I started a remote desktop session, and was able to see all my apps running, from work using VNCviewer. No problem. Until it crashed and I can't connect anymore. I have port 5900 directed to that machine, so I can't really creat another desktop environment. I also have apps running on that desktop I'd like to mess around with. How can I restart that EXACT desktop? I WAS using the normal rfp app that came with Mandriva 2006 and KDE.
But I have since installed tightvnc - whether that makes a difference, I'm not sure.


In short, I used KDE's remote desktop. Basically I want it to behave like Windows XP's RDP. Start an app, close the window, come back to it and its still running.

If the only thing that crashed was your vnc then maybe ssh is still working. You can ssh into the machine. Change to su - and run the command ' /sbin/shutdown -r now '. This would shutdown the system and reboot. As long as everything is setup to start back up then the only things lost is open files.

More detail needed. When system crashed, did you goto the location it was at? Was it crashed there or did some things worked?

Instead of restarting the system then maybe you only need to restart X. Quick way is ssh in and run the command init 3 to goto runlevel 3 which is console/networking. You may lose your ssh connaction. Log back in and run the command init 5 to goto runlevel 5 which is console/networking/Xserver. Mandriva run levels may differ. This is based on Redhat/Fedora/CentOS.

Worst case here is lock files or zombies. You may need to kill X. If pkill is on the system run the command ' pkill X '. If not then to use the regular kill, run the command ' ps -aux ' and find the process number of X. Use command kill -9 process_number '.

See if any of this works.
Brian1

I don't think you understand. I'm not running a rtpical VNC session where you can have ten desktops remotely. I basically have it running like WIndows RDP. One desktop, with apps running on it. I literally have to access desktop 0. Thats the thing.
I don't think its possible.

What has crshed on the the remote system? The entire machine, just your tightvnc connection, just your X session or what do you have to do to reset the system to start working correctly again?

Brian1

Just the VNC process. Beyond that the system is a rock. When I actually get to the machine, everything is fine, except the rfb process is not running. Under KDE, when its running there's a little square icon flating around the desktop - its gone.

Not a tightvnc user but what do you do to restart the system back to normal? Do you have to reboot or can you just restart tightvnc and everything is ready?

Brian1

OK, I'm ucing x0rfbserver
I didn't find a heck of alot about it. http://http://www.grack.com/news/2003/x0rfbserver.html

Can't help you with that one. Heard of it but never tried it. If all you do is restart that app or whatever it is then there are a couple quick ways I now on restarting. Easiest is open an ssh session and restart it on the command line. Another way is to create a cron file that starts every 5 minutes or so that runs a scripts to see if that service is still running. Cannot help you create such a file because not that great at scripting.

How about doing it this way. I cannot remember to website but had found the same info here. I will cut and paste a bit from another post of mine on setting it up.

Now for some more fun edit the remote server /etc/X11/xorg.conf file and then you can vnc to display:0 on 5900. So now you can watch what is going on on display:0 from local machine.

Add the Load "vnc" and Option "passwordFile" "/home/username/.vnc/passwd" in each section below.
Section "Module"
...
Load "vnc"
EndSection
...
Section "Screen"
...
Option "passwordFile" "/home/username/.vnc/passwd"
EndSection

Logout and restart X

You can do a search on load vnc here and probably find more info. Also at http://www.google.com/linux .

In the above post you http link is posted wrong you might edit it so when one clicks on it, it will goto the site.

Hope this helps.
Brian1