Centos add Mate Desktop to minimal install

Download Centos 7 netinstall iso

Install Centos selecting minimal packages

Add useful packages

> yum -y install nano net-utils

Add epel repo

> yum install epel-release

Update Centos

> yum update

Install X11 and MATE desktop

> yum -y groupinstall "X Windows System" "MATE Desktop"

> yum install xorg-x11-server-Xorg

# drivers for keyboard and mouse

> yum install xorg-x11-drv-libinput xorg-x11-drv-evdev xorg-x11-drv-mouse

> yum install xorg-x11-drv-vmmouse xorg-x11-drv-vmware

 Create .xinitrc

> nano ~/.xinitrc

#!/bin/sh
# ~/.xinitrc
# Executed by startx (run your window manager from here)

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ]; then
  for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/*; do
    [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
  done
  unset f
fi

#start desktop environment

exec /bin/mate-session

Test GUI

> startx

Install XRDP

> yum install xrdp

Create .Xclients

> nano ~/.Xclients

# ~/.XClients
# Executed by xrdp

mate-session

XRdp testing

> systemctl start xrdp

> systemctl enable xrdp

> systemctl stop firewalld

> systemctl disable firewalld

Firewall should be re-enabled with appropriate rules for production use