Comments on: Ubuntu | Remote Desktop Without A Monitor

By: Radu

Radu — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:38:56 +0000

Hi,

I’ve managed to get Ubuntu 10.04 to start without a monitor attached by modifying the xorg.conf file as described, then updating the /etc/default/saned file to say RUN=yes.

This way I’ve managed to use tightvncserver to remotely connect to the computer. For a strange reason, running the vncserver command automatically at boot made the system run very slow so I have to manually start it through a ssh session when I restart the server.

All the best!

By: abraham

abraham — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 17:27:35 +0000

Thanks!! Is just what I need to finally config my old-tower-as-NAS :P

By: Vamp

Vamp — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:42:11 +0000

Thanks a lot! Had to use trial and error to find out, the monitor was the problem. I’m doing the same thing on an Acer eMachine with Ubuntu 10.10, so just to confirm: Together with Bart’s comment it works (meaning I can finally ping it).

By: Zotman

Zotman — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 02:32:26 +0000

Thanks for the post! I was tearing my hair out setting up my server. Thanks a bunch!

By: Graham

Graham — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:06:30 +0000

Just wanted to add my thanks. Like many other it would seem, I was googling until my eyes turned googley then came across this one which worked, I had to turn off the KernelModeSetting and then copy the xorg.conf.failsafe and remove the failsafe bit and it boots with nothing but the power lead attached.

Next step: booting with no power attached :p

By: simon

simon — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:58:24 +0000

Thank you for the above; I’ve been trying to get a machine to boot without a monitor so I could remote desktop onto it for a while now. It’s oddly inconsistent (10.04 Ubuntu). I’ll try the suggestions about KernelModeSetting next and the listed X config too.

I’m now assuming (following the success stories above, heh) I’ll be able to get it working without a monitor, but the next obvious step is to try removing the graphics card altogether. Assuming I can get past the BIOS, is there a way to still get a remote desktop onto that machine? In theory it doesn’t need a card at all as it has no display.

By: Tonie

Tonie — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 05:28:23 +0000

Thanks to both Oli and Bart I’ve got a screenless Ubuntu 10.04 machine running!

@bart I ended up using the nivda option on the provided link
@Oli, I used your xorg.conf setup

Thanks again!!

By: Aeos

Aeos — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 13:52:44 +0000

Thanks Oli and bart!

By: Bernhard

Bernhard — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 06:41:43 +0000

Thank you for your help! (I have the same machine with the same problem.)

By: Server up | Rob

Server up | Rob — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:14:53 +0000

[...] box was booted with no monitor attached, the on-board graphics were never initialized. The googles provided the answer. This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the [...]