Unable to get to logon screen (CentOS 7.2.1511 server to OS X client)

[Eric Lecht]

First time posting in this group Here goes nothing ....

I have TigerVNC server running on CentOS 7.2.1511. I'm using RealVNC on my Macbook to connect.

I can get to the Linux box's lock screen from my OS X Sierra box (worked also on El Capitain; I upgraded the Mac box last week).

--and it would appear that the (unencrypted) VNC session captures the Mac's keyboard --I can't Command-Tab anymore (to cycle thru open OS X applications) when I'm in the RealVNC window.

The FORM of the config is the basic ​

/etc/systemd/system/vncserver@:1.service

I've had this running before, as in last winter --then I hosed the box (long story) and rebuilt, same CentOS version and all.

But, this time around I can't get to a *logon screen*. Nothing I type does it, nor does clicking w/ mouse do anything ....  attached is a screen-shot of connection info, FWIW.

You can see the CentOS lock-screen pattern, tantalizingly close.

Which, of course, is driving me crazy.

My GUT is telling me it's something on the linux box, but haven't figured out what it could be ....

Figured I'd start my odyssey HERE, as this group (big surprise) comes up first in a google search on TigerVNC User Discussion / forums.

The server and the Macbook are on different vlans hanging off my home network (Cisco and Juniper), not that that could be the issue. But, bears mentioning.

Any CentOS guys out there? Any ideas? 

TIA,

Eric Lecht

[Pierre Ossman]

On 01/11/16 23:00, Eric Lecht wrote:
>
> I've had this running before, as in last winter --then I hosed the box
> (long story) and rebuilt, same CentOS version and all.
> But, this time around I can't get to a *logon screen*. Nothing I type does
> it, nor does clicking w/ mouse do anything .... attached is a screen-shot
> of connection info, FWIW.
> You can see the CentOS lock-screen pattern, tantalizingly close.
>
> Which, of course, is driving me crazy.
>

Gnome's screen saver has had some bugs with regard to running in a
remote session. Have you made sure the system is fully updated? Also
make sure you aren't stuck on a point release of CentOS.

Regards
--
Pierre Ossman Software Development
Cendio AB https://cendio.com
Teknikringen 8 https://twitter.com/ThinLinc
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Phone: +46-13-214600 https://plus.google.com/+CendioThinLinc

A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

[Eric Lecht]

It was actually my config in CentOS. And I can't even ID exactly WHAT.
I tore everything out (/etc/systemd/system/vncserver@:4.service , /etc/systemd/system/vncserver@:5.service), deleted the users I'd created and serendiptously found the resource I'd originally used:

https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-and-configure-vnc-remote-access-for-the-gnome-desktop-on-centos-7/

Great How-To. I hewed to the order-of-operation, and got it up and running.
Strangely, I spend half a day trying to add a second user, which I could add, but the vnc password wasn't being accepted by RealVNC, and I knew the password was good.
I'd added and deleted the second user (both system and vnc configs) numerous times.
Finally it came down to reloading the daemon service (sudo systemctl daemon-reload)and starting and stopping the vncserver service (sudo systemctl restart vncserver@:5.service) and the command would just time out.

I happened to have journalctl -f -x --lines=30 running, and the output was selinux having problems w/ it's own POLICY. It kept re-indexing (from what I could tell) over and over.
Finally I *disabled selinux (YEAH, I know *smile*) and everything JUST WORKED.

Today I'll be fighting w/ ssh port-forwarding, which was snarling at me last night (ssh -L 5900:your_server_ip:5905 janevnc@your_server_ip -N). It kept complaining about something (don't have the terminal window up anymore).

Thanks for the kind advisement! Hope my experience helps somebody out there ....  and the Digital Ocean How-To is pretty dang good

Eric