Win7 PC SC Connect To Linux PC - Black Screen Problem

[mattstan]

Trying to view Win 7 PC on Linux PC - the user on the Win 7 PC initiates the connection using UltraVnc SC (Single Click) to connect to my Linux PC running Vinagre (a VNC Remote Desktop Viewer).

The problem is that only a black screen appears after connecting where the desktop would be expected. Everything else behaves as if there had been a successful connection - on the Win 7 PC the notification area icon says that the desktop is now being remotely viewed and Vinagre on the Linux PC behaves as if connected except that instead of the remote desktop being displayed it shows a black window instead of the remote desktop.

Here is what I did:

a) I created a zip file with just one file in it, the helpdesk.txt file. I uploaded the zip to the single click 'Online Creator' web page (URL: http://www.uvnc.com/pchelpware/sc/creator.html) using the bottom of the 3 submit forms: "UltraVncSC update 2009 - +Vista+WIN7 support". This gave me the exe file to be run on the Win 7 PC which I renamed uvncwin7.exe.

b) I emailed the user on the Win 7 PC the uvncwin7.exe file which they saved to the desktop. No version of UltraVNC is installed on the Win7 PC as all that's been needed in the past (when connecting to an XP PC) was the UltraVNC single click file. When the user ran the uvncwin7.exe file a dialog box appeared saying "This program might not have installed correctly" and offered 2 options: "Reinstall using the recommended settings" or "The program installed correctly.". I told the user to select "The program installed correctly" after which uvncwin7.exe ran as expected and the user was able to double click as usual on the 'connect to' list item to initiate the connection.

c) On my Linux PC I had started Vinagre which had 'Reverse Connections' enabled (that is equivalent to listen for incoming connections). The port forwarding on my router is correctly setup and my Linux firewall (UFW) is also setup to allow incoming connections on port 5500. I am sure the router and firewall settings are correct because if they were not then no connection would have taken place and the Win7 user would not have been notified that their "desktop is now being remotely viewed".

So where is the problem? Is it a problem on the Win7 PC or on the Linux PC?

I'm not using encryption (at least not till I've got things working without it), so the zip uploaded to create the SC exe file had only helpdesk.txt in it - the host settings are ('xx' replaced my actual IP settings):

Code: Select all

[HOST]
Start VNC Connection
-connect xx.xx.xx.xx:5500 -noregistry

My full helpdesk.txt file is here (IP removed):
http://www.zilefile.com/files/12965_wwt ... emoved.txt

I'm a little worried by the Win7 message, "This program might not have installed correctly", but after that dialog had been dismissed the SC program appeared to connect as expected.

Please advise me how to proceed in resolving my black desktop problem.

Many thanks.

[redge]

for isolate the issue
you can try another vnc viewer on linux
ssvnc (or enhanced tight vnc viewer)
[topic=13693][/topic]

[mattstan]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I have installed ssvnc and will try using it tomorrow morning. I'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers.

[mattstan]

redge - ssvnc works perfectly and all is well.

Many thanks for your help.


Advise for others attempting to connect Linux and Windows 7 (that is view a Win7 PC on a Linux PC).

UltraVNC SC (Single Click) Win7 version (bottom one on the SC creator page) works well connecting to ssvnc on Linux.

Setup:

1. Port Forwarding on router, make sure the router the Linux PC is connected to is forwarding port 5500 correctly.

2. Linux firewall, if running, make sure port 5500/tcp is allowed in.

3. Win7 firewall, make sure that UltraVNC SC exe file is added so it can send and receive data.

4. Initially at least skip encryption till working, add later if required.

5. When starting UltraVNC SC on the Win7 PC if you get the "This program might not have installed correctly" dialog box, simply select the "The program installed correctly" option (and tick 'do not display again' if you wish to avoid being asked every time).

6. I wasted a lot of time trying to get Vinagre to work, ssvnc worked perfectly. Start ssvnc, choose options, select 'No Encryption', select 'Reverse VNC Connection', then click on 'Listen'. The 'listening window' will now be displayed - at this point the connection can be initiated from the Win7 PC using UltraVNC SC.

7. Sample bare-bones helpdesk.txt file for uploading in a zip to the SC creator page, nothing else is required in the zip. Obviously the IP address must be entered. whatismyipaddress.com will tell you the IP address for the Linux PC.

My full helpdesk.txt file is here (IP removed):
http://www.zilefile.com/files/12965_wwt ... emoved.txt

Hope this helps somebody.

[redge]

added to FAQ
[topic=26941][/topic]

thank you for your advice.

[mattstan]

added to FAQ
[topic=26941][/topic]

thank you for your advice.

No problem, hopefully it'll save others time.

Cheers.