Running VNC on Ubuntu 20.04 with default window manager

I wrote previously about my frustration with trying to get the default Ubuntu desktop to run in a VNC session, one that would install as a service, and work after a reboot.

After spending more time than I'd like to admit, I threw in the towel, and went with the Mate desktop (Gnome 2 based), which worked without a hitch.

It still bugged me that I couldn't figure this out, so when I had a couple of free minutes, I looked further and was finally able to get it working.

The tl;dr is that Ubuntu 20.04 doesn't have a /etc/vnc/xstartup file.

Steps to install VNC on Ubuntu 20.04, using the default window manager

• Create the /etc/vnc directory:

  sudo mkdir /etc/vnc
  

• Create the non-existent /etc/vnc/xstartup file, adding these lines:

  #!/bin/sh
  
  test x"$SHELL" = x"" && SHELL=/bin/bash
  test x"$1"     = x"" && set -- default
  
  unset SESSION_MANAGER
  unset DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
  
  vncconfig -iconic &
  "$SHELL" -l << EOF
  export XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
  export GNOME_SHELL_SESSION_MODE=ubuntu
  dbus-launch --exit-with-session gnome-session --session=ubuntu
  EOF
  vncserver -kill $DISPLAY
  

• Make the /etc/vnc/xstartup file executable:

  sudo chmod +x /etc/vnc/xstartup
  

• Install the TigerVNC server:

  sudo apt install tigervnc-standalone-server -y
  

• Run VNC server for the first time, which will ask for a (6 character minimum) password and if a read-only password is desired:

  vncserver
  
  You will require a password to access your desktops.
  
  Password:
  Verify:
  Would you like to enter a view-only password (y/n)? n
  
  New 'ubuntu1:1 (tom)' desktop at :1 on machine ubuntu1
  
  Starting applications specified in /etc/X11/Xvnc-session
  Log file is /home/tom/.vnc/ubuntu1:1.log
  
  Use xtigervncviewer -SecurityTypes VncAuth -passwd /home/tom/.vnc/passwd :1 to connect to the VNC server.
  

• Create/add this to the much-simpler ~/.vnc/xstartup file:

  #!/bin/sh
  [ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
  [ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
  

• Make the ~/.vnc/xstartup file executable:

  chmod +x ~/.vnc/xstartup
  

• Create/add this to the /etc/systemd/system/vncserver@.service file:

  [Unit]
  Description=Start TigerVNC server at startup
  After=syslog.target network.target
  
  [Service]
  Type=simple
  User=tom
  PAMName=login
  PIDFile=/home/tom/.vnc/%H:%i.pid
  ExecStartPre=-/usr/bin/vncserver -kill :%i > /dev/null 2>&1
  ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver -fg -depth 24 -geometry 1920x1080 -localhost no :%i
  ExecStop=/usr/bin/vncserver -kill :%i
  [Install]
  WantedBy=multi-user.target
  

• Reload the daemons, so it can load the new VNC service:

  sudo systemctl daemon-reload
  

• Enable the VNC service, so it loads on boot:

  sudo systemctl enable vncserver@1.service
  Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/vncserver@1.service → /etc/systemd/system/vncserver@.service.
  

• Kill any existing VNC servers:

  vncserver -kill :*
  

• Start the VNC service:

  sudo systemctl start vncserver@1
  

• Check on the status of the vncserver service:

  sudo systemctl status vncserver@1
  ● vncserver@1.service - Start TigerVNC server at startup
       Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/vncserver@.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
       Active: active (running) since Tue 2021-09-14 17:10:18 MDT; 9min ago
      Process: 2575 ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/vncserver -kill :1 > /dev/null 2>&1 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
     Main PID: 2581 (vncserver)
        Tasks: 0 (limit: 4650)
       Memory: 688.0K
       CGroup: /system.slice/system-vncserver.slice/vncserver@1.service
               ‣ 2581 /usr/bin/perl /usr/bin/vncserver -fg -depth 24 -geometry 1920x1080 -localhost no :1
  
  Sep 14 17:10:18 ubuntu1 systemd[1]: Starting Start TigerVNC server at startup...
  Sep 14 17:10:18 ubuntu1 systemd[2575]: pam_unix(login:session): session opened for user tom by (uid=0)
  Sep 14 17:10:18 ubuntu1 systemd[1]: Started Start TigerVNC server at startup.
  Sep 14 17:10:18 ubuntu1 systemd[2581]: pam_unix(login:session): session opened for user tom by (uid=0)
  

At this point, I could connect to the VNC server, and it still worked, even after a reboot.

References

Gnome-shell > Issues > #3038 https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-shell/-/issues/3038