Steps to reproduce:
* Install fresh Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS
* Enable RDP and VNC via sharing control panel
* Test RDP and VNC, verify working
* Unplug monitor
* Try RDP. Authenticate, then connection closed with no display
* Try VNC. Authenticate, then connection closed with no display
* Plug monitor back in
* Try RDP. Works!
* Try VNC. Works!
* Unplug monitor
* Try RDP. AUthenticate, then connection closed with no display
* Try VNC. Authenticate, then connection closed with no display
* GOTO 10
Symptoms are present with both wayland and X11.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 22.04
Package: xorg 1:7.7+23ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.19.0-43.44~22.04.1-generic 5.19.17
Uname: Linux 5.19.0-43-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpair
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu82.5
Architecture: amd64
BootLog: Error: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/log/boot.log'
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Mon Jun 5 11:02:41 2023
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: jammy
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
Intel Corporation Atom/Celeron/Pentium Processor x5-E8000/J3xxx/N3xxx Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:22b1] (rev 21) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: ZOTAC International (MCO) Ltd. Atom/Celeron/Pentium Processor x5-E8000/J3xxx/N3xxx Integrated Graphics Controller [19da:b301]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2023-06-01 (4 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS "Jammy Jellyfish" - Release amd64 (20220809.1)
MachineType: ZOTAC ZBOX-CI323NANO
ProcEnviron:
TERM=xterm-256color
PATH=(custom, no user)
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/BOOT/ubuntu_j45abz@/vmlinuz-5.19.0-43-generic root=ZFS=rpool/ROOT/ubuntu_j45abz ro quiet splash vt.handoff=1
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 09/11/2019
dmi.bios.release: 5.11
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: B301P027
dmi.board.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.board.name: ZBOX-CI323NANO
dmi.board.vendor: ZOTAC
dmi.board.version: XX
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Default string
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Default string
dmi.chassis.version: Default string
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrB301P027:bd09/11/2019:br5.11:svnZOTAC:pnZBOX-CI323NANO:pvrXX:rvnZOTAC:rnZBOX-CI323NANO:rvrXX:cvnDefaultstring:ct3:cvrDefaultstring:skuN/A:
dmi.product.family: N/A
dmi.product.name: ZBOX-CI323NANO
dmi.product.sku: N/A
dmi.product.version: XX
dmi.sys.vendor: ZOTAC
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.113-2~ubuntu0.22.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 22.2.5-0ubuntu0.1~22.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:19.1.0-2ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20210115-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.17-2build1
I think this is expected, so more of a feature request than a bug.
gnome-shell isn't really a Terminal Server like you'd find on Windows. And it's not a remote desktop server like legacy X11. It's primarily a local desktop which can be controlled by remote protocols. But in order to have a desktop to control it needs to have a size, hence a monitor plugged in.
Seems totally reasonable that gnome-shell should support the headless case though.