VNCServer
 

hi,

i am logging to a remote linux machine through putty. Do i need that the remote machine have the GUI turned on to use the VNC viewer from my machine while the VNC server is already running there. is there any options in the VNC to override if the GUI is turned off in the remote machine.

To my knowledge and experience with it, vncserver starts an entirely new GUI session, separate from whatever's running currently on the machine. However, you DO need to have X installed and configured properly on that machine.

when you run the program 'vncserver' from putty, it will ask you the default screen number you want to use when you vnc into that machine, ex. :1 ,and then you set the login password.
then when you use tightvnc (or similar) to open your x-window, put that :1 on the end of your ip address, ex: 192.168.2.5:1

It it also a good idea to kill the vncserver when you are done with it, as a security measure...

ps -aux (then find the pid number of the vnc process)
kill XXX (the pid number)
close putty
have an adult beveridge!

hi guys,

thanks very much for your replies.
i got my vncserver and viewer working.
it was some probs with firewalls.

If you are accessing VNC from outside of your LAN, it also would be a good idea to tunnel VNC through and SSH tunnel. VNC is horribly insecure and if you access it over the internet, you're leaving yourself wide open.