Connecting to Ubuntu using Remote Desktop Connection on Windows 7

windows-7 remote-desktop

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In my experience, neither RDP nor VNC work satisfactorily with the default 3d (compiz-based) Ubuntu session. For RDP you can specify a different desktop session using the ~/.xsession file on your remote account, for example if it contains

gnome-session --session=ubuntu-2d

then you will get a 2d (metacity-based) desktop, which will likely work better over RDP. Alternatively you can install the gnome-session-fallback package and then run a gnome-classic session

gnome-session --session=gnome-classic

In VNC the equivalent session-setting is done via the ~/.vnc/xstartup file. You can check the available desktop sessions on your system using

ls /usr/share/xsessions

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Mitch

I’m a dedicated and highly energetic person who thrives in pressure situations and can be counted on when the going gets tough. Skilled in Network Administration, File Servers, and Windows Workstations and other related systems. I enjoy providing inventive direction and out of the box thinking. Values commitment to excellence, innovation, and customer service. I have been a windows man since windows 1. I have been and IT person for a little over 27 years, and I totally love it. I have been using windows, and MAC OS, and I have to say that I liked MAC OS better than windows, and I have been using it for about 10 years now. A dear friend told me about Ubuntu back in 2012, so I went ahead and downloaded it and installed it on a trial basis, but it turned out that I have a new OS. Since I have removed windows from my machine, and have been using Ubuntu from that point forward.

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Mitch over 1 year
I'm trying to connect to a machine with Ubuntu from a different machine running Windows 7 using the Windows Program Remote Desktop Connection.

I used the command:
```
sudo apt-get install xrdp
```
which worked, except that when I connect from my Windows I can only see the blank desktop background of the remote Ubuntu. The taskbar, icons etc are all missing. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks