnome-python2-applet        i386      2.16.0-3.el5                  installed       16 k
 gnome-session               i386      2.16.0-7.el5.centos           installed      1.3 M
 gnome-utils                 i386      1:2.16.0-5.el5                installed      8.5 M
 gnome-volume-manager        i386      2.15.0-5.el5                  installed      1.9 M
 libgail-gnome               i386      1.1.3-1.2.1                   installed       60 k
 nautilus                    i386      2.16.2-7.el5                  installed       12 M
 nautilus-cd-burner          i386      2.16.0-7.el5                  installed      1.7 M
 nautilus-open-terminal      i386      0.6-7.el5                     installed       58 k
 orca                        i386      1.0.0-5.el5                   installed      3.4 M
 rhythmbox                   i386      0.11.6-4.el5                  installed       12 M
 sound-juicer                i386      2.16.0-3.el5                  installed      2.4 M
 totem                       i386      2.16.7-6.el5                  installed      5.0 M

Transaction Summary
==========================================================================================
Remove       23 Package(s)
Reinstall     0 Package(s)
Downgrade     0 Package(s)

Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
  Erasing        : gnome-pilot                                                       1/23
  Erasing        : nautilus                                                          2/23
  Erasing        : eel2                                                              3/23
  Erasing        : orca                                                              4/23
  Erasing        : eog                                                               5/23
  Erasing        : sound-juicer                                                      6/23
  Erasing        : evolution                                                         7/23
  Erasing        : nautilus-open-terminal                                            8/23
  Erasing        : libgail-gnome                                                     9/23
  Erasing        : rhythmbox                                                        10/23
  Erasing        : gnome-netstatus                                                  11/23
  Erasing        : gnome-desktop                                                    12/23
  Erasing        : gnome-session                                                    13/23
  Erasing        : control-center                                                   14/23
  Erasing        : gnome-utils                                                      15/23
  Erasing        : gnome-python2-applet                                             16/23
  Erasing        : gnome-panel                                                      17/23
  Erasing        : gnome-applets                                                    18/23
  Erasing        : nautilus-cd-burner                                               19/23
  Erasing        : gnome-volume-manager                                             20/23
  Erasing        : evolution-connector                                              21/23
  Erasing        : gnome-media                                                      22/23
  Erasing        : totem                                                            23/23

Removed:
  gnome-desktop.i386 0:2.16.0-1.el5.centos.1

Dependency Removed:
  control-center.i386 1:2.16.0-16.el5         eel2.i386 0:2.16.1-1.el5
  eog.i386 0:2.16.0.1-6.el5                   evolution.i386 0:2.12.3-19.el5
  evolution-connector.i386 0:2.12.3-11.el5    gnome-applets.i386 1:2.16.0.1-19.el5
  gnome-media.i386 0:2.16.1-3.el5             gnome-netstatus.i386 0:2.12.0-5.el5
  gnome-panel.i386 0:2.16.1-7.el5             gnome-pilot.i386 0:2.0.13-16
  gnome-python2-applet.i386 0:2.16.0-3.el5    gnome-session.i386 0:2.16.0-7.el5.centos
  gnome-utils.i386 1:2.16.0-5.el5             gnome-volume-manager.i386 0:2.15.0-5.el5
  libgail-gnome.i386 0:1.1.3-1.2.1            nautilus.i386 0:2.16.2-7.el5
  nautilus-cd-burner.i386 0:2.16.0-7.el5      nautilus-open-terminal.i386 0:0.6-7.el5
  orca.i386 0:1.0.0-5.el5                     rhythmbox.i386 0:0.11.6-4.el5
  sound-juicer.i386 0:2.16.0-3.el5            totem.i386 0:2.16.7-6.el5

Complete!
[root@server ~]#exit

Outcome:

By following these steps, you will have successfully removed the GNOME Desktop Environment using Yum.

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Your system will no longer have the GNOME packages and dependencies, freeing up system resources and allowing you to install another desktop environment if desired.

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