Thread: How to Setup & Config vnc4server for Linux Debian or Ubuntu

This might be helpful to a few out there. When I first got into dedicated servers, I had trouble getting vnc4server to work my self. Even with all the tutorials out there, I found they were basically for people who know Linux and Terminal. So I thought I would redo the tutorials I found and add all needed commands and steps, for dedicated servers/seedbox noobs...

NOW WITH UBUNTU YOU DNT GET ROOT YOU GET SUPERUSER, UNTIL YOU CREATE ROOT WITH

Code:

SUDO BASH

THEN ENTER PASSWORD ""WHICH YOU NOW CREATE FOR ROOT"" LATER TO ACCESS ROOT JUST USE "SU" TO ACCESS ROOT.
SO IF YOU USER SUPER USER TO SETUP VNC, WHERE EVER YOUR ASKED TO USE ROOT, IN THIS POST, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS USE SUDO AND THAT WILL GOVE YOU THE CREDENTIALS NEEDED.

This TUT is how to install VNC off a windows pc via SSH to your LINUX server.. If you use MAC or LINUX as your home pc then you might use a dif tool to SSH to the server, BUT THE SETUP PROCES IS THE SAME FROM SECTION 2 TO THE END....

First of all, You will need root credentials to be able to complete this tutorial...

After you receive your server, 9/10x the server already come with Linux OS installed.

1: Your first step is to download and run PUTTY for WINDOWS on your PC. After downloaing putty, double click on the .exe file & enter the host name or IP into the required section & enter port 22, in the port section next to the IP. Then down below you will see a section called Saved Session, Give your session a name & save.

Now you can always start your session, by highlighting your newly named session and clicking on Load then Open

OK now we have PUTTY installed and we are able to connect to our Server

2: Your next step is to make sure your Server is up to date, with all the latest UPDATES
So open PUTTY & login, then your first command would be

Code:

apt-get update

Let it run and install all the updates needed. Then reboot your server by typing the following command.

Code:

reboot

Now re-open PUTTY


3: Now we want to install vnc4server, by typing the following command.

Code:

apt-get install vnc4server

4: After all is installed you should complete the following as normal user and not root. So Login As what ever user you have, if not create a user by using the command

Code:

useradd <username>

Because it is very unsafe to login to vnc as root, your just asking for trouble..

5: Again in PUTTY type the following. NOTICE AFTER vncserver there is a :1 that is the port numver of the user, so for 2nd user it would be vncserver :2 and so on...

Code:

vncserver :1 -geometry 1024x768 -depth 16
or
vncserver :1 -geometry 1024x768 -depth 24

6: Once you type the above command u will be prompted for a password. This is the password u will set for vnc to connect to the server.
Enter any password you like

Now that its installed, we can change the setting for the vnc4server.But before we do that we have to kill the server.

7: Type the following command into PUTTY

Code:

vncserver -kill :1

8: Then

Code:

nano /home/userXX/.vnc/xstartup

(userXX = your user name) This will open a text editor, where we will configure vnc.

Paste all this code into the text editor we just opened

Code:

Code:

#!/bin/sh

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

gnome-session &

[ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
[ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
xsetroot -solid grey
vncconfig -iconic &
# xterm -geometry 80x24+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &
twm &

Now everything is done. All you have to do is to restart the system which is good for the setting to work properly.

9: Type the following

Code:

reboot

10: Once you have restarted your server, we need to start the vnc server by typing the following into PUTTY & your done.

Code:

vncserver

11: Install and Run VNC Viewer on your PC, and ENJOY

Now you can do the same for the following users, if required. For the next user, login as that user & follow on from step (4) to step (11)

i.e (4) #vncserver :2 -geometry 1024x768 -depth 16

to (10) Restart the server again and start vnc server..

Also make sure to start vnc server in the same order as the ports originally assigned for each user, otherwise which ever user u start first will be on port :1 etc

YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW THE SAME STEPS, IF YOU ARE INSTALLING A HOME SERVER AND WANT TO SETUP VNC4SERVER SO YOU CAN CONNECT FROM WORK, ONLY YOU WOULDN'T NEED PUTTY. ALL YOU WOULD DO IS REPLACE THE PUTTY STEP FOR TERMINAL, SINCE YOU ARE WORKING ON THE SERVER LOCALLY

I hope this helps a few users out there.

Title is misleading. I thought it was for ubuntu and debian but it is for Windows.

LOL were the hell you get your info from mate...
This tutorial is for linux as I wrote for LINUX and have always INSTALL it on LINUX..
LOL I install VNC server on LINUX and you can connect to it from any pc, this tut is how to install the server, via putty (ssh) on a windows pc..

PLS NEXT IF YOU DNT KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT, ITS BEST TO KEEP IT TO YOUR SELF...

Dude, there's no need to get smart like that. It was just an honest mistake aturey made. U could of easily explained yourself and how u could use this tutorial for local install or remote install regardless of what OS u are using.

Also, i found some mistakes i would like to correct if u dont mind. First, there's no need to restart your server or any Linux Distro, while installing VNC or updating. Working with Linux is not like working with Windows and u can go months without restarting even after installing/updating everything, unless u have a kernel upgrade.

Next, if you are logged in as root then there's no need to run sudo, as u are the root user. However, in order to run the command sudo, with new user, u need sudo installed and the new user added to the sudoers list. U should explain this in the tutorial or some users trying to install VNC will get errors. Also, when updating, u should always upgrade as well. It doesnt necessarily need to be done, but i suggest it. Last, when creating new users u should create the /home/user/ dir also with -m command. By just using the "useradd" command the default is not to make the dir.

U can configure all of VNC first and then start the VNC server last to make it easier and remember u need a GUI or Window manager installed. I suggest doing that first then installing VNC, but u could do it either way. Anyway, thanks for the tutorial and good work.

hi mate If you read your mates post he was having a go at me, it wasnt me having a go at him. and all i said was to make sure you know what your talking about before you go accusing ppl of misleading...
all im trying to do here is make a few tuts to help put other users, and mate if you dnt mind only one of your points is valid, because yes you can go months without rebooting, but Ive been using linux for a years and like to think I know what Im talking about, its always best to reboot for the settings to work without any hickups, also your last point about starting vncserver at the end, when you run the command at step 5 that automatically starts vnc server, I do this setup on a weekly basis for my self on my servers and also for friends. and not once have my setups gone bad...

for sudo yes your right you dnt need it as root, but I originally made this tut like 5mins after I did my first setup and was only a beginer, basically with ubuntu yopu dnt get root unless you use the command

Code:

sudo bash

so in other words you are running as a superuser until you run that command to unlock the root user, so my mistake wasnt that sudo it was the fact that I called a superuser root, and havent changed it (which I will)...

but going back to my point, Im not here to argue with anyone and really Im not even here for invites but just to eventually off and GA what I have but there is no need to jump at me for trying to help, if he thought I had made errors, he could of simple mentioned them without accusing me of false pretenses..
I thought I was actually polite compared to the accusations he made...


Thanks and I look forward to making more tutorials...
also I take requests, so if your after a tut that's not available, then just ask & ill be glad to post it...

Ok, point understood and i am not here to argue with u and im simply going by what i see. Your tutorial was very helpful and im sure it will help many users here, but please remember u are not the only person here who has experience with Linux or servers. U are going to run into criticism and as a Linux user myself and as a person who sets up countless servers & tutorials, i was simply correcting the mistakes i had seen. I am happy u are here and look forward to more tutorials from u. I would expect the same thing from u if i made a tutorial that needed correction. Its all about helping people here and working as a community. Thats all and u need to understand that.

There are many ways to get to root user besides "sudo bash". Another is "su" and so and so on, but u are not running as "superuser" till your user is added to the sudoers list and till u have "sudo" installed. Your are running as "normal user". If u are not in the sudoers list then running the command sudo will not work. If it did, u would have many users running root commands on servers or distro's where they are unauthorized to. It would be a security risk.

Also, its not "my point" that a server does not need to be restarted. Thats a fact. The only time u need to restart Linux is for a kernel upgrade or the changing of a system config file. For example, u would need to restart if u changed a "ulimit" for it to take effect. For the VNC, yes u can do it exactly how your tutorial shows, but i was just trying to help u so u could make it easier. U can configure all of VNC first then start the server last instead of killing, starting, kiliing and starting.

Again, im not here to argue with u and im here to be your friend. I love talking to other Linux users cause i know i still have some to learn. Thanks again for the tutorial and i hope to see more soon.

mate you say one thing but then do the other lol...
Im not here to argue with anyone but I take it personal as and other user would if they were attacked for no reason, and specially if the acusation is false... you say your not going to argue wit me but then you try point out my flaws, which are wrong by the way.., lets just put this aside and leave it, your mate wanted to throw accusations, but he was wrong and we can leave it at that..

Ok i guess im wrong then. What aturey said was not in any way harmful and he just didnt know, but u got defensive with him and now u are getting defensive with me for just trying to help u. Anyway, im gonna do what u said and leave as is, so im apologizing, sorry.

Apology excepted and I hope we can leave this behind us... I'm not here to make enemy's, and at the same time I dnt like being accused of something I haven't done.
so yep I hope we can put this behind us, and maybe next time we talk it will be on better grounds, because if you got to know me you would know I'm a good friendly person, as I'm sure you are...
I'm sorry you got caught up in this mess, no harm done I hope...
Cheers...