I have just purchased a new server which has a basic Debian Sarge 3.1 install on it currently.

With my previous servers I have settled with the command prompt as my method of connecting to the server. However, I would now like to install a GUI on the server which would allow me to login to a desktop environment remotely using VNC or a similar program.

I have a dual boot computer at home with Debian Sarge and XP Home on it. Could some kind person please post some instructions on how to achieve this. Any help would be very much appreciated.

You're about to violate rule #1 of linux security:

ALWAYS only run the stuff that's absolutely required. The more
stuff you have going, the more potential exploits you get. Running
X on a server is POOR practice.


That said: all you should need to do is to ssh into the box (since
it's a server I assume that it has network connectivity) and do
apt-get install tightvncserver



Cheers,
Tink

Yeah, I know it would reduce the security of the server but I've been trying to install DNS management software and rar and have now incurred 200 euros of service fees when the kernel gets knackered. The first 100 was me trying to install the relevant software, the other 100 was a mate who said he was proficient with Linux and then did exactly what me, the Linux newb, did !!

I was thinking a GUI would make the installation process a lot easier than struggling with the command line and breaking the kernel.

How on earth did you manage to break the kernel trying to
install/setup DNS?


Cheers,
Tink

You should have been just fine install BIND (by far the most common DNS service in the world) from the command line. Something like:

would put BIND on your machine, then configure the hosts you want it to be authoritative for in the named.conf file, which is usually either in /etc/named.conf or /etc/bind/named.conf. Adding a gui to the server will not in any way, shape, or form automate the process of installing software.

Peace,
JimBass

I broke it by adding a non-free source to add rar and unrar. I then apt-get'd bind and rar unrar. That installed intird-tools or something like that and yaird but they broke the kernel !

I suggest to install aptitude (if you don't have it already) and use that as semi-graphical enviroment for installing other software.Then invoke aptitude on the cli:Read the man page for aptitude and the help function within aptitude to learn on the commands it uses. You'll find it an indispensable piece of software on your server

Like previous contributors already stated: installing a GUI on a server is generally considered Bad Practice(tm) The fact that Microsoft (shudder) does it doesn't mean you must follow their Bad Example(tm)

OK, done that Dutch. Was a lot more helpful that struggling at the command line !!

Any pointers as to setting my server up as a nameserver so I can point a domain name that I own to it rather than having to type in the IP address ? Or should I start a new thread

Like JimBass said: get bind on your system, read the man-pages, understand what the default config-file does and configure bind according to your situation

Static ip?

Yes, the IP of my server is static.

I don't know if you even need to do anything with bind. Have you tried pointing your domain name at your static ip with a webserver running? If you run a router, you do need to forward the appropriate ports (80 for www) to the appropriate local machine. I have a named ip and just use debian with apache2 and the stock bind9, no config after install. Also I run postfix/courier imap,pop and sshd on the same machine with no problem.

Someone feel free to correct me if I'm misleading....

Not as easy as you would think I've run that command and started the server (number :1) but when I try and connect from my XP machine using TightVNC for windows I get "Failed to connect to Server".

Before anyone mentions firewalls, the ports are open on my router at home and I have temporarily disabled the firewall on the Debian server so all traffic is allowed.

Would it be easier for me to try and connect from my Debian desktop machine instead ?

Yes it would. Just use ssh to log in remotely (and more importantly: secure) from your Debian desktop. Once you're in, use aptitude like you would do if you'd be working locally on the server.