Problems Connecting to xrdp xfce desktop after Ubuntu Upgrade

NuxIT · 05-03-2012, 10:02 PM

Hi, I just upgraded my linux box from 11.10 to 12.04 last night. Everything went smooth except for one issue. I use xrdp over ssh to connect to the machine remotely. After the upgrade on the first boot I had an issue where it said failed to load gnome. Well, I found a rather hidden drop down menu in the default x-gui and managed to get back to my xfce desktop by choosing it. So, that's not an issue anymore when logged in locally.

The last time I did an upgrade I didn't have this remote issue with it trying to load gnome. It just stuck with the default xfce which is what I want because this is an old machine and xfce works great remotely.

So, now when I try to connect to my ubuntu machine remotely using Windows mstsc (remote desktop)I get the same failed to load gnome message I got on first boot up. However, I can't change anything on the remote session to choose xfce like I did locally. Here's my screen shots and my xrdp.ini file.

I can't determine what gui/session environment the xrdp specifies but I don't see gnome or xfce in the file. It used to just connect to xfce fine before the upgrade. It also didn't have this issue previous upgrade. Any ideas how I cant get xrdp to load xfce again?

Xrdp login (note I've always used the sesman-Xvnc to connect to desktop using xrpd. Their are other drop downs for just xrdp but that doesn't work and apparently requires very low resolution.

Xrdp login
http://home.comcast.net/~16v/linux/xrdplogin.png

Gnome error:
http://home.comcast.net/~16v/linux/gnomeerror.png

Sry couldn't figure out how to turn on html code and img tags. Thx for any/all help! I'd rather use xrdp but I'll try a vpn connection if necessary but this has always worked for my remote needs.

xrdp.ini

Code:

[globals]
bitmap_cache=yes
bitmap_compression=yes
port=3355
crypt_level=low
channel_code=1

[xrdp1]
name=sesman-Xvnc
lib=libvnc.so
username=ask
password=ask
ip=127.0.0.1
port=-1

[xrdp2]
name=console
lib=libvnc.so
ip=127.0.0.1
port=5900
username=na
password=ask

[xrdp3]
name=vnc-any
lib=libvnc.so
ip=ask
port=ask5900
username=na
password=ask

[xrdp4]
name=sesman-any
lib=libvnc.so
ip=ask
port=-1
username=ask
password=ask

[xrdp5]
name=rdp-any
lib=librdp.so
ip=ask
port=ask3389

[xrdp6]
name=sesman-X11rdp
lib=libxup.so
username=ask
password=ask
ip=127.0.0.1
port=-1

NuxIT · 05-03-2012, 11:06 PM

Ok, I've done some searching and apparently I'll need to modify this file. At least it appears that way. Not sure what this file had in it previous to update to 12.04.

/etc/xrdp$ cat startwm.sh
#!/bin/sh

if [ -r /etc/default/locale ]; then
. /etc/default/locale
export LANG LANGUAGE
fi

. /etc/X11/Xsession

Any suggestions? Thx, tired and need some zzzzz's

NuxIT · 05-04-2012, 07:08 AM

Still diggin. I think it's between a few files. Any suggestions?

cat sesman.ini
[Globals]
ListenAddress=127.0.0.1
ListenPort=3350
EnableUserWindowManager=1
UserWindowManager=startwm.sh
DefaultWindowManager=startwm.sh

[Security]
AllowRootLogin=1
MaxLoginRetry=4
TerminalServerUsers=tsusers
TerminalServerAdmins=tsadmins

[Sessions]
MaxSessions=10
KillDisconnected=0
IdleTimeLimit=0
DisconnectedTimeLimit=0

[Logging]
LogFile=/var/log/xrdp-sesman.log
LogLevel=DEBUG
EnableSyslog=0
SyslogLevel=DEBUG

[X11rdp]
param1=-bs
param2=-ac
param3=-nolisten
param4=tcp

[Xvnc]
param1=-bs
param2=-ac
param3=-nolisten
param4=tcp

NuxIT · 05-04-2012, 08:45 AM

Well, as a temporary work-around I deleted the startwm.sh and then did a remote desktop connection. It dropped me right to a shell and then I typed startxfce4 and it's in. But this isn't the fix I'm looking for. Any suggestions?

I supposed I'll wipe out xrdp and reinstall to see if that fixes it if no other suggestions.

NuxIT · 05-04-2012, 10:43 PM

Welp, guess I'll respond one more time to my own thread. LOL
I managed to fix this by adding this line to my startwm.sh file.

I changed the last line in this file
FROM:
. /etc/X11/Xsession
TO:
xfce4-session

BAM! xfce4 baby!

cborn · 09-29-2012, 12:26 AM

Thanks, same problem here and your solution worked for me.

minty33 · 10-08-2012, 03:55 PM

thanx for all your work on your own thread. i was having same problem using rdp on my android device to access my mint box. i noticed as you did that the error was same as starting xsession instead of xfce locally. oddly when i fresh install as w/ your upgrade it wants to use xsession as default. i don't know what this is used for. soon as i install some programs i can no longer log in via xsession and must change default to xfce or mate etc...anyway thanx again good work.

Thorium232 · 11-12-2012, 05:15 PM

NuxIT... tnx a lot.. not only you helped me solving the same issue.
I've also laughed my ass off. 1 man army ... lol ... tnx =)

ggoscarl · 12-18-2012, 01:21 AM

Changing to mate-session worked like a charm, thank you!

grief · 05-04-2013, 09:45 PM

Had the same issue and this fixed it. thanks!

NuxIT · 05-04-2013, 10:50 PM

Very Cool! Glad to hear this worked for a lot of people. Didn't know I was solving something so many other people were going to have issues with as well. I was very close to reloading from scratch but kept at it and felt redeemed. LOL Cheers!

jeffry7 · 09-11-2016, 11:02 AM

Thanks NuxIT,

I had XRDP on a CentOS 7 setup. Like you I had configured xfce because the rig run headless and just doesn't need a fancy WM. After a lot of poking around I figured out that the WM was not starting and searching for XRDP and XFCE, I found your post.

This fix is still relevant!

NuxIT · 04-24-2022, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffry7

Thanks NuxIT,

I had XRDP on a CentOS 7 setup. Like you I had configured xfce because the rig run headless and just doesn't need a fancy WM. After a lot of poking around I figured out that the WM was not starting and searching for XRDP and XFCE, I found your post.

This fix is still relevant!

Years later I just noticed this is still fixing a few peoples issues. Glad to hear it!