Hey, this is the first time I've posted a problem here, so I hope I get some help

I've configured my xstartup script to run "startkde &", and I created a starup script that runs vncserver as that partifular user.

Now here's my problem:

When the linux machine boots up, VNC starts, but kde doesn't load. I only get a grey screen and a terminal. If I stop the process (vncserver -kill :1) and restart it again, then everything works as expected.

Is there anything that I'm missing or overlooking?

Welcome to LQ.

Is vncserver running as the same user both times?

Can you post the output of:
ps -ef | grep vnc

before you kill it the first time and after you restart it.

BTW, I'm using slackware 9.1

This is my vnc xstartup:

#!/bin/sh

[ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
xsetroot -solid grey
vncconfig -iconic &
xterm -geometry 80x24+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &
startkde &


This is my rc.vnc (runs at boot):

#!/bin/sh
#
# Startup/Stop script for vncservers for some users.
#

# Set the Path
#PATH=/usr/X11R6/bin

case "$1" in

'start')
/bin/su - user1 -c "export PATH=$PATH:/usr/X11R6/bin:/usr/local/bin ; /usr/local/bin/vncserver :1"
/bin/su - user2 -c "export PATH=$PATH:/usr/X11R6/bin:/usr/local/bin ; /usr/local/bin/vncserver :2"

;;

'stop')
/bin/su - user1 -c "export PATH=$PATH:/usr/X11R6/bin:/usr/local/bin ; /usr/local/bin/vncserver -kill :1"
/bin/su - user2 -c "export PATH=$PATH:/usr/X11R6/bin:/usr/local/bin ; /usr/local/bin/vncserver -kill :2"

;;

*)
echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/rc.vnc { start | stop }"
;;

esac



Okay, now, I would just like to mention that the export PATH needs to be there, because otherwise I get an xauth path not found error.
(it appears that the su doesn't load the users environment correctly)

Here is the output I get (with the usernames modified):

user1 728 1 0 11:29 ? 00:00:00 Xvnc :1 -desktop paulnet:1 (user1) -httpd /usr/local/vnc/classes -auth /home/user1/.Xauthority -geometry 1024x768 -depth 16 -rfbwait 30000 -rfbauth /home/user1/.vnc/passwd -rfbport 5901 -pn -fp /opt/kde/share/fonts/override,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local/,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fon
user2 754 1 0 11:29 ? 00:00:00 Xvnc :2 -desktop paulnet:2 (user2) -httpd /usr/local/vnc/classes -auth /home/user2/.Xauthority -geometry 1024x768 -depth 16 -rfbwait 30000 -rfbauth /home/user2/.vnc/passwd -rfbport 5902 -pn -fp /opt/kde/share/fonts/override,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local/,/usr/X11R6
user1 756 1 0 11:29 ? 00:00:00 vncconfig -iconic
user2 775 1 0 11:29 ? 00:00:00 vncconfig -iconic
root 828 800 0 11:51 pts/0 00:00:00 grep vnc

You only seem to have shown the output before or after and havn't specified which - either way I don't think it is finding "startkde". Try using "/opt/kde/bin/startkde" instead of "startkde" in the xstartup script

Okay, I added the entire path to startkde, and it still doesn't work. However, when I load up vnc I get an error (from xwindows, I guess) that says: "Could not start kdeinit. Check your installation".


Btw, the output I listed was from BEFORE I restarted vnc.

Looks like that path needs to be set first. At the top of xstartup (before startkde) add:
PATH="/opt/kde/bin:"$PATH

Thank you!!!

That worked!



Do you (or anyone) have any idea why my path doesn't seem to carry over properly at boot? (especially when I do su?)

Your PATH variable will only last for a session. In slack, when you invoke a bash login shell it will read /etc/profile which in turn will source any scripts matching /etc/profile.d/*.sh - there is a kde.sh script and this is what normally loads the extra path.