VNCServer Configuration from 4.0 DVD Setup

**ewangr** · 09-04-2005, 02:49 AM

Did an HD install from the 4.0 DVD, and am currently getting everything configured. One thing I'm not having much success with is getting VNCServer to setup a proper window for my remote client. When I run vncserver, it comes up and gives me the message about setting up desktop 1. If I go downstairs to my client machine I can connect, but all I get is a gray background with an X for the mouse pointer. No X Terminal or anything else. If I then tell it "vncserver -kill:1" it shuts down the first desktop, but then automatically starts a second on :2.

I have setup a .vnc/xstartup file, but I don't get the impression that vncserver is using it. Is that an issue particular to the version of vnc that comes on the 4.0 DVD?

Thanks in advance,
Ewan

**ewangr** · 09-04-2005, 07:10 PM

FWIW, I've confirmed that the version of VNCServer is based on RealVNC, and is version 3.3.7-7. I notice that Synaptic shows a vnc4, but am not sure if that's a different type of vnc or a later version or...

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated!

**ewangr** · 09-05-2005, 12:48 AM

OK, problem turned out to be something with the way the provided VNC server is configured. I went ahead and did the update to the vnc4server (and common and reader), and then it started using the xstartup file as expected. The xstartup file that ended up working for me was:

Code:

[ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources

/usr/bin/startkde &

So, now all I have to do is figure out how to get that to autoload after a reboot and I should be in good shape to move on to other challenges

**ewangr** · 09-09-2005, 01:44 AM

Yup, still me. Couple more things since the last report.

1) Still can't figure out where the right init script is to add a call to VNCServer so that it automatically loads after a reboot. Not a big deal, but it would be nice to be able to reboot the machine and not lose my ability to connect for the rest of the day.

2) When I try to kill vncserver (vncserver -clean -kill:1), it then autostarts as desktop 2. I then have to kill that, and then do a kill -9 of the process, and then manually remove the lock files in /tmp. Any idea what I need to do to make sure it dies and stays dead?

TIA,
Ewan