[ale] Windows Remoting X'ing

Jonathan Glass IBB jonathan.glass at ibb.gatech.edu
Tue Apr 13 21:08:18 EDT 2004


On Tue, 2004-04-13 at 18:59, jeb wrote:
> I have a question for the list, what do I need to send x via ssh to my 
> windows box?
> 
> I have a Mandrake 10 server running ssh and x, on my windows xp box, I 
> am running putty with x11 forwarding on.  However, I login fine but when 
> I launch x as a normal user I get :
> 
> [jebba at localhost jebba]$ startx
> Authentication failed - cannot start X server.
> Perhaps you do not have console ownership?xinit:  Server error.
> 
> 
> But, when I log in as root, and start x.  It runs on the server.
> 
> Hopefully this makes sense?  I am still very new to linux.  What I'm a 
> doing wrong?
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale

As per James's email, go to http://www.cygwin.com/ and install Cygwin on
your XP machine.  Be sure to select the XFree86 optional components.  

Launch X on your XP machine (start cygwin.bat, type "$
/usr/X11R6/bin/startxwin.bat") and a small X will appear in the task
bar.  

Ssh with the X11 forwarding option enabled (check under "tunneling" on
your client).  The X11 forwarding will automagically setup the DISPLAY
variable to localhost:10.0, and forward any graphical display from the
Linux box to your XP's X server.  (Way too many X's here.)

Now you should be able to launch startx, or use xnest in Cygwin to get a
GDM/KDM console inside a window, or just run specific apps and send
their output to your XP box as XP-managed windows.

Another cool trick is installing VNC (bound to localhost only) and SSHd
(from the Cygwin installer) and remotely controlling your XP box from
Linux, all over an encrypted, ssh tunnel/session.  For directions,
visit:
http://www.ibb.gatech.edu/~jglass/tips-n-tricks/

Thanks, and HTH

Jonathan Glass



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