Arch Linux

jxyzits

Member

Registered: 2016-07-25

Posts: 3

X forwarding over SSH - i3 won't launch but xterm/xclock does

Laptop 1 is running Arch, all packages are up to date. Laptop 2 is running Windows 10 and Xming server. I can run startx on laptop 1 to launch i3 or xterm/xclock on laptop 1. I can SSH from laptop 2 into laptop 1 using PuTTY, and run the "xterm" or "xlcock" commands to launch xterm/xclock on laptop 2. However, running command "i3" on laptop 1 (while SSH'd into it from laptop 2) just outputs the following error, even when I exit my X session on laptop 1:

ERROR: Another window manager seems to be running (X error 10)

Running startx on laptop 1 while SSH'd into it from laptop 2 just starts an X session on laptop 1's screen. Are there any steps I can take to debug the error and find out what is causing i3 to think another window manager i3 is already running? I checked my running units with systemctl but did not see i3 or any other window manager in the list. I can post the output of systemctl, or any other command, or my sshd_config, etc. if needed. Given that X is working on laptop 1 and forwarding to laptop 2 for some applications but not others, I am tempted to say it's an issue with i3 or some other running application rather than SSH or X but I'm not sure. Thanks!

Last edited by jxyzits (2016-07-25 06:29:54)

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,286

Re: X forwarding over SSH - i3 won't launch but xterm/xclock does

You want XDMCP and have -multiwindow.

Have you read http://www.straightrunning.com/XmingNotes/ completely?