I have an old PC on which I want to install openSuse 11.1. After install the PC will sit as a box minus any screen or keyboard. I aim to access it using VNC from another VISTA laptop.
How should I configure the linux box to support this scenario?
In otherwords I want to be able to switch on a Linux box that has no keyboard or screen, and then connect to it from a remote laptop using VNC?
That’s not too hard to do. But first, there’s an ongoing VNC bug in 11.0 and 11.1. Your approach depends a bit on which Desktop Environment you would like to have served from the headless machine. So which Desktop would you like to have served up?
What do you mean by which desktop? Please be aware that I’m a relative Linux newbie.
Typically, one chooses either Gnome or KDE4 for their desktop, during the installation. One can also choose “other” (or something like that) where one can pick KDE3 (KDE-3.5.10) or Xfce or other desktops.
vnc has some problems with KDE4, … but KDE3 functions.
I was using vnc with KDE3 (on openSUSE-11.1) to work on my mother’s PC earlier today (her PC is in North America, and I am in Europe).
So are you saying that if I choose Gnome it will work?
No, … you asked what was meant by a desktop. … I noted their are different desktops, and Gnome is one of them.
I use the KDE3 desktop. I do not use Gnome. I do not know much about Gnome and I can not answer questions that are related to the Gnome desktop.
So if I install openSuse 11.1 with KDE3, how do I configure the install to achieve what I’m after?
Post withdrawn
Post#3 in the following thread documents how I do this:
VNC usage - openSUSE Forums
I find this does not work with KDE4.
Is there any way to configure VNC on OpenSuse with KDE4.
If not, is there any other Desktop Remote program that can achieve access to “headless” OpenSuse 11.2 KDE 4.3 machine from Vista
This tutorial shows how: TightVNC (VNC Xvnc) on openSUSE as Client or Server (Remote Desktop Connections)
Do you need to instal TightVNC on the client machine to access this? I am quite new to networking but would really benefit from remote desktop connection, and given that I’m currently finding my Suse installation much more efficient than my Windows one, I would mind doing this through Suse. Also, is it possible to enable a remote switch on, whereby my machine at home can use network boot, but remotely? can’t find anything online. many thanks for the help.
For an openSUSE client: You need the program :vncviewer" and it comes bundled into TightVNC, so even though you don’t need “vncserver” on a client, you need to install TightVNC to get the viewer.
For a windows client: The TightVNC installation .exe file contains several programs, and gives you the option to select only the viewer and to bypass installing the server program.
Also, is it possible to enable a remote switch on, whereby my machine at home can use network boot, but remotely? can’t find anything online. many thanks for the help.
I don’t know how to switch a machine on if it’s off (remotely). Perhaps you should post a new thread specifically on that issue. But if you can get the computer started remotely, if you’ve set up TightVNC on the machine to start at boot time as explained in the tutorial, it will be available automatically after the boot finishes.
sorry for the daft question and thank you for your help, is there any other remote access software I can instal on a Suse server so that a windows client will not require installation? ideally a free one?
There’s RDP (XRDP) but it’s not supported (i.e. doesn’t work) in openSUSE 11.2. It does work in 11.1.
FFI: Windows Linux RDP Remote Desktop Connections using openSUSE as Client or Server (terminal server)
ok thanks for the quick reply. Is there any service that works with 11.2? really quite desperate to get remote desktop working and just found out there is no way for me to do in windows as have home edition and need professional, really would rather get it going in linux anyways. If anyone knows of a remote desktop package working in 11.2, all ears, lol.
cheers again 
You can run a vnc server on suse 11.2 and a vnc client on windows – works like a remote desktop.
I have something like that working. It’s fairly simple.
There seem to be 2 problems, and both can be worked around.
There may be a problem with IPV6. Using yast2 /etc/sysconfig editor, deselect (turn off) ipv6 in network -> firewall and in the desktop -> window manager.
the gnome and KDE display managers seem to have a problem with VNC. switch the desktop -> display manager to xdm.
Then change the default runlevel to 3 (you can do this in /etc/sysconfig or in system services -> advanced).
This worked for me.
David
Sorry, I should have added:
to configure remote desktop, turn it on in remote administration, and allow it in the firewall.
in network services, enable the VNC & vnc-http options 1-3. These give you different sizes of remote screen.
David