Ubuntu 12.10 xrdp gets blank screen at login

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

May or may not be relevant:

http://c-nergy.be/blog/?p=2879

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Solving the “Empty Desktop Problem”

This problem was quite easy to solve. After some research on google, I’ve found out that I was not the only one having the issue. The solution was quite simple. In a few words, you have to force the xRDP software to use the ubuntu-2D (or the gnome-fallback) Desktop environment. To force that, you will need to create the .xsession file in your home directory and insert the following text in it

gnome-session –session=ubuntu-2d

or you can use a command line to perform exactly the same operation

[image]

This workaround allows you to have a workable desktop. On the other hand, you will be forced to use Ubuntu-2d (this is ok if you have chosen Unity as preferred desktop). But if you have configured gnome-shell as your preferred desktop, you will not be able to use it. I would say not a big deal, you can remotely connect to your system and in we hope that new release will fix this small issue.

Thanks Alex for your prompt attention to this issue! Sadly putting "gnome-session –session=ubuntu-2d" in ~/.xsession had no effect here. Did it work for you?

Ubuntu has removed unity 2d support in 12.10, so this will not work regardless.

Also tested with "gnome-fallback" instead of "ubuntu-2d."
Still the same issue.

Solution for me was to install xubuntu-desktop and force the use of xfce4 through the startwm.sh script

Thanks DrQwill for your insights! Would you please provide a little more detail? I can see that "apt-get install xubuntu-desktop xfce4" will add the extra 160 MB of software you suggest, but; I'm unclear of your use of the startwm.sh script. What did you do there?

Hello, my workaround was installing "gnome-shell" and then you can write in your ~/.xsession file the gnome session you want from all located in /usr/share/xsessions/ (gnome-classic, gnome-fallback, etc.) and it works. The problem is that the "sessions" button has no elements, so you might create a script to log out from the session.

Hello Rafael, I did how you described, but it looks like xrdp is just ignoring my .xsession file. I tried every "desktop" I've found in /usr/share/xsession/ but I always getting just the desktop with my icons, but no taskbar etc...
Im always connecting via "sesman-Xvnc", is that right? All other choices in the xrdp dialouge want an ip, but sesman-Xvnc an sesman-X11rdp. The latter is producing the follwing in the /var/log/xrdp-sesman.log and isnt working at all, so its no alternative either.

[20121114-12:18:42] [INFO ] scp thread on sck 7 started successfully
[20121114-12:18:42] [INFO ] granted TS access to user stefan
[20121114-12:18:42] [INFO ] starting X11rdp session...
[20121114-12:18:42] [CORE ] error starting X server - user stefan - pid 8146
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] errno: 2, description: No such file or directory
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] execve parameter list: 11
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[0] = X11rdp
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[1] = :13
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[2] = -geometry
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[3] = 1440x900
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[4] = -depth
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[5] = 16
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[6] = -bs
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[7] = -ac
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[8] = -nolisten
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[9] = tcp
[20121114-12:18:42] [DEBUG] argv[10] = (null)
[20121114-12:18:52] [ERROR] X server for display 13 startup timeout
[20121114-12:18:52] [INFO ] starting xrdp-sessvc - xpid=8146 - wmpid=8140
[20121114-12:18:52] [ERROR] X server for display 13 startup timeout
[20121114-12:18:52] [ERROR] another Xserver is already active on display 13
[20121114-12:18:52] [DEBUG] aborting connection...
[20121114-12:18:52] [INFO ] session 8138 - user stefan - terminated

Any advices? Is there a way to check if xrdp is using my .xsession correctly?

Hi all, I am a newbie of Linux. But after fighting one day, I manage to connect my xp sp3 to ubuntu 12.10 with xrdp installed.. Here is my steps. Hope this help others

1. install xrdp
sudo apt-get install xrdp

2. install fallback
sudo apt-get install gnome-session-fallback

3. logout and login again by gnome theme. You can choose theme before log in..

4. open terminal by ctrl alt t , then input
echo "gnome-session --session=gnome" > ~/.xsession

5. sudo gedit /etec/xrdp/startwm.sh
. /etc/X11/Xsession
to
. /home/<user name>/.xsession

6. sudo /etc/init.d/xrdp restart

7. finished. Enjoy!

Benny

Benny you are the KIng Man