Unable to start Xorg over SSH

Jello · 2013-08-13 23:42:38

Hey there,

I'm connected to a fresh install of Arch via SSH. It's a headless server and I'm attempting to setup Xorg so I can use SSH X forwarding to my home PC, but I'm stuck due to an error.

Here's a copy of the log file from "/var/log/Xorg.0.log"

[unix@ks4000187 ~]$ startx

X.Org X Server 1.14.2
Release Date: 2013-06-25
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 3.9.7-1-ARCH x86_64
Current Operating System: Linux ks4000187 3.8.13-xxxx-grs-ipv6-64 #4 SMP Mon Aug 5 14:37:04 CEST 2013 x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/bzImage-3.8.13-xxxx-grs-ipv6-64 root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet
Build Date: 01 July 2013  10:48:42AM

Current version of pixman: 0.30.2
        Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
        to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
        (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
        (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Tue Aug 13 21:51:09 2013
(==) Using config directory: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d"
Initializing built-in extension Generic Event Extension
Initializing built-in extension SHAPE
Initializing built-in extension MIT-SHM
Initializing built-in extension XInputExtension
Initializing built-in extension XTEST
Initializing built-in extension BIG-REQUESTS
Initializing built-in extension SYNC
Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD
Initializing built-in extension XC-MISC
Initializing built-in extension SECURITY
Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA
Initializing built-in extension XFIXES
Initializing built-in extension RENDER
Initializing built-in extension RANDR
Initializing built-in extension COMPOSITE
Initializing built-in extension DAMAGE
Initializing built-in extension MIT-SCREEN-SAVER
Initializing built-in extension DOUBLE-BUFFER
Initializing built-in extension RECORD
Initializing built-in extension DPMS
Initializing built-in extension X-Resource
Initializing built-in extension XVideo
Initializing built-in extension XVideo-MotionCompensation
Initializing built-in extension XFree86-VidModeExtension
Initializing built-in extension XFree86-DGA
Initializing built-in extension XFree86-DRI
Initializing built-in extension DRI2
Loading extension GLX
xf86EnableIOPorts: failed to set IOPL for I/O (Operation not permitted)
(EE)
Fatal server error:
(EE) no screens found(EE)
(EE)
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
         at http://wiki.x.org
 for help.
(EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
(EE)
(EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.
xinit: giving up
xinit: unable to connect to X server: Connection refused
xinit: server error

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Last edited by Jello (2013-08-17 03:57:53)

cfr · 2013-08-13 23:57:50

Welcome to the forums.

Please follow the Beginners' Guide to install and test X. In particular, you should remove video drivers you do not need. Also, to avoid future problems you probably want to install at least one truetype font as several applications will be unhappy otherwise.

Jello · 2013-08-14 00:03:32

Thanks, I just noticed I had forgotten to install the fonts this time. I only installed the open-source Intel drivers and Vesa. Do I have any unneeded video drivers?

cfr · 2013-08-14 00:13:03

Dump vesa if you are using intel. You don't need vesa as well. It seems to be trying to load both and that is not going to be good.

Jello · 2013-08-14 01:08:47

I performed a fresh install to ensure that nothing else was broken and followed the Beginners Guide several times, but I'm stuck with the same error.

Last edited by Jello (2013-08-14 01:15:01)

cfr · 2013-08-14 01:24:19

Reread the section of the guide I linked to. You must have missed that part because your log file clearly shows that you installed both intel and vesa video drivers for X.

Last edited by cfr (2013-08-14 01:24:35)

Jello · 2013-08-14 01:45:58

I only installed the Intel drivers this time around. I forgot to mention that.

cfr · 2013-08-14 01:51:27

So can you post a new log file? You can't be getting exactly the same error because the crash before clearly involved vesa. If vesa isn't installed, it can't be tangled up in the crash you're seeing now.

[  2620.574] (EE) 9: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so (0x7ff11c56d000+0x2eea) [0x7ff11c56f$

EDIT: Also, never run X as root.

Last edited by cfr (2013-08-14 01:52:29)

Jello · 2013-08-14 01:56:01

Updated OP.

Last edited by Jello (2013-08-14 02:33:03)

cfr · 2013-08-14 02:27:37

Now it looks as if you have no video drivers installed at all.
Can you confirm that you

pacman -S xorg-server xorg-server-utils xorg-xinit mesa

?
What did

lspci | grep VGA

give you?
Which packages did you then install?

That log is from when you test X with twm etc. as described in the guide?

Jello · 2013-08-14 02:33:40

Grep gave me Intel and I installed the drivers. I'll explain a bit more on what I'm trying to do. I'm connected to a server with a fresh install of Arch via SSH. I'm trying to setup a VNC server so I can remotely access it.

cfr · 2013-08-14 02:35:55

So did you follow https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Vnc?

EDIT: For example, if you are setting up the machine remotely, how are you starting X? Have you established that things are set up correctly to support this?

I wasn't clear that you were doing the config remotely as opposed to configuring locally for remote access.

Last edited by cfr (2013-08-14 02:39:48)

Jello · 2013-08-14 04:10:42

I'm making progress, thanks for your help. Is it necessary to startx?

Last edited by Jello (2013-08-14 05:06:39)

cfr · 2013-08-14 20:29:03

Not sure. It is a long time since I used vnc and that was not on linux. But I guess the wiki suggests you just edit the config file so maybe vnc takes care of starting it in accordance with that config?

Jello · 2013-08-14 23:28:51

That's a good idea, I'll try that. I also found this; https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/X11vnc

cfr · 2013-08-14 23:33:28

I saw that, too. I didn't really understand the implications of the distinction explained at the top of the regular vnc page, to be honest.

Jello · 2013-08-15 01:06:18

Still having the same problem, "no screens found"

cfr · 2013-08-15 01:22:32

This is well beyond me. I would post as much config information as you can, exactly what commands you are using and the results you are getting, including anything relevant from the logs. Hopefully somebody who uses vnc will then be able to advise.

For example, exactly the command you are using and your config files for vnc.

I'm assuming you can ssh to the remote machine OK or you wouldn't be getting as far as the errors you're seeing?

Last edited by cfr (2013-08-15 01:25:53)

Jello · 2013-08-15 01:28:00

Alright, will do. Thanks for your help nonetheless. Is this is the correct forum for this type of issue?

Yes I am able to connect to the server via SSH.

Last edited by Jello (2013-08-15 01:29:26)

cfr · 2013-08-15 01:33:01

Yes, this should be fine. A mod will move it if not. Just continue this thread so you don't need to repeat stuff and to avoid cross-posting. I would recommend editing your title to mention vnc, though.

Jello · 2013-08-17 01:59:20

It seems that Xorg is unable to detect a display. I know the system doesn't have a physical monitor, but is it possible to setup a virtual display that I can view remotely?

vah · 2013-08-18 21:44:24

So, do you want to use ssh X forwarding or run a VNC server (probably piped though ssh if accessed over insecure network/internet)?

With X forwarding you can start GUI applications on a remote host (try simple xterm or such first) and, if you have ssh configured properly, the window(s) will open on your local computer just like a local app window would. This will work fine over LAN but not so great over the Internet. X forwarding is basically enabled when connect using the "ssh -X" flag, if the server is configured to allow it. If "echo $DISPLAY" gives you anything, it might be working and you can try starting a GUI app.

A VNC server allows you to run a virtual X server on the remote host and run applications there and transfers an image of the whole desktop and keyboard/mouse input over the net. This X server does not use any graphics hardware but uses main memory as framebuffer where applications can draw their windows. VNC will work fine even over a slow network since the image can be compressed in various ways depending on VNC setting. A VNC server does not need xorg-server package but is provided by, for example, tightvnc package. The VNC server is started using vncserver command (and not startx which does not even have to be installed.) See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Vncserver

There are other systems similar to VNC available, but I do not have much experience with them. (Except using rdesktop to access Windows servers.)

The x11vnc is something in between. Is allows remote access to a local (real) X server using VNC protocol but you do not want that since you have a headless server with no local X server. (Well, you could run a headless X with a virtual framebuffer and run x11vnc on that but a stand-alone VNC server does it better.)

Arch Linux

#1 2013-08-13 23:42:38

Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#2 2013-08-13 23:57:50

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#3 2013-08-14 00:03:32

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#4 2013-08-14 00:13:03

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#5 2013-08-14 01:08:47

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#6 2013-08-14 01:24:19

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#7 2013-08-14 01:45:58

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#8 2013-08-14 01:51:27

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#9 2013-08-14 01:56:01

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#10 2013-08-14 02:27:37

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#11 2013-08-14 02:33:40

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#12 2013-08-14 02:35:55

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#13 2013-08-14 04:10:42

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#14 2013-08-14 20:29:03

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#15 2013-08-14 23:28:51

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#16 2013-08-14 23:33:28

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#17 2013-08-15 01:06:18

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#18 2013-08-15 01:22:32

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#19 2013-08-15 01:28:00

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#20 2013-08-15 01:33:01

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#21 2013-08-17 01:59:20

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

#22 2013-08-18 21:44:24

Re: Unable to start Xorg over SSH

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