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Welcome to this demonstration on three common Linux login methods. We’ll cover:
Login MethodEnvironmentKey Steps
Local GraphicalCentOS VM (GNOME)Select user → Enter password → Sign In
Remote Graphical (RDP)Windows/Linux hostOpen RDP client → Connect to VM IP → Authenticate
Remote Text-Mode (SSH)Terminal accessssh user@host → Enter password → Manage remote host

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1. Local Graphical Login on CentOS

  1. Power on your CentOS VM with GNOME installed.
  2. At the login screen:
    • Click your Username.
    • Type your Password.
    • Press Sign In.
  3. GNOME will load by default.
  4. To end your session, click your user menu in the top-right corner and select Log Out.

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2. Remote Graphical Login via RDP

On your host machine, launch the Remote Desktop client (e.g., Remote Desktop Connection on Windows or remmina on Linux).
  1. Enter your VM’s IP address and click Connect:
The image shows a Remote Desktop Connection window open on a CentOS virtual machine running in Oracle VM VirtualBox. The CentOS login screen is visible in the background.
Ensure the CentOS VM’s firewall allows TCP port 3389 for RDP. If needed, run:
sudo firewall-cmd --add-port=3389/tcp --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --reload
  1. When prompted, enter your Username (student) and Password:
The image shows a login screen for a remote desktop connection with fields for session type, username, and password. The background is teal, and there's a logo with the text "Just connecting."
  1. After logging in, open Activities and launch GNOME Terminal:
The image shows a computer desktop with a terminal window open, displaying a command prompt. The background features a geometric blue pattern.

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3. Remote Text-Mode Login with SSH

From the GNOME Terminal in your remote session (student@LFCS-CentOS2), connect to the target VM (192.168.0.17) as user aaron: 
ssh [email protected]
Your password won’t be displayed as you type for security reasons.
Once authenticated, you may see output like: 
Activate the web console with: systemctl enable --now cockpit.socket
Last login: Tue Oct 19 04:22:38 2021
Your prompt should now reflect the remote host (e.g., aaron@LFCS-CentOS). When you’re done: 
exit
This command closes the SSH session and returns you to student@LFCS-CentOS2. To end the graphical RDP session, simply log out or close the RDP window.
That’s all for this lesson. See you in the next one!

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