Hi Christian, I've done the re-install without GUI. When I ran 'yum group list available' the GNOME Desktop was not listed. The problem with the 'Server with GUI' option is that I get a desktop with no menubar (not hidden and no left or right click menu option).

I can open a command terminal, but was hoping for more. Is there a command to install a menubar on the Redhat Server install? Thanks.

Confused :) I'm getting no Desktop option (and it wasn't listed before I applied "Server with GUI"):

# yum group list
Loaded plugins: langpacks, product-id, search-disabled-repos, subscription-
              : manager
Installed Environment Groups:
   Server with GUI
Available Environment Groups:
   Minimal Install
   Infrastructure Server
   File and Print Server
   Basic Web Server
   Virtualization Host
Installed Groups:
   Graphical Administration Tools
   System Administration Tools
Available Groups:
   Compatibility Libraries
   Console Internet Tools
   Development Tools
   Legacy UNIX Compatibility
   Scientific Support
   Security Tools
   Smart Card Support
   System Management
Done

Hi Christian, I built an install USB stick with "rhel-server-7.4-x86_64-dvd.iso" and selected the minimal install. When I ran 'yum group list available' the GNOME Desktop was not listed, so I installed 'Server with GUI' instead. I guess I'm making some typical newbie mistake!

Hi Christian, I did the reinstall as you suggested. Now I've got a blank screen with no panel or icons or anything, just a pointer. If I right or left click on the desktop, I get nothing. I can access the command line via Ctl-Alt-F3. On a previous (RHEL 6.8) system a couple of years ago I had to use an xorg.conf file to disable an LVDS display port. This system is similar, using an intel mobile/laptop motherboard, which has the LVDS disabled in BIOS, but Linux systems seem to still try and output the display to it. I tried using the same xorg.conf file, but it made no difference. What am I missing? Thanks in advance!

No, this system has Intel onboard graphics. See image for extract from 'lspci' and 'lshw'.

Sorry for some reason the image isn't showing up. It's Intel 4th Gen, using i915 kernel driver. When it boots through to the desktop, the screen is blank and the mouse pointer is on an invisible/non existing screen to the left. My display is connected to a DVI port (Display Port, VGA, LVDS no connected).

There's something not right in the GUI config.
This system boots through to a completely blank desktop. If I then force to the command line (Ctl-Alt-F3) that's OK. After that if I run 'startx' then I get a blank desktop but with a blue background and the right hand mouse click now works (no L-click or panel).
The group "Server with GUI" is available although I chose to install it:

# yum group list
Loaded plugins: langpacks, product-id, search-disabled-repos, subscription-
              : manager
There is no installed groups file.
Maybe run: yum groups mark convert (see man yum)
Available Environment Groups:
   Minimal Install
   Infrastructure Server
   File and Print Server
   Basic Web Server
   Virtualization Host
   Server with GUI
Available Groups:
   Compatibility Libraries
   Console Internet Tools
   Development Tools
   Graphical Administration Tools
   Legacy UNIX Compatibility
   Scientific Support
   Security Tools
   Smart Card Support
   System Administration Tools
   System Management
Done

Output of 'lshw -C display':

 *-display                 
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 2
       bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
       version: 06
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
       configuration: driver=i915 latency=0
       resources: irq:39 memory:90000000-903fffff memory:80000000-8fffffff ioport:6000(size=64)

I think this problem is both hardware and software related.
For further testing, I connected both DVI and DP displays. This motherboard has onboard headers for LVDS and VGA, but I've no way of connecting to them ATM. There is still this extra 'missing' display output on the left, which is probably one of those I can't connect to.
Looking at the output of 'xrandr' it seems I might have to write an xorg.conf file to fix the display output.
The other question is how to get the Gnome panel up.

$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 5760 x 1440, maximum 8192 x 8192
eDP-1 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 510mm x 286mm
   1920x1080     60.16*+
   1400x1050     59.98  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1024x768      60.04    60.00  
   960x720       60.00  
   928x696       60.05  
   896x672       60.01  
   800x600       60.00    60.32    56.25  
   700x525       59.98  
   640x512       60.02  
   640x480       60.00    59.94  
   512x384       60.00  
   400x300       60.32    56.34  
   320x240       60.05  
VGA-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-1 connected 1280x1024+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 338mm x 270mm
   1280x1024     60.02*+  75.02  
   1152x864      75.00  
   1024x768      75.03    70.07    60.00  
   832x624       74.55  
   800x600       72.19    75.00    60.32  
   640x480       75.00    72.81    59.94  
   720x400       70.08  
DP-2 connected 2560x1440+3200+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 597mm x 336mm
   2560x1440     59.95*+
   1920x1080     60.00    50.00    59.94  
   1920x1080i    60.00    50.00    59.94  
   1680x1050     59.95  
   1280x1024     75.02    60.02  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1280x720      60.00    50.00    59.94  
   1024x768      75.03    70.07    60.00  
   832x624       74.55  
   800x600       72.19    75.00    60.32    56.25  
   720x576       50.00  
   720x480       60.00    59.94  
   640x480       75.00    72.81    66.67    60.00    59.94  
   720x400       70.08  
HDMI-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

Very puzzling, as you said:

Although that still wouldn't explain why all those available groups are not offered, right ? :)

Do I need to reinstall again?

Hi Christian, So, starting over, I erased the target disk using a live ubuntu USB stick.
Before running the install, I verified the USB installer (under choose source), "rhel-server-7.4-x86_64-dvd.iso" valid AOK.

Then selected to install "Server with GUI" and the "default" security policy as you recommended.
The system is successfully registered and subscribed.

The symptoms are much as before.
When I run "startx" from the command line, it hangs for a moment, then I get a message "serverauth.7845 does not exist."
If I set "sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target" and restart, I get a blank desktop with no panel or icons or anything, just a pointer.
If I right or left click on the desktop, I get nothing. I can access the command line via Ctl-Alt-F3.
After that if I run 'startx' then I get a blank desktop but with a blue background and the right hand mouse click now works (no L-click or panel).

I still have only an abbreviated group list:

# yum group list
Loaded plugins: langpacks, product-id, search-disabled-repos, subscription-
              : manager
There is no installed groups file.
Maybe run: yum groups mark convert (see man yum)
Available Environment Groups:
   Minimal Install
   Infrastructure Server
   File and Print Server
   Basic Web Server
   Virtualization Host
   Server with GUI
Available Groups:
   Compatibility Libraries
   Console Internet Tools
   Development Tools
   Graphical Administration Tools
   Legacy UNIX Compatibility
   Scientific Support
   Security Tools
   Smart Card Support
   System Administration Tools
   System Management
Done

Thought I should check the repolist:

# yum repolist
Loaded plugins: langpacks, product-id, search-disabled-repos, subscription-
              : manager
repo id                           repo name                               status
rhel-7-server-rpms/7Server/x86_64 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Server (RPMs 17,249
repolist: 17,249

This is driving me crazy! Shall I just raise a support case? Thx.

This is starting to look a bit healthier!

$ sudo yum update
Loaded plugins: langpacks, product-id, search-disabled-repos, subscription-
              : manager
rhel-7-server-extras-rpms                                | 3.4 kB     00:00     
rhel-7-server-optional-rpms                              | 3.5 kB     00:00     
rhel-7-server-rpms                                       | 3.5 kB     00:00     
(1/3): rhel-7-server-extras-rpms/x86_64/group              |  104 B   00:00     
(2/3): rhel-7-server-extras-rpms/x86_64/updateinfo         | 202 kB   00:00     
(3/3): rhel-7-server-extras-rpms/x86_64/primary_db         | 292 kB   00:00     
No packages marked for update

However, the group list is still has much AWOL:

$ sudo yum group list
Loaded plugins: langpacks, product-id, search-disabled-repos, subscription-
              : manager
There is no installed groups file.
Maybe run: yum groups mark convert (see man yum)
Available Environment Groups:
   Minimal Install
   Infrastructure Server
   File and Print Server
   Basic Web Server
   Virtualization Host
   Server with GUI
Available Groups:
   Compatibility Libraries
   Console Internet Tools
   Development Tools
   Graphical Administration Tools
   Legacy UNIX Compatibility
   Scientific Support
   Security Tools
   Smart Card Support
   System Administration Tools
   System Management
Done

Is there a clue in "There is no installed groups file"?

Hi Christian, Sorry "I did a yum group remove and installed GNOME Desktop" was a misleading comment.
It's true that I ran the relevant commands to perform those tasks, but in was in vain hope, since for whatever reason "GNOME Desktop" hasn't actually been listed as available or installed at any point on this system. At the time I posted that comment, I thought I'd done something to corrupt Gnome. As you said "I have tested RHEL 7.4 on a 4th gen intel and everything works." So my question is, how to find out what is wrong or different about this system that means the GUI is broken and much of the group software repo is unavailable?

Hi Christian,
I have "Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Entry Level." Can you confirm this list is correct?

$ sudo yum group list
Loaded plugins: langpacks, product-id, search-disabled-repos, subscription-
              : manager
There is no installed groups file.
Maybe run: yum groups mark convert (see man yum)
Available Environment Groups:
   Minimal Install
   Infrastructure Server
   File and Print Server
   Basic Web Server
   Virtualization Host
   Server with GUI
Available Groups:
   Compatibility Libraries
   Console Internet Tools
   Development Tools
   Graphical Administration Tools
   Legacy UNIX Compatibility
   Scientific Support
   Security Tools
   Smart Card Support
   System Administration Tools
   System Management
Done

Hi Christian, So am I right in thinking that the options for "Desktop Platform" and "KDE" aren't supported in "Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Entry Level?"