Getting Solaris 5.9 X displayed on Ubuntu 8.04

[PaulHuffman]

Yesterday I had to log in remotely back on my old Solaris box. I thought my Ubuntu desktop would easily allow me to display X windows from Solaris but I couldn't figure it out. Luckily I still had Reflection X set up on a Windows PC and I was able to make that work. But why can't I get it to work with Ubuntu desktop? All I can get back from Solaris is "Can't open display: 161.217.*.*:0"

What I've tried is logging into Solaris with Konsole and ssh, in a C shell on Solaris "setenv DISPLAY ubuntu's IP:0.0" and "xhosts + pauleseries" since the Solaris /etc/hosts file has pauleseries IP address already in it. pauleseries is the name of the ubuntu desktop But when I try the xhost command on Solaris or try a test X app like xclock&, I get the "Can't open display" error.

Do I need to do something on the Ubuntu side with xauth?

[apmcd47]

Use ssh -X to enable X-forwarding
Don't set DISPLAY on the sun - it should be set by default to a pseudo display

Basically ssh allows X Server tunnelling (or X forwarding), so that you don't need to worry about setting the display back to your machine, or figure out the security (eg xauth). However OpenSSH disables X forwarding by default.

You can enable X forwarding on a host by host basis or for all hosts by setting up the ~/.ssh/config file.

Andrew

[PaulHuffman]

Nope, still getting "Can't open display". Tried setenv DISPLAY also, but got the same thing.

[apmcd47]

Nope, still getting "Can't open display". Tried setenv DISPLAY also, but got the same thing.

What was DISPLAY set to immediately after login? It should be something like localhost:11.0 Do you have a command in your .login/.cshrc files to set the display? I assume you use csh if you use the setenv command.

[PaulHuffman]

DISPLAY is not set when I first ssh in. Using csh.

[apmcd47]

Okay, try this:


Host *
ForwardX11 yes

Put that in a file called ~/.ssh/config on the Ubuntu (I assume you don't have one) and try again. Just log in and see what DISPLAY is set to.


You may also need to check /etc/ssh/sshd_config on the Solaris box for the values of X11Forwarding and X11UseLocalhost. If X11Forwarding is set to no you may need to the Solaris SysAdmin to change it to yes.

Andrew

[PaulHuffman]

I'm the sysadmin of the Solaris box. But I was able to talk myself into trying this.

Made the ssh/config file. Changed sshd_config to

# X11 tunneling options
X11Forwarding yes
X11DisplayOffset 10

Still get a error when I try a test x app:

pahto% xclock&
[1] 14813
pahto% Error: Can't open display:

[1] Exit 1 xclock


To keep it simple, I also upgraded to Ubuntu 9.04 late yesterday. Still get the error message.

This Solaris host has long been able to send X stuff to Windows PCs running Hummingbird X or Reflextion X.

[apmcd47]

Okay, assuming pahto is the name of your Sun and you have the same username on both machines, please do the following on the ubuntu box:

Start a new terminal or or terminal-tab, then type



ssh -X -vvv pahto
And when you get the prompt on pahto:

echo $DISPLAY
exit
then upload the terminal contents here.

Andrew

[PaulHuffman]

paul@pauleseries:~$ ssh -X -vvv paul@pahto
OpenSSH_5.1p1 Debian-5ubuntu1, OpenSSL 0.9.8g 19 Oct 2007
debug1: Reading configuration data /home/paul/.ssh/config
debug1: Applying options for *
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug1: Applying options for *
debug2: ssh_connect: needpriv 0
debug1: Connecting to pahto [161.217.10.13] port 22.
debug1: Connection established.
debug1: identity file /home/paul/.ssh/identity type -1
debug1: identity file /home/paul/.ssh/id_rsa type -1
debug1: identity file /home/paul/.ssh/id_dsa type -1
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version Sun_SSH_1.0.1
debug1: match: Sun_SSH_1.0.1 pat Sun_SSH_1.0*
debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_5.1p1 Debian-5ubuntu1
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ssh-rsa,ssh-dss
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,arcfour128,arcfour256,arcfour,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,arcfour128,arcfour256,arcfour,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,umac-64@openssh.com,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,umac-64@openssh.com,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit:
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit:
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: reserved 0
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ssh-rsa,ssh-dss
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,blowfish-cbc,3des-cbc
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,blowfish-cbc,3des-cbc
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-sha1,hmac-md5
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-sha1,hmac-md5
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: \377\377\377\377,geo,lcttab,iso_8859_13,iso_8859_1 5,iso_8859_2,iso_8859_5,iso_8859_7,iso_8859_9,hi_I N.UTF-8,en_AU,en_AU.ISO8859-1,en_NZ,en_NZ.ISO8859-1,es,es_CR,es_CR.ISO8859-1,es_GT,es_GT.ISO8859-1,es_NI,es_NI.ISO8859-1,es_PA,es_PA.ISO8859-1,es_SV,es_SV.ISO8859-1,cz,cs_CZ,cs_CZ.ISO8859-2,de,de.ISO8859-15,de_AT,de_AT.ISO8859-1,de_AT.ISO8859-15,de_AT.ISO8859-15@euro,de_CH,de_CH.ISO8859-1,de_DE,de_DE.ISO8859-1,de_DE.ISO8859-15,de_DE.ISO8859-15@euro,de_DE.UTF-8,de_DE.UTF-8@euro,fr,fr_CH,fr_CH.ISO8859-1,hu,hu_HU,hu_HU.ISO8859-2,pl,pl.UTF-8,et,pl_PL,pl_PL.ISO8859-2,pl_PL.UTF-8,sk_SK,sk_SK.ISO8859-2,bg_BG,bg_BG.ISO8859-5,et_EE,et_EE.ISO8859-15,hr_HR,hr_HR.ISO8859-2,lt,lt_LT,lt_LT.ISO8859-13,lv,lv_LV,lv_LV.ISO8859-13,mk_MK,mk_MK.ISO8859-5,nr,ro_RO,ru,iso_8859_1,ro_RO.ISO8859-2,ru_RU,de.UTF-8,de.UTF-8@euro,ru.UTF-8,ru.koi8-r,ru_RU.ANSI1251,ru_RU.ISO8859-5,es.UTF-8,es.UTF-8@euro,ru_RU.KOI8-R,fr.UTF-8,fr.UTF-8@euro,ru_RU.UTF-8,sh_BA,sr_SP,it.UTF-8,it.UTF-8@euro,sh_BA.ISO8859-2@bosnia,sl_SI,sdebug2: kex_parse_kexinit: \377\377\377\377,geo,lcttab,iso_8859_13,iso_8859_1 5,iso_8859_2,iso_8859_5,iso_8859_7,iso_8859_9,hi_I N.UTF-8,en_AU,en_AU.ISO8859-1,en_NZ,en_NZ.ISO8859-1,es,es_CR,es_CR.ISO8859-1,es_GT,es_GT.ISO8859-1,es_NI,es_NI.ISO8859-1,es_PA,es_PA.ISO8859-1,es_SV,es_SV.ISO8859-1,cz,cs_CZ,cs_CZ.ISO8859-2,de,de.ISO8859-15,de_AT,de_AT.ISO8859-1,de_AT.ISO8859-15,de_AT.ISO8859-15@euro,de_CH,de_CH.ISO8859-1,de_DE,de_DE.ISO8859-1,de_DE.ISO8859-15,de_DE.ISO8859-15@euro,de_DE.UTF-8,de_DE.UTF-8@euro,fr,fr_CH,fr_CH.ISO8859-1,hu,hu_HU,hu_HU.ISO8859-2,pl,pl.UTF-8,et,pl_PL,pl_PL.ISO8859-2,pl_PL.UTF-8,sk_SK,sk_SK.ISO8859-2,bg_BG,bg_BG.ISO8859-5,et_EE,et_EE.ISO8859-15,hr_HR,hr_HR.ISO8859-2,lt,lt_LT,lt_LT.ISO8859-13,lv,lv_LV,lv_LV.ISO8859-13,mk_MK,mk_MK.ISO8859-5,nr,ro_RO,ru,iso_8859_1,ro_RO.ISO8859-2,ru_RU,de.UTF-8,de.UTF-8@euro,ru.UTF-8,ru.koi8-r,ru_RU.ANSI1251,ru_RU.ISO8859-5,es.UTF-8,es.UTF-8@euro,ru_RU.KOI8-R,fr.UTF-8,fr.UTF-8@euro,ru_RU.UTF-8,sh_BA,sr_SP,it.UTF-8,it.UTF-8@euro,sh_BA.ISO8859-2@bosnia,sl_SI,sdebug2: kex_parse_kexinit: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: reserved 0
debug2: mac_setup: found hmac-md5
debug1: kex: server->client aes128-cbc hmac-md5 none
debug2: mac_setup: found hmac-md5
debug1: kex: client->server aes128-cbc hmac-md5 none
debug2: dh_gen_key: priv key bits set: 138/256
debug2: bits set: 537/1024
debug1: sending SSH2_MSG_KEXDH_INIT
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEXDH_REPLY
debug3: check_host_in_hostfile: filename /home/paul/.ssh/known_hosts
debug3: check_host_in_hostfile: match line 2
debug3: check_host_in_hostfile: filename /home/paul/.ssh/known_hosts
debug3: check_host_in_hostfile: match line 1
debug1: Host 'pahto' is known and matches the RSA host key.
debug1: Found key in /home/paul/.ssh/known_hosts:2
debug2: bits set: 498/1024
debug1: ssh_rsa_verify: signature correct
debug2: kex_derive_keys
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 1
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 0
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_REQUEST sent
debug2: service_accept: ssh-userauth
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received
debug2: key: /home/paul/.ssh/identity ((nil))
debug2: key: /home/paul/.ssh/id_rsa ((nil))
debug2: key: /home/paul/.ssh/id_dsa ((nil))
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password
debug3: start over, passed a different list publickey,password
debug3: preferred gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic,gssapi,publickey,keyboard-interactive,password
debug3: authmethod_lookup publickey
debug3: remaining preferred: keyboard-interactive,password
debug3: authmethod_is_enabled publickey
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Trying private key: /home/paul/.ssh/identity
debug3: no such identity: /home/paul/.ssh/identity
debug1: Trying private key: /home/paul/.ssh/id_rsa
debug3: no such identity: /home/paul/.ssh/id_rsa
debug1: Trying private key: /home/paul/.ssh/id_dsa
debug3: no such identity: /home/paul/.ssh/id_dsa
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug3: authmethod_lookup password
debug3: remaining preferred: ,password
debug3: authmethod_is_enabled password
debug1: Next authentication method: password
paul@pahto's password:
debug3: packet_send2: adding 64 (len 56 padlen 8 extra_pad 64)
debug2: we sent a password packet, wait for reply
debug1: Authentication succeeded (password).
debug1: channel 0: new [client-session]
debug3: ssh_session2_open: channel_new: 0
debug2: channel 0: send open
debug1: Entering interactive session.
debug2: callback start
debug2: x11_get_proto: /usr/bin/X11/xauth list :0.0 2>/dev/null
debug1: Requesting X11 forwarding with authentication spoofing.
debug2: channel 0: request x11-req confirm 0
debug2: client_session2_setup: id 0
debug2: channel 0: request pty-req confirm 1
debug3: tty_make_modes: ospeed 38400
debug3: tty_make_modes: ispeed 38400
debug1: Sending environment.
debug3: Ignored env ORBIT_SOCKETDIR
debug3: Ignored env SSH_AGENT_PID
debug3: Ignored env GPG_AGENT_INFO
debug3: Ignored env TERM
debug3: Ignored env DESKTOP_STARTUP_ID
debug3: Ignored env SHELL
debug3: Ignored env XDG_SESSION_COOKIE
debug3: Ignored env KONSOLE_DBUS_SERVICE
debug3: Ignored env GTK_RC_FILES
debug3: Ignored env WINDOWID
debug3: Ignored env GTK_MODULES
debug3: Ignored env USER
debug3: Ignored env LS_COLORS
debug3: Ignored env GNOME_KEYRING_SOCKET
debug3: Ignored env SSH_AUTH_SOCK
debug3: Ignored env SESSION_MANAGER
debug3: Ignored env USERNAME
debug3: Ignored env PATH
debug3: Ignored env DESKTOP_SESSION
debug3: Ignored env GDM_XSERVER_LOCATION
debug3: Ignored env PWD
debug1: Sending env LANG = en_US.UTF-8
debug2: channel 0: request env confirm 0
debug3: Ignored env GDM_LANG
debug3: Ignored env KONSOLE_DBUS_SESSION
debug3: Ignored env GDMSESSION
debug3: Ignored env HISTCONTROL
debug3: Ignored env SHLVL
debug3: Ignored env COLORFGBG
debug3: Ignored env HOME
debug3: Ignored env LANGUAGE
debug3: Ignored env GNOME_DESKTOP_SESSION_ID
debug3: Ignored env LOGNAME
debug3: Ignored env XDG_DATA_DIRS
debug3: Ignored env DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
debug3: Ignored env LESSOPEN
debug3: Ignored env WINDOWPATH
debug3: Ignored env PROFILEHOME
debug3: Ignored env DISPLAY
debug3: Ignored env LESSCLOSE
debug3: Ignored env XAUTHORITY
debug3: Ignored env _
debug2: channel 0: request shell confirm 1
debug2: fd 3 setting TCP_NODELAY
debug2: callback done
debug2: channel 0: open confirm rwindow 0 rmax 16384
debug2: channel_input_confirm: type 99 id 0
debug2: PTY allocation request accepted on channel 0
debug2: channel 0: rcvd adjust 32768
debug2: channel_input_confirm: type 99 id 0
debug2: shell request accepted on channel 0
Last login: Mon May 18 10:45:16 2009 from pauleseries
Sun Microsystems Inc. SunOS 5.9 Generic May 2002
You have new mail.
pahto% echo $DISPLAY
DISPLAY: Undefined variable
pahto% setenv|grep DISPLAY
pahto%

[apmcd47]

Something is definitely weird here. I can't see a reason for it. And there is no unset DISPLAY command in your .login or .cshrc file?

Well, I didn't want to do this, but as tunnelling is not working, try this:

On the Ubuntu box:
xauth nextract myauth $DISPLAY where myauth is the name of a file to contain the local X authentication info.

Copy the file over to the Sun.

On the Sun: Explicitly set the display, then merge the X authentication file into the Sun's xauth file:
setenv DISPLAY pauleseries:0
xauth nmerge myauth $DISPLAY

You may need to do this every time you start a new session on the Ubuntu box, but not necessarily every time you log onto the Sun.

I honestly cannot see what is wrong here. The debugging info looks the same on my system, which means it should be working on yours. I would say using ssh tunnelling is the best method for X11. I think something is explicitly unsetting DISPLAY, but the above should work as a workaround. I think it is what you wanted in the first place, but in my opinion is fiddly and prone to error. I hope it works, and maybe someone else will know what is going on.

Andrew

[PaulHuffman]

Still doesn't work. pauleseries is in the Solaris server's host file, but it didn't work to also setenv DISPLAY to the Ubuntu PC's IP address.

pahto% setenv DISPLAY pauleseries:0
pahto% xauth nmerge myauth $DISPLAY
xauth: (argv):1: nmerge: unable to open file pauleseries:0
pahto% xclock &
[1] 9238
pahto% Error: Can't open display: pauleseries:0

[apmcd47]

Still doesn't work. pauleseries is in the Solaris server's host file, but it didn't work to also setenv DISPLAY to the Ubuntu PC's IP address.

pahto% setenv DISPLAY pauleseries:0
pahto% xauth nmerge myauth $DISPLAY
xauth: (argv):1: nmerge: unable to open file pauleseries:0
pahto% xclock &
[1] 9238
pahto% Error: Can't open display: pauleseries:0

Okay, my mistake.
xauth nmerge myauthNo $DISPLAY in the xauth nmerge command.

Andrew

[PaulHuffman]

I didn't get an error message after the xauth command this time but it still didn't work:


paul@pauleseries:~$ ssh -X paul@pahto
paul@pahto's password:
Last login: Fri May 29 10:46:25 2009 from pauleseries
Sun Microsystems Inc. SunOS 5.9 Generic May 2002
You have new mail.
pahto% setenv DISPLAY pauleseries:0
pahto% xauth nmerge myauth
pahto% xclock &
[1] 24027
pahto% Error: Can't open display: pauleseries:0

[apmcd47]

Sorry, I give up. I cannot see what is wrong at all.

Anybody else want to have a go?

Andrew