Ubuntu – Issues using x11vnc when xfce’s lock screen is active

14.04lock-screenvncxfcexorg

I am on xubuntu 14.04.04, and have successfully managed to get a VNC server up and running with SSH tunneling and such. However, I'm experiencing an issue with the VNC server, x11vnc 0.9.13. Currently, I have the following command execute on start up:

x11vnc -shared -forever -bg -auth guess

The -auth guess part uses x11vnc -findauth to automatically find the correct XAUTHORITY file, which on my system appears to be /var/run/lightdm/root/:0.

Here is the issue I am experiencing: the VNC setup works as expected until the lock screen appears (either when I manually lock the desktop, or an inactivity timeout occurs). When the lock screen appears, the VNC server displays the contents of the desktop just before the timeout occurs, a sort of still-frame or snapshot, and all input from my VNC client is ignored. I am unable to unlock it and return to my desktop from within the VNC client; I must use the remote system's keyboard and monitor. After it has been unlocked non-remotely, the VNC works as expected, until the screen lock appears again.

A few things I should mention:

  • I am able to select my user account and login from the account login screen without any issues over VNC, but when the desktop is locked, the issue occurs and I cannot unlock it.
  • The command sudo x11vnc -findauth returns XAUTHORITY=/var/run/lightdm/root/:0 only while I'm on the initial login screen after I first boot up. After I login, the same command returns XAUTHORITY=, whether I'm on my desktop or the screen is locked.

Best Answer

Looks like theres a bug from 2014 which covers this:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/light-locker/+bug/1287171

I ended up removing light-locker and installing xscreensaver, and now I no longer have any vnc issues.

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