Setting up Ubuntu desktop

"vncserver :1" by itself does not let you "see the desktop". It launches the VNC server. As the instructions mention afterwards, you have to do some more legwork on the client side to connect to the VNC server. Have you done that?

The instructions afterwards seem to be referring to the connecting via vnc, which is less of an issue right now. The first thing is I need to see the desktop. That doesn't have to be using a VNC client like tightvnc for now. I could set that up later.

I used "Lish via Ajaxterm" to see the command line. Can I not launch the desktop from the command line and see it in that window?

The only way you can connect to a vnc server is using a vnc client. The only way you can see a desktop is through vnc, you cannot run one through lish.

Thanks Chris, I was not aware of that. Ok, I have used VNC Viewer to login. You can see what I typed and viewed in the text below. Does this give anyone an idea of what I might be doing wrong? I feel so close!!

> root@localhost:~# startup

startup: command not found

root@localhost:~# startx

X.Org X Server 1.15.1

Release Date: 2014-04-13

X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0

Build Operating System: Linux 3.2.0-76-generic x86_64 Ubuntu

Current Operating System: Linux localhost 4.1.0-x8664-linode59 #1 SMP Mon Jun 22 10:39:23 EDT 2015 x8664

Kernel command line: root=/dev/xvda xencons=tty console=tty1 console=hvc0 nosep nodevfs ramdisksize=32768 ipconntrack.hashsize=8192 nf_conntrack.hashsize=8192 ro devtmpfs.mount=1

Build Date: 12 February 2015 02:49:29PM

xorg-server 2:1.15.1-0ubuntu2.7 (For technical support please see http://www.ubuntu.com/support)

Current version of pixman: 0.30.2

Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org

to make sure that you have the latest version.

Markers: (–) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,

(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,

(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.

(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Mon Jul 13 17:54:47 2015

(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"

Initializing built-in extension Generic Event Extension

Initializing built-in extension SHAPE

Initializing built-in extension MIT-SHM

Initializing built-in extension XInputExtension

Initializing built-in extension XTEST

Initializing built-in extension BIG-REQUESTS

Initializing built-in extension SYNC

Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD

Initializing built-in extension XC-MISC

Initializing built-in extension SECURITY

Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA

Initializing built-in extension XFIXES

Initializing built-in extension RENDER

Initializing built-in extension RANDR

Initializing built-in extension COMPOSITE

Initializing built-in extension DAMAGE

Initializing built-in extension MIT-SCREEN-SAVER

Initializing built-in extension DOUBLE-BUFFER

Initializing built-in extension RECORD

Initializing built-in extension DPMS

Initializing built-in extension Present

Initializing built-in extension DRI3

Initializing built-in extension X-Resource

Initializing built-in extension XVideo

Initializing built-in extension XVideo-MotionCompensation

Initializing built-in extension SELinux

Initializing built-in extension XFree86-VidModeExtension

Initializing built-in extension XFree86-DGA

Initializing built-in extension XFree86-DRI

Initializing built-in extension DRI2

Loading extension GLX

(EE)

Fatal server error:

(EE) no screens found(EE)

(EE)

Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support

at http://wiki.x.org

for help.

(EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.

(EE)

(EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.

xinit: giving up

xinit: unable to connect to X server: Connection refused

xinit: server error

root@localhost:~#

root@localhost:~#

root@localhost:~# vncserver :1

A VNC server is already running as :1

root@localhost:~# startx

X.Org X Server 1.15.1

Release Date: 2014-04-13

X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0

Build Operating System: Linux 3.2.0-76-generic x86_64 Ubuntu

Current Operating System: Linux localhost 4.1.0-x8664-linode59 #1 SMP Mon Jun 22 10:39:23 EDT 2015 x8664

Kernel command line: root=/dev/xvda xencons=tty console=tty1 console=hvc0 nosep nodevfs ramdisksize=32768 ipconntrack.hashsize=8192 nf_conntrack.hashsize=8192 ro devtmpfs.mount=1

Build Date: 12 February 2015 02:49:29PM

xorg-server 2:1.15.1-0ubuntu2.7 (For technical support please see http://www.ubuntu.com/support)

Current version of pixman: 0.30.2

Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org

to make sure that you have the latest version.

Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,

(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,

(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.

(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Mon Jul 13 17:55:18 2015

(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"

Initializing built-in extension Generic Event Extension

Initializing built-in extension SHAPE

Initializing built-in extension MIT-SHM

Initializing built-in extension XInputExtension

Initializing built-in extension XTEST

Initializing built-in extension BIG-REQUESTS

Initializing built-in extension SYNC

Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD

Initializing built-in extension XC-MISC

Initializing built-in extension SECURITY

Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA

Initializing built-in extension XFIXES

Initializing built-in extension RENDER

Initializing built-in extension RANDR

Initializing built-in extension COMPOSITE

Initializing built-in extension DAMAGE

Initializing built-in extension MIT-SCREEN-SAVER

Initializing built-in extension DOUBLE-BUFFER

Initializing built-in extension RECORD

Initializing built-in extension DPMS

Initializing built-in extension Present

Initializing built-in extension DRI3

Initializing built-in extension X-Resource

Initializing built-in extension XVideo

Initializing built-in extension XVideo-MotionCompensation

Initializing built-in extension SELinux

Initializing built-in extension XFree86-VidModeExtension

Initializing built-in extension XFree86-DGA

Initializing built-in extension XFree86-DRI

Initializing built-in extension DRI2

Loading extension GLX

(EE)

Fatal server error:

(EE) no screens found(EE)

(EE)

Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support

at http://wiki.x.org

for help.

(EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.

(EE)

(EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.

xinit: giving up

xinit: unable to connect to X server: Connection refused

xinit: server error

root@localhost:~#

Was that list too much? I only typed in about 3 lines! Most was auto generated.

This is above my pay grade :), but I actually don't think you need startx, as there is no graphics card installed. A question, what desktop do you have installed? I'm not sure if gnome is installed by default on Ubuntu, so the line in /.vnc/xstartup would not be gnome-session & , it would be something else. Some Googling brought up some info that looks like the default Unity desktop might not work well with vnc. You might try installing the Gnome desktop.

Hopefully, someone who really knows will chime in :)