Accessing Linux Desktop from Windows XP using TightVNC

You need to use TightVNC server software on Linux and TightVNC client on Windows XP desktop. With TightVNC, you can see the desktop of a remote Linux machine and control it with your local mouse and keyboard, just like you would do it sitting in the front of that computer.

Step 1: Install TightVNC server on Linux

1. Download TightVNC server from www.tightvnc.com into your Linux server.



2. Extract the tar file:
   
    %tar xjvf tightvnc-1.3.10_unixsrc.tar

3. This will create the directory vnc_unixsrc to your current directory. To build everything but Xvnc:

    % cd vnc_unixsrc
    % xmkmf
    % make World

4. To build Xvnc:

    % cd Xvnc
    % ./configure
    % make
    % make install

5. Then you have to copy the programs to some directory which is in your PATH, such as /usr/local/bin. Use the vncinstall script to do this for you:

    % cd ..
    % ./vncinstall /usr/local/bin

6. If you want to use the Java VNC viewer, you should copy the class files from the classes directory to some suitable installation directory such as /usr/local/vnc/classes:

    % mkdir -p /usr/local/vnc/classes
    % cp classes/* /usr/local/vnc/classes

7. Use the vncserver script to run Xvnc. To start your TightVNC server (it needs to setup a new password to access your desktop from Windows XP):

    % ./vncserver

Output:

You will require a password to access your desktops.

Password:
Verify:

New 'X' desktop is debian:1

Creating default startup script /home/tv/.vnc/xstartup
Starting applications specified in /home/tv/.vnc/xstartup

If you have trouble building Xvnc, see the Xvnc/README file for more details.

8. Then you have to activate Remote Desktop Access in your Linux system. Open the desktop Applications menu and select Preferences followed by Remote Desktop.

This gives you the following dialog box:

Check the option “Allow other users to view your desktop”

Also from this dialog box you can have the command which we will be using from windows to connect to this Linux machine.

Note the term:

Users can view your desktop using this command
Vncviewer linuxas.lordshave.com:0

Step 2: Install TightVNC viewer on Windows XP


1. Download and install TightVNC Viewer client from www.tightvnc.com into your Windows XP

2. Execute the vncviewer.exe file and Type IP address of host to connect to Linux desktop

1.   Type the password you have created while setting vncserver command.

And within few seconds you should able to access your Linux server desktop from Windows XP. But this didn’t work for me unfortunately and all I get is the access throw the http URL which gave me an access screen like this:

4. To access Linux server desktop I use the following command from the DOS prompt:

C:\Program Files\TightVNC> vncviewer.exe linuxas.lordshave.com:0

This will open the required desktop Linux session

 
And after that you can open it using the regular installed viewer shortcut from your desktop.
 
Have Fun. :)
 
Mostafa Mahmoud Mohamed
Oracle DB and APPS DBA