I don't know if this is the best way, but I would like to setup Mandrake9.2 so that when it boots I can connect to it through VNC or similar connection.

Right now I have to login and start the VNC server manually. I am new to linux CLI so not sure if a pure CLI solution is good for me yet. How would I automate the VNC server during boot and what security issues is there to a machine that currently isn't accessed by internet but would like to in future.

Experiences and options would be helpful.

TIA

Hi xscott! I just finished doing what you are getting ready to do!

I just found this link on how to make VNC more secure http://www.uk.research.att.com/archive/vnc/sshvnc.html might be worth a gander. I will be trying it when I get home

I am running into a similar problem with starting the vnc server that you are, my specific problem was that I can start a program when the system starts up, but with RealVNC, the vncserver actually runs based on the user who ran it. So if you run it as Root, your VNC server will be running under Root, etc! So I am still looking for a solution to starting RealVNC at boot time as a different user.

I currently have no linux box with a monitor attached to it, I see no need to. Through my 100meg full duplex connection and RealVNC I feel like I am sitting right in front of it from my Windoze machine! The only things I have enabled on the machine are SSH, and RealVNC. That's all you need!

P.S. I would highlysuggest completely disabling or removing telnet access, as this completely trash's the security of that system

How / where do you start the vnc service on boot?

On my RedHat boxes, it would be under /etc/rc.local, I am not sure if that is what mandrake is using too.

At the end I just added "/path/to/vncserver".

Do you know of a way to run a program as another user via command prompt?

I just found this online, seems about the only answer:

"Add a cron job for the correct user, specify "@reboot" in place of all 5
time fields. 'man 5 crontab' for more details."

Might be worth a try? I will try it when I get home As usual!

[edit] only answer so far . . . [/edit]

Not yet.

But I have an email to a friend of mine that is close to Guru statis. If/when I find out I will post it.

Awsome that would be great! I would also like to know how to do this!

Was VNC selected during the install?

If so then it should be easy to configure to start up at boot. See chkconfig man pages. Set runlevel 3n for vnc.

It wasn't an included package with my RedHat 9 distro, I'm not sure about Mandrake tho. If that's what you are talking about.