Can’t start Xserver in remote ssh session – X11 forwarding problem ?

[cfmarshall]

I’ve recently loaded Ubuntu 9.1 server and installed the desktop.

I have a Radeon HD 2600 PRO video card and I managed to get the GUI working after installing the latest Catalyst 9.10 drivers (ati-driver-installer-9-10-x86.x86_64.run) and
following the guidance of http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubuntu_Jaunty_Installation_Guide.
.

Everything apparently works as it should on the server. The desktop is displayed as expected and all apps work.

However, I want to run a secure remote desktop from my Acer 8930 laptop using Windows Vista Home Premium within my local network.

Following the advice in http://digitizor.com/2009/03/01/how-to-forward-an-x11-session-to-windows-over-ssh/ I have loaded Xming and putty on the client and openssh-server on the server.

I can use putty to open a ssh terminal session and successfully logon.

My problems start when I “startx -- :1”.

My log is as follows:


X.Org X Server 1.6.4
Release Date: 2009-9-27
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.24-23-server i686 Ubuntu
Current Operating System: Linux ubserver 2.6.31-15-generic-pae #50-Ubuntu SMP Tue Nov 10 16:12:10 UTC 2009 i686
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-15-generic-pae root=UUID=9bcdfcb1-d12b-490e-8a99-7ea961009e9b ro quiet splash
Build Date: 26 October 2009 05:15:02PM
xorg-server 2:1.6.4-2ubuntu4 (buildd@)
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.1.log", Time: Sat Nov 28 17:22:50 2009
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
FATAL: Module fglrx not found.
(EE) fglrx(0): atiddxDriScreenInit failed, GPS not been initialized.
(EE) fglrx(0): XMM failed to open CMMQS connection.
[glesx] __glESXExtensionInit: No GL ES2.0 capable screen found!
The XKEYBOARD keymap compiler (xkbcomp) reports:
> Warning: Type "ONE_LEVEL" has 1 levels, but <RALT> has 2 symbols
> Ignoring extra symbols
Errors from xkbcomp are not fatal to the X server
The XKEYBOARD keymap compiler (xkbcomp) reports:
> Warning: Type "ONE_LEVEL" has 1 levels, but <RALT> has 2 symbols
> Ignoring extra symbols
Errors from xkbcomp are not fatal to the X server
The XKEYBOARD keymap compiler (xkbcomp) reports:
> Warning: Type "ONE_LEVEL" has 1 levels, but <RALT> has 2 symbols
> Ignoring extra symbols
Errors from xkbcomp are not fatal to the X server

Lovely.

My xorg.conf looks like this :


Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "aticonfig Layout"
Screen 0 "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0" 0 0
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "Module"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
Option "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
Option "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
Option "DPMS" "true"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
Driver "fglrx"
Option "UseFastTLS" "1"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"
Device "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
Monitor "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

My Xwrapper.config has “allowed_users = anybody” set.

My user account has read and write access to both .Xauthority and .ICEauthority.

“Xauth list” on the remote ssh terminal session produces :


ubserver /unix:0 MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 9b4476fd0c44ad0803aa711fe7ded165
ubserver.lan:0 MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 9b4476fd0c44ad0803aa711fe7ded165
ubserver /unix:10 MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 20fdbb9ad4692691233db7374ebc100a

If I run “sudo fglrxinfo” from my remote ssh terminal I get


“Error: Unable to open display (null)”.

Interestingly, when I “sudo fglrxinfo” from my terminal on the server I get :


X Error of failed request: BadRequest (invalid request code or no such operation)
Major opcode of failed request: 135 (GLX)
Minor opcode of failed request: 19 (X_GLXQueryServerString)
Serial number of failed request: 14
Current serial number in output stream: 14

I would very much appreciate any advice.

Many Thanks,
Colin

[scorp123]

Why not start GNOME directly? You don't need the "startx" script at all. For Unix-like OS the syntax would be:

ssh -X remote-user@server gnome-session

I'd say if you have X11 working locally in Windows (Hummingbird Exceed, Xming, whatever ...) and configured "Putty" for X11 forwarding you could simply test the connection with something simple, e.g.

xclock
xterm
gnome-terminal

If those work then remotely launching the full desktop should work too.

[cfmarshall]

Thanks for the prompt reply scorp123 (http://ubuntuforums.org/member.php?u=109288).

xclock
xterm
gnome-terminal
All the above work after ssh -X command within putty on my laptop.

Maybe I'm asking the wrong question - what is the command line to remotely launch my full desktop ? (I thought it was startx...)

[scorp123]

Maybe I'm asking the wrong question - what is the command line to remotely launch my full desktop ? Maybe you could read posting #2 again? All of it? Not just the lower parts? ... ;)

[cfmarshall]

I can't run ssh from Vista, so I opened a putty terminal and logged on to the remote server and tried "ssh -X user@servername gnome-session". It returned


** (gnome-session:3738:WARNING **:Cannot open display:

Any thoughts ?

[cfmarshall]

Aha !

We are getting somewhere.

I can open Kubuntu desktop using the StartKDE command.

I think this must mean the issue lies in the gnome configuration, but for now I'm happy using KDE.

Thanks for the help.