[HowTo] Install a vnc server on the Raspberry pi

Sandbird · 29 July 2017 09:30

Btw, i got a multiboot with osmc and raspbian. You can do that with NOOBS now.

hhhgohn · 3 September 2017 14:58

I keep getting an error after setting this up. My VNC viewer says “RFB protocol error: bad xrle data.” I’ve tried using a different viewer but I got the same message. I also tried rebooting and switching the skin in OSMC but neither of those worked. What’s strange is that the main OSMC page works fine but, when I click on something (like “system” for example) it goes to that page but the VNC viewer gives the error and then I can’t use VNC anymore. What should I do?

Sandbird · 3 September 2017 18:57

Try with these setting. Cant use best quality, since the pi cant handle it.

Aaron_Spehr · 23 October 2017 09:17

Why would dispmax server stop running on boot?

This is the config file:

relative = false;
port = 5900;
screen = 0;
unsafe = false;
fullscreen = false;
multi-threaded = false;
password = “‘password’”;
frame-rate = 23;
downscale = false;
localhost = false;
vnc-params = ‘""’;

Unit]
Description=VNC Server

[Service]
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=30
Nice=15
User=root
Group=root
Type=simple
ExecStartPre=/sbin/modprobe evdev
ExecStart=/usr/bin/dispmanx_vncserver
KillMode=process

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target" > "/etc/systemd/system/dispmanx_vncserver.service

The only way I get in to run is to do “sudo dispmanx_vncserver” from within the “/usr/bin/” folder.

Sandbird · 23 October 2017 10:28

When you do : sudo vi /etc/systemd/system/dispmanx_vncserver.service
From what you posted it looks like you are a missing a --> [ <---- infront of the Unit.
Should be:

[Unit]
Description=VNC Server

not

Unit]
Description=VNC Server

After you fix that (save), redo the:

sudo systemctl start dispmanx_vncserver.service
sudo systemctl enable dispmanx_vncserver.service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Aaron_Spehr · 23 October 2017 10:47

Unfortunately, I am still experiencing the same problem with it only starting manually even if I fix the typo.

I get this
dispmanx_vncserver.service - VNC Server
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/dispmanx_vncserver.service; enabled)
Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Mon 2017-10-23 21:19:47 ACDT; 10s ago
Process: 7892 ExecStartPre=/sbin/modprobe evdev (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)

when trying to run

sudo systemctl start dispmanx_vncserver.service

Sandbird · 23 October 2017 11:09

hmm, maybe something got messed up due to that missing [ on the first try.
Try this to be sure:

sudo systemctl stop dispmanx_vncserver.service
sudo systemctl disable dispmanx_vncserver.service
sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/dispmanx_vncserver.service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl reset-failed

Then do:

sudo modprobe evdev

Then redo the service setup steps under the ‘Now we’ll create the service file…’ part of the installation.

Aaron_Spehr · 23 October 2017 11:29

sudo systemctl enable dispmanx_vncserver.service

Failed to execute operation: Invalid argument

Sandbird · 23 October 2017 11:43

crap…i forgot the symlinks…ok, i’ll send you a message, we’ll take it from there.

Aaron_Spehr · 23 October 2017 12:04

Where are the symlinks?

Sandbird · 23 October 2017 12:06

i sent you a message check your messages in osmc oO

the_bo · 11 January 2018 20:41

Anyone else getting connection refused on latest stretch update?

Sandbird · 11 January 2018 21:50

hmm, no everything is fine. Check your config file maybe? Is it still intact ? Maybe the service was removed somehow ?

the_bo · 11 January 2018 21:59

well i changed a setting awhile back to keep the vnc window alive even when kodi is closed so can view the x11 desktop. Does this look ok

[Unit]
Description=VNC Server
After=network-online.target
Requires=network-online.target

#[Unit]
#Description=VNC Server
#After=network-online.target mediacenter.service
#Requires=mediacenter.service

[Service]
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=30
Nice=15
User=root
Group=root
Type=simple
ExecStartPre=/sbin/modprobe evdev
ExecStart=/usr/bin/dispmanx_vncserver
KillMode=process

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Sandbird · 11 January 2018 22:19

yeah looks fine.
I know if it might sound stupid asking this but

You sure the local ip of the pi hasn’t changed and you are trying to connect to the wrong ip?
Is the server running for sure ?
when you manually start the server can you connect ?

wbeard52 · 11 January 2018 23:18

Yes I am. Did you get your VNC working correctly?

the_bo · 11 January 2018 23:19

Not yet. Are you also getting the connection refused error?

wbeard52 · 11 January 2018 23:19

Yes. I am trying to reinstall the VNC server with no luck yet.

the_bo · 11 January 2018 23:20

Let me know if the reinstall works for you cheers

wbeard52 · 11 January 2018 23:29

I was able to get it working.

I re-made the program by following the beginning part of the post.

cd /home/osmc
sudo wget https://github.com/patrikolausson/dispmanx_vnc/archive/master.zip
unzip master.zip -d  /home/osmc/
rm master.zip
cd dispmanx_vnc-master
make
sudo cp dispmanx_vncserver /usr/bin
sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/dispmanx_vncserver

I then stopped the service, disabled it and then restarted and enabled the service

sudo systemctl stop dispmanx_vncserver.service
sudo systemctl disable dispmanx_vncserver.service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload

sudo systemctl start dispmanx_vncserver.service
sudo systemctl enable dispmanx_vncserver.service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload

I hope these instructions are accurate enough for you to get yours working.