HOWTO: Set up VNC server with resumable sessions

[Skip Da Shu]

2. I cannot get connected. It shows me the password screen and then it drops as soon as I put the password in.

One swag you might try:

/etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom

[daemon]
#
# Added KillInitClients, changed to =false - SRG
#
KillInitClients=false

[security]

[samosamo]

This tutorial is great, I never had GDM showing for VNC. I think I like it. Now, after closing VNC and reconnecting, why don't I get the login screen again?

If I close my VNC session and then walk away from the comp, someone else can open it up without it asking for a password. I looked through gdm.conf and "man Xvnc" but I couldn't find anything to help me.

here is my config (modified)

service Xvnc
{
        type = UNLISTED
        disable = no
        socket_type = stream
        protocol = tcp
        wait = yes
        user = nobody
        server = /usr/bin/Xvnc
        server_args = -inetd :1 -query localhost -geometry 1280x768 -depth 16 -cc 3 -once -SecurityTypes=none -extension XFIXES -DisconnectClients=0 -NeverShared
        port = 5901
}

[trdc]

If I close my VNC session and then walk away from the comp, someone else can open it up without it asking for a password

That is exactly what it is meant to do:

It is also persistent, meanning that even if you disconnect the VNC client your X session will not end (unless you explicitly log out) and you can reconnect to the same session again.

[chelrob]

You have to log out from Ubuntu first if you want a log in acreen next time you use VNC... otherwise your session stays open, hence resumable sessions.

[birgernator]

I have followed all the instructions here using a xubuntu 8.04 machine and am in much the same place as Tmaleshafske in post 450. the server seems to be listening on port 5901 but every time i try to connect to localhost i get a:
Wed Jun 18 10:38:27 2008
main: End of stream

browsing through var/log/auth.log I found:
Jun 18 10:04:05 VPNsrv02 gdm[5697]: PAM unable to dlopen(/lib/security/pam_gnome_keyring.so)
Jun 18 10:04:05 VPNsrv02 gdm[5697]: PAM [error: /lib/security/pam_gnome_keyring.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory]
Jun 18 10:04:05 VPNsrv02 gdm[5697]: PAM adding faulty module: /lib/security/pam_gnome_keyring.so
Jun 18 10:04:05 VPNsrv02 gdm[5697]: pam_nologin(gdm:auth): cannot determine username

a quick search led me to this thread. so I apt-get install libpam-gnome-keyring. now the error does not appear in the log and instead of nothing happening after entering my pass word when i try vncviewer localhost:1, i get a winodow with black and white checkers and a watch for about 5 seconds. then ends with the same end of stream error in the terminal.

can anybody provide some insight into a 8.04 install?

[birgernator]

inside of the Auth log i am still getting
"pam_nologin(gdm:auth): cannot determine username" each time I try to login. and when the login screen pops up, the username box is greyed out. is this a setting I need to change?

[chelrob]

This tutorial was written two yeas ago for Ubuntu Edgy.

[popie]

Here are the instructions I use, and they work in v8.04.

VNC Server w/Resumable Sessions on Ubuntu
Works in Ubuntu 7.04, 7.10, 8.04, and Mint 4 (Daryna)


Make these changes while logged into gnome:

• Go to System -> Administration -> Login Window (General tab) and uncheck "Disable multiple logins for a single user."
• Now go to the Remote tab. Change Style: to "Same as Local"
• Still on the Remote tab, click "Configure XDMCP," then uncheck "Honor indirect requests."
• Enable Universe repositories in Synaptic. (this wasn't necessary in Ubuntu 8.04)

The remaining changes can be made while SSH'd into the system, or in a terminal window:

• Edit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom

sudo nano /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom

add the following two lines to the existing [security] and [xdmcp] sections:

[security]
DisallowTCP=false
[xdmcp]
Enable=true

• Install packages:

sudo apt-get install vnc4server xinetd

• Set the VNC password

sudo vncpasswd /root/.vncpasswd

• Create a new file Xvnc to add the vnc service to xinetd:

sudo nano /etc/xinetd.d/Xvnc

Paste these contents into the file:

service Xvnc
{
        type = UNLISTED
        disable = no
        socket_type = stream
        protocol = tcp
        wait = yes
        user = root
        server = /usr/bin/Xvnc
        server_args = -inetd :1 -query localhost -geometry 1024x768 -depth 16 -once -fp /usr/share/fonts/X11/misc -DisconnectClients=0 -NeverShared passwordFile=/root/.vncpasswd -extension XFIXES
        port = 5901
}

• Reboot

That's it. I've used these exact instructions on three Ubuntu 8.04 installs without a hitch, as well as 7.04, 7.10, and Mint 4. Good luck.

[pickarooney]

Just so I'm clear on this, is there a way to set up VNC on Kubuntu so that the remote user has the option of logging in using their own session and logging into the existing session to take control of the PC?

I could do with being able to use both options.

[mikeduffy13]

vncpasswd: error while loading shared libraries: libstdc++-libc6.2-2.so.3: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

Why do I keep getting this when I try to change the password??

I can download that library as it says it doesn´t exist...