VNC Server Not Working

[cojaxx8]

Hello,

First of all very nice website, it has helped me a lot. Just have a little issue with getting the VNC Server to work though. Firstly I am using Ubuntu Server 11.10 fully updated.

After following the guide on this website I issues the following commands.

sudo apt-get install gnome-core
sudo apt-get install vnc4server
vncserver -geometry 1280x800 -depth 24
vncserver -kill :1

Altered the .vnc/xstartup File like so

#!/bin/sh

# Uncomment the following two lines for normal desktop:
unset SESSION_MANAGER
exec sh /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc

[ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
[ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
xsetroot -solid grey
vncconfig -iconic &
x-terminal-emulator -geometry 1280x800+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &
x-window-manager &

Ran This command again
Vncserver -geometry 1280x800 -depth 24

Downloaded Tight VNC and when i connect I get the following message

Failed to load session "ubuntu" and the only option is to "Log Out"

Any ideas on what might be causing this...

On a side note. in the guide it mentioned that the physical console session of the computer should not have a GUI...But when i connect a monitor has a full blown logon screen attached and GUI etc.

Thanks in advance
Peter

[steve_batten]

No idea as to a solution but have the same problem so that makes two of us. Will continue trying things but I'm a newbie so its unlikely I will solve it.

[steve_batten]

Just cracked it (I think) - found an interesting article at http://scarygliders.net/2011/11/17/x11r ... w-hotness/ with some info at section 4A.

Basically my newb interpretation but seems to work:
Create a new file in your home directory called .xsession and put the following line into it "gnome-session --session=gnome-fallback"
This seems to tell Ubuntu what to load in the way of a desktop when an xsession is started

[cojaxx8]

Hi Steve,

I am in the same boat, kinda a newbe when it comes to linux (more of a hobby than anything)

Yep that seemed to do the trick. Although (once again i don't fully understand this stuff) the desktop is different to the one that loads when I login physically at the machine.

I assume it is loading a different window manager, theme, or something like that.

Anyway never mind, this should do the trick for the moment

[cojaxx8]

So now i can connect Via VNC, but don't fully understand what is going on....

It brings up a GUI, which is fine, but then when i go to log out it doesn't actually log out properly, but seems to close the window manager..? then the only way to get it back up is to reboot the server or kill the vnc session.

Can anyone explain how this is actually working or point me to a website that explains it?

Cheers

[steve_batten]

Re the different desktop, I believe (as stated I'm a newbie as well so this is definately a case of the blind leading the blind - anyone with a bit more expertise feel free to correct - I can take it ) Ubuntu can have different desktops depending on what particular flavour or style you like. Some of the more common ones are KDE, XCFE, Gnome and recently Unity (which appears to give many people high blood pressure - hence the article I pointed at which is all about how to kill the default Unity desktop and replace it with something else). I suspect if we knew what we were doing we could add a different desktop and run that.

It is interesting though - I used to just have a command line on the actual server but I now appear to have a GUI which looks a lot like Unity while I seem to have a straight Gnome desktop via VNC. And I get a similar issue to you that if I logout on the virtual desktop I can reconnect but seem to have lost access to all the menus to run apps etc. But still have options to see the filesystem. May have logged out of the Gnome desktop but still be logged into the system?
Also have an issue under VNC where every time I type the letter D the window minimises - suspect a keyboard profile issue which I am working on.

I can see this little project occupying much time as we head towards winter.......
As my wife would say "Engineers and Toys!"

[cojaxx8]

haha very true!! I had a working Ubuntu File server, air-video server etc and thought...hmm how hard would it be to get mytv running...

I need to try and get a dev machine as my production one has so much stuff on it now after much failed attemps to get things working.

I will post back if i ever end up getting a myth-tv setup which will hopefully help others!

[Ian]

Hi guys,

Yeah apologies, the later versions of Ubuntu work differently to my guides I'm afraid. I'm waiting for 12.04LTS to be released before updating the whole site. I would hope that 12.04 reverts back to the "proper" way of running a server with VNC installed but that remains to be seen.

Ian.

[Andy Horn]

I'm waiting for 12.04LTS to be released before updating the whole site. I would hope that 12.04 reverts back to the "proper" way of running a server with VNC installed but that remains to be seen.

No such luck mate, just installed 12.04 beta 1 on a VM and VNC is not working , this may be sorted by the time the full version is realesed.

You had better get swatting Ian so we can all marvel at the delights of the Linux kernel 3.2.

@steve_batten thanks for the link, compiling now to see if I can have VNC on 12.04.

Andy