download and run ubuntu-desktop with gnome support via docker

Question

I am completely new to docker. I have a Redhat 7 desktop with docker installed. I now want to run a full fledged ubuntu-desktop 18.04 (including its gnome GUI) via docker. How can this be done? I have been googling for instructions/tutorials on where I can download an ubuntu 18.04 docker image (with GUI support) and run it, but surprisingly I cannot find anything. Can someone help me? Thanks.

Answer 1

I have a different situation, where I run docker on a Windows10 platform. I also tried to install Gnome for some Ubuntu image and start a gnome-session from the terminal. I did not manage to do so.

My current solution is to use Mate instead of Gnome. Maybe my steps are helpful for others that just started with docker:

• Install Docker Desktop on Windows 10 and start the Docker application

• Install vcxsrv and start it with Xlaunch (also see https://dev.to/darksmile92/run-gui-app-in-linux-docker-container-on-windows-host-4kde)

• Get the IP of your computer with ipconfig, e.g 192.111.999.9

• Open a console with admin rights and start a docker container. Pass some DISPLAY-Information including your IP:

docker run -it -e DISPLAY=192.111.999.9:0.0 --privileged --name=ubuntu ubuntu

• You should then see a linux prompt

• Update the package-manager and upgrade existing packages:

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade -y
apt-get update

• start dbus service to avoid dbus warnings (also see https://georgik.rocks/how-to-start-d-bus-in-docker-container/):

dbus-uuidgen > /var/lib/dbus/machine-id
mkdir -p /var/run/dbus
dbus-daemon --config-file=/usr/share/dbus-1/system.conf --print-address

• install mate (and some themes to avoid theme warning)

apt-get install mate-desktop-environment -y
apt-get ubuntu-mate-themes -y

• start a Desktop session with

mate-session

Good luck!

(If you want some more programs, instead of "mate-desktop-environment", you can also use the larger package "ubuntu-mate-desktop". Will take > 10 min to be installed.)