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Asked: 2024-09-24T19:44:21+05:30 In:

I am experiencing a grey screen issue when using Ubuntu 20.04 with TightVNC. Can anyone suggest solutions or troubleshooting steps to resolve this problem?

So, I’m really hoping someone can help me out here. I’ve been trying to use TightVNC on my Ubuntu 20.04 setup, but I keep running into this annoying grey screen issue. It’s driving me a bit crazy, to be honest!

Every time I connect, I just get this solid grey screen with no desktop or anything else visible. I’ve tried the usual stuff, like rebooting my machine and reconnecting, but that hasn’t done anything. I’ve checked my VNC settings and everything seems to be in order. I can see the server running fine, and my connection seems stable, so I’m at a bit of a loss.

I did some digging online and found that others have had similar issues, but I’m not sure if I’m missing any specific troubleshooting steps. I’ve read about tweaking the xstartup file, but I’m uncertain about what changes I should be making. Like, do I need to add specific commands or adjust the existing ones? Is there a particular order that things need to be in?

Also, I remember seeing something about potential conflicts with display managers or something to do with XFCE settings. Would switching to a different desktop environment like LXDE or MATE help with the grey screen problem? I’m a little hesitant to make big changes without knowing they’ll actually fix the problem.

If you’ve experienced this or know your way around VNC on Ubuntu, your advice would really mean a lot. Are there any other common solutions I should try? Maybe some terminal commands I can run to diagnose the issue further? I just want to be able to connect without facing this frustration every time. Any tips, tricks, or insights would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance to anyone who can lend a hand.

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    2 Answers



    1. TightVNC Grey Screen Issue on Ubuntu 20.04

      TightVNC Grey Screen Troubleshooting

      Looks like you’re having a tough time with that grey screen issue in TightVNC on Ubuntu 20.04. Don’t stress, it happens to a lot of us! Here’s a few things you can try:

      1. Check Your xstartup File

      The xstartup file is where you can set what happens when you connect via VNC. You might need to edit it to ensure your desktop environment starts correctly. Here’s a basic example:

          #!/bin/sh
    startxfce4 &

      Make sure it’s executable. You can do this with:

      chmod +x ~/.vnc/xstartup

      2. Install the Desktop Environment

      If you want to switch to a different desktop environment like LXDE or MATE, you can install them using:

          sudo apt install lxde
    or
    sudo apt install mate-desktop

      Then update your xstartup file to use startlxde or startmate instead of startxfce4.

      3. Restart the VNC Server

      After making changes to the xstartup file or switching desktop environments, don’t forget to restart your VNC server:

          vncserver -kill :1  
    vncserver :1

      4. Check for Conflicts

      If you have a display manager like GDM or LightDM, they might interfere with VNC. Sometimes it helps to stop the display manager before starting the VNC server:

          sudo systemctl stop gdm.service

      5. Use Terminal Commands for Diagnostics

      Try running the following commands to check if everything is okay:

          ps -ef | grep vnc  
    tail -f ~/.vnc/*.log

      Give these steps a shot, and hopefully, you’ll be back to a normal desktop in no time! If you’re still stuck, feel free to update us here!




    2. TightVNC Grey Screen Issue on Ubuntu 20.04

      The grey screen issue you’re experiencing when using TightVNC on Ubuntu 20.04 is a common problem, often related to the configuration of the VNC server and the desktop environment. One of the first places to look is the `~/.vnc/xstartup` file. This file determines what is run when a VNC session starts. It’s typically set up to start a desktop environment, but if it’s not configured correctly, you may only see a grey screen. An example of a basic `xstartup` file for XFCE might look like this:

      #!/bin/sh
unset SESSION_MANAGER
unset DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
exec startxfce4 &

      This ensures that the XFCE desktop environment starts when you connect through VNC. Make sure that this file is executable (`chmod +x ~/.vnc/xstartup`). If you’re still encountering issues, also verify that no other display managers like `gdm` or `lightdm` are conflicting with your VNC setup. If you are open to trying a different desktop environment, switching to LXDE or MATE could potentially resolve this issue, as these environments are often less resource-intensive and more compatible with VNC. Lastly, to further diagnose the issue, consider checking the VNC logs located in `~/.vnc` for any errors, and ensure your firewall isn’t blocking the VNC ports (5900+N). Running `netstat -tuln` can help you confirm that the VNC server is listening on the correct port.


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