Here is the situation:
I am trying to connect to my Red Hat 8 Server from my Windows machine using TightVNC viewer. On the Linux server, at the command, I type 'vncserver -geometry 1024x768 -depth 16:1' (without the quotes). I then tried to log into the Linux machine from the Windows machine with the VNC viewer and get a blank screen with a bunch of little dots and my cursor, no desktop. I even tried connect to my Linux server with vnc viewer from itself with the same result.
On the Linux machine, I am using KDE with screen resolution of 1024x768 16 bits. My startup script in /root/.vnc/xstartup looks like this, 'exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc' (without quotes).

Any one have an idea of what is going on and how to fix it?
Thanks in advanced from the Linux Newbie.

In your ~.vnc/xstartup, did you comment out (or delete) the twm line? If you didn't, you're probably trying to start two window managers and that could be screwing things up.

Second idea: rather than point to your .xinitrc, what happens if you just have the startkde command in xstartup?

Second option worked perfectly. I commented out 'exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc' and added the 'startkde'. Worked like a charm.
Thanks for the help.

Hi All

I have more or less the same issue, but my screen is black, I can see the X cursor but nothing else.
I have tried
unset SESSION_MANAGER
#exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc
exec /etc/X11/xinit/startkde

with not much success, any idea's ?

Have you looked in the log files (they should be in ~/.vnc) for some additional clues. I'd also double check that the startkde command is in /etc/X11/xinit. If you run which startkde from the command line, it should tell you where the startkde command is.

By the way, it is usually a better idea to start a new thread than in pulling up ancient ones like this. I know your problem is very related, but if you start a new thread it goes on the zero-reply list until someone replies, and lots of people here monitor that list.

Jut an update for some one who might need help!!

By looking in to the log I have and correcting below error my VNC working properly

/root/.vnc/xstartup: line 24: xsetroot: command not found
/root/.vnc/xstartup: line 25: xterm: command not found

Best of luck

Go fix vnc errors through this site:
http://servercomputing.blogspot.com/...-to-start.html

I am having a similar problem. But I'm not using a KDE interface, so I'm not sure wha tto do differently.

---------- Post added 12-20-11 at 11:14 AM ----------

I am completely new to VNC, and a Linux novice.
I am trying to VNC to our webserver.

Using SSH I enter:
vncserver -geometry 1024x76 8 -depth 16 :8
It is successful:
"New '<SERVER NAME>:8 (root)' desktop is <SERVER NAME>:8

Starting applications specified in /root/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /root/.vnc/<SERVER NAME>:8.log


When I connect via VNC all I can see is a black screen and an "X" for the cursor.
The log file says:

Couldn't open RGB_DB 'usr/share/x11/rgb'

Xvnc Free Edition 4.1.2
Copyright (C) 2002-2005 RealVNC Ltd.
See http://www.realvnc.com for information on VNC.
Underlying X server release 10101000, the X.Org Foundation


Tue Dec 20 10:23:01 2011
vncext: VNC entension running!
vncext: Listening for VNC connections on port 5908
vncext: Listening for HTTP connections on port 5808
vncext: created VNC server for screen 0
error opening security policy file /usr/lib64/xserver/SecurityPolicy
/root/.vnc/xstartup: line 5: /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc: No such file or directory
/root/.vnc/xstartup: line 5: exec: /etc/x11/xinit/xinitrc: cannot execute: No s$
Could not init font path element unix/:7100, removing from list!
Couldn't open RGB_DB 'usr/share/x11/rgb'

Xvnc Free Edition 4.1.2
Copyright (C) 2002-2005 RealVNC Ltd.
See http://www.realvnc.com for information on VNC.
Underlying X server release 10101000, the X.Org Foundation


Tue Dec 20 10:23:01 2011
vncext: VNC entension running!
vncext: Listening for VNC connections on port 5908
vncext: Listening for HTTP connections on port 5808
vncext: created VNC server for screen 0
error opening security policy file /usr/lib64/xserver/SecurityPolicy
/root/.vnc/xstartup: line 5: /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc: No such file or directory
/root/.vnc/xstartup: line 5: exec: /etc/x11/xinit/xinitrc: cannot execute: No s$
Could not init font path element unix/:7100, removing from list!
Couldn't open RGB_DB 'usr/share/x11/rgb'

Tue Dec 20 10:23:07 2011
Connections: accepted: <CLIENT IP ADDRESS>::53982
SConnection: Client needs a protocol version 3.8
SConnection: Clients requess security type VNCAuth(2)

Tue Dec 20 10:23:11 2011
VNCSConnST: Server default pixel format depth 16 (16bpp) little-endian rgb565
VNCSConnST: Client pixel format depth 8 (8bpp) rgb max 3,3,3 shift 4,2,0

Tue Dec 20 10:23:14 2011
Connections: closed: <CLIENT IP ADDRESS>::53982 (Clean disconnection)
SMsgWriter: framebuffer updates 2
SMsgWriter: ZRLE rects 3, bytes 202
SMsgWriter: raw bytes equivalent 786980, compression ration 3895.340594

The xstartup file reads:
#!/bin/sh

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

[ -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" &
startx &