Hi-
is there a way to control a Windows XP box from Linux? I sometimes use Windows Remote Assistance to help my parents with their computer problems, and i'd like to see if there is a way to admin their windows boxes without having to boot into windows on my computer.

Thanks,

-myk

I run TightVNC on my single Windows computer, and Remote Desktop on my Fedora Core 2 laptop to control it.

can you give a brief summary of how the two work together?
in the meantime, i'm looking at the tightvnc webpage.


Thanks,
-myk

On the Windows box, I run the TightVNC server. It sits there waiting for a client to ask for a connection.

On the Linux laptop, I run the Remote Desktop client. It asks for the server to connect to, then a password. Once it connects, it looks almost exactly as if I'm sitting at the Windows box. The only difference is there is a small toolbar at the top of the screen. Otherwise, I have the same desktop as my Windows login, and access to anything as if I was in the back room moving the mouse and hitting the keyboard. I could use the TightVNC port for Linux, but RD is already installed with my KDE, so why install another program?

At work, I use TightVNC to remote administrate the six other computers on the network. Each computer runs the server as a service. I then use the client to connect to any of them I want.

works beautifully, thank you

Just make sure your parents don't have the VNC server running full-time as a service. If they have a full-time connection to the internet, that could be a "bad thing".

will do, thanks for the tip. I can have them just run it when needed.

-myk