How to Install KDE Plasma Desktop Environment on CentOS Stream 9 and Configure XRDP

CentOS Stream 9 is a rolling-release Linux distribution that serves as a midstreambetween the upstream development in Fedora and the downstream development for Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It’s a solid choice for those who prefer a more stable system but still want access to newer software. KDE Plasma is a modern desktop environment that is both powerful and customizable. In this guide, we will walk through the process of installing KDE Plasma on CentOS Stream 9 and setting up xRDP for remote desktop access.

🛠️ Installing KDE Plasma Desktop

Before you begin the installation, you should ensure that your system is up to date by running the following commands:

Update your system:
```
sudo dnf update -y
```
Install the EPEL (Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux) repository:
```
sudo dnf install epel-release -y
```
Enable the PowerTools repository which is required for some dependencies:
```
sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled powertools
```

Now, let’s install KDE Plasma:

Install the KDE Plasma Workspaces and necessary xorg packages:
```
sudo dnf groupinstall "KDE Plasma Workspaces" "base-x" -y
```
Optionally, you can install additional KDE applications:
```
sudo dnf groupinstall "KDE Applications" -y
```
Once the installation is complete, you can set KDE Plasma as the default desktop environment:
```
sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target
```
Reboot your system to start using KDE Plasma:
```
sudo reboot
```

🔗 Configuring xRDP

With KDE Plasma installed, you can now set up xRDP to access your desktop environment remotely.

First, install xRDP:
```
sudo dnf install xrdp -y
```
Start the xRDP service:
```
sudo systemctl enable xrdp --now
```

Configure your firewall to allow RDP connections:

sudo firewall-cmd --add-port=3389/tcp --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

To ensure xRDP uses the KDE desktop, you should create a new file named ~/.xsession with the following content:

Edit or create the .xsession file in your home directory:
```
echo "exec startplasma-x11" > ~/.xsession
```
Ensure the ~/.xsession file is executed when you start an xRDP session by editing the /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh file:
```
sudo sed -i 's/. \/etc\/X11\/Xsession/exec \/bin\/sh ~\/.xsession/g' /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh
```

Now, you can connect to your CentOS Stream 9 machine using any RDP client by entering the machine’s IP address and the credentials of the user you configured.

🗑️ Uninstalling KDE Plasma and xRDP

If you decide to remove KDE Plasma and xRDP from your system, follow these steps:

Stop the xRDP service:
```
sudo systemctl stop xrdp
```
Disable the xRDP service:
```
sudo systemctl disable xrdp
```
Remove the xRDP package:
```
sudo dnf remove xrdp -y
```
Remove KDE Plasma Workspaces and related packages:
```
sudo dnf groupremove "KDE Plasma Workspaces" -y
```
Remove any additional KDE applications you may have installed:
```
sudo dnf groupremove "KDE Applications" -y
```
Optionally, remove the .xsession file:

rm ~/.xsession

After completing these steps, KDE Plasma and xRDP should be completely removed from your system.

🛠️ Installing KDE Plasma Desktop

🔗 Configuring xRDP

🗑️ Uninstalling KDE Plasma and xRDP

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