Re: tightvncserver: Could not start screen

[Susam Pal <susam.pal@gmail.com>]

On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 3:38 AM,  <briand@aracnet.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 21 Mar 2011 03:11:47 +0530
> Susam Pal <susam.pal@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Sat, Mar 19, 2011 at 9:28 PM,  <briand@aracnet.com> wrote:
>> > On Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:17:31 +0530
>> > Susam Pal <susam.pal@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >> susam@nifty:~$
>> >>
>> >> Could you please help me n troubleshooting this?
>> >
>> > aaah, here it is:
>> >
>> > #!/bin/sh
>> >
>> > exec /usr/bin/X -nolisten tcp "$@"
>> > xserverrc (END)
>> >
>> > btw, I'm guessing here, I have no idea if it's the problem.
>> >
>> > if you are going from a unix machine to a unix machine I would
>> > consider using ssh with X forwarded, i.e. ssh -X
>> >
>> > Brian
>> >
>>
>> I am running tightvncserver after logging into my GNOME desktop. After
>> logging into my GNOME desktop, I open mrxvt and issue this command
>> from the bash shell there.
>>
>> So, what modifications do I need to make and in which file to allow X
>> to enable TCP access?
>>
>> Susam
>>
>>
>
> from the man-page
>
> :display
>    The display number to use. If omitted, the next free display number
>    is used.
>
> have you tried
>
> vncserver :0
>
> most likely the next free display would be :1, which you are probably
> not running, and would then give you that error.
>
> I think my previous suspicion about tcp connections is wrong.
>
> and, again, if you are going from unix-unix use ssh -X.  if you are
> trying to connect to a windows box, vnc works well.
>
> also
> Brian
>
>

I tried running vncserver :0 but it didn't start. It complained that
there is a lock file already.

susam@nifty:~$ vncserver :0

Warning: nifty:0 is taken because of /tmp/.X0-lock
Remove this file if there is no X server nifty:0
A VNC server is already running as :0

susam@nifty:~$ ps -aef | grep -i vnc
susam     5268  5209  0 12:57 pts/2    00:00:00 grep -i vnc

susam@nifty:~$ ls -l /tmp/.X0-lock
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 11 Mar 17 14:49 /tmp/.X0-lock

susam@nifty:~$ ls -l .vnc/
total 12
-rw-r--r-- 1 susam susam 1012 Mar 19 21:13 nifty:1.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 susam susam    6 Mar 19 21:13 nifty:1.pid
-rw------- 1 susam susam    8 Mar 19 21:06 passwd
susam@nifty:~$

So, I went ahead and deleted the lock file.

susam@nifty:~$ su
Password:
nifty:/home/susam# rm /tmp/.X0-lock
nifty:/home/susam# exit
exit

Tried again and it WORKED! :)

susam@nifty:~$ vncserver :0

New 'X' desktop is nifty:0

Creating default startup script /home/susam/.vnc/xstartup
Starting applications specified in /home/susam/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /home/susam/.vnc/nifty:0.log

susam@nifty:~$ ps -aef | grep vnc
susam     5376     1  0 13:01 pts/2    00:00:00 Xtightvnc :0 -desktop
X -auth /home/susam/.Xauthority -geometry 1024x768 -depth 24 -rfbwait
120000 -rfbauth /home/susam/.vnc/passwd -rfbport 5900 -fp
/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc,/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic,/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled,/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled,/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1,/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi,/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi,/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType
-co /etc/X11/rgb
susam     5408  5209  0 13:01 pts/2    00:00:00 grep vnc
susam@nifty:~$

So, the VNC server did start. I was able to connect to it from a
Windows box, however, I could see only a blank X screen with a cross
shaped pointer. I didn't try anything beyond this. It seems like any
new GUI application we run has to be exported to this display.
However, I want to try something else.

Is there a way to start VNC server such that it makes the current
GNOME desktop available to the remote client?

Regards,
Susam Pal