Running TigerVNC server, TightVNC client connects but goes 'busy'

[Phil Clowes]

I am running a TigerVNC server on a  Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 6.3 (Santiago)  image.

Install of the server went smoothly and start of the server shows no errors.
From my laptop,  running TightVNC to access that server, I get a desktop and a cursor that shows busy.   I am able to move around the desktop but clicks produce all sort of flaky errors -- like causing the clock to 'quit unexpectedly' and having to reload it.
The GUI is essentially useless.

I am looking for assistance on how to determine where the problem might lie.  It's not showing any useful logging details on the server

TIA
Phil

[Pierre Ossman]

Not something I've heard of before. How are you starting the VNC
server? What configuration have you done?

Rgds
--
Pierre Ossman Software Development
Cendio AB http://cendio.com
Teknikringen 8 http://twitter.com/ThinLinc
583 30 Linköping http://facebook.com/ThinLinc
Phone: +46-13-214600 http://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?

[Phil Clowes]

I simply issued   vncserver :7     (or  :1,  same result)
No other config updates were made after a straigh install.

[Pierre Ossman]

On Tue, 23 Sep 2014 08:50:31 -0700 (PDT),
Phil Clowes wrote:

> I simply issued vncserver :7 (or :1, same result)
> No other config updates were made after a straigh install.
>

Starting it that way will produce a log file in ~/.vnc, which might
give some clues. Could you share that with us?

[Phil Clowes]

Sorry for the long delay in responding,  other duties got in the way.   I am picking this up again sine I am no further forward...

I start the server session thus:

[root@zdbg .vnc]# vncserver :7

New 'zdbg.canlab.ibm.com:7 (root)' desktop is zdbg.canlab.ibm.com:7

Starting applications specified in /root/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /root/.vnc/zdbg.canlab.ibm.com:7.log



immediate cat of the logfile shows:

[root@zdbg .vnc]# cat /root/.vnc/zdbg.canlab.ibm.com:7.log

Xvnc TigerVNC 1.0.90 - built Nov  9 2011 12:21:43
Copyright (C) 2002-2005 RealVNC Ltd.
Copyright (C) 2000-2006 Constantin Kaplinsky
Copyright (C) 2004-2009 Peter Astrand for Cendio AB
See http://www.tigervnc.org for information on TigerVNC.
Underlying X server release 11004000, The X.Org Foundation


Thu Nov 13 11:37:23 2014
 vncext:      VNC extension running!
 vncext:      Listening for VNC connections on all interface(s), port 5907
 vncext:      created VNC server for screen 0
expected keysym, got XF86TouchpadOn: line 120 of inet
expected keysym, got XF86TouchpadOff: line 121 of inet
GNOME_KEYRING_SOCKET=/tmp/keyring-fQ0RnK/socket
SSH_AUTH_SOCK=/tmp/keyring-fQ0RnK/socket.ssh
GNOME_KEYRING_PID=33985
gdm[34019]: ******************* START **********************************
gdm[34019]: [New LWP 33980]
gdm[34019]: [Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
gdm[34019]: 0x00000048bc7f2484 in waitpid () from /lib64/libpthread.so.0
gdm[34019]: #0  0x00000048bc7f2484 in waitpid () from /lib64/libpthread.so.0
gdm[34019]: #1  0x000000008001c57a in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: #2  0x000000008001c628 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: #3  <signal handler called>
gdm[34019]: #4  0x0000000000000000 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: #5  0x00000048bd8808f6 in ?? () from /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #6  0x00000048bd89821c in ?? () from /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #7  0x00000048bd89591c in ?? () from /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #8  0x00000048bd897a4c in ?? () from /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #9  0x00000048bd897f64 in ?? () from /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #10 0x00000048bc918372 in g_main_context_dispatch () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #11 0x00000048bc91c708 in ?? () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #12 0x00000048bc91ccf6 in g_main_loop_run () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #13 0x00000048bde20cea in gtk_dialog_run () from /usr/lib64/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #14 0x00000000800294d6 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: #15 0x0000000080021a90 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: #16 0x00000048bca9e5d6 in g_closure_invoke () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #17 0x00000048bcab8a32 in ?? () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #18 0x00000048bcaba542 in g_signal_emit_valist () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #19 0x00000048bcabaa2e in g_signal_emit () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #20 0x0000000080026e00 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: #21 0x000000008001563a in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: #22 0x00000048bca9e5d6 in g_closure_invoke () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #23 0x00000048bcab8a32 in ?? () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #24 0x00000048bcaba2ee in g_signal_emit_valist () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #25 0x00000048bcabaa2e in g_signal_emit () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #26 0x0000000080012822 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: #27 0x00000048bd396e6c in _SmsProcessMessage () from /usr/lib64/libSM.so.6
gdm[34019]: #28 0x00000048bd3842ce in IceProcessMessages () from /usr/lib64/libICE.so.6
gdm[34019]: #29 0x0000000080013708 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: #30 0x00000048bc918372 in g_main_context_dispatch () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #31 0x00000048bc91c708 in ?? () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #32 0x00000048bc91ccf6 in g_main_loop_run () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #33 0x00000048bdeb2418 in gtk_main () from /usr/lib64/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: #34 0x000000008001df64 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: #35 0x00000048bc63b924 in __libc_start_main () from /lib64/libc.so.6
gdm[34019]: #36 0x000000008000d3ca in ?? ()
gdm[34019]:
gdm[34019]: Thread 2 (Thread 0x3fff7139910 (LWP 33980)):
gdm[34019]: #0  0x00000048bc7f1496 in ?? () from /lib64/libpthread.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #1  0x00000048bc919708 in ?? () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #2  0x00000048bc946918 in ?? () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #3  0x00000048bc7e743e in start_thread () from /lib64/libpthread.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #4  0x00000048bc72878a in thread_start () from /lib64/libc.so.6
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]:
gdm[34019]: Thread 1 (Thread 0x3fffcfdb970 (LWP 33970)):
gdm[34019]: #0  0x00000048bc7f2484 in waitpid () from /lib64/libpthread.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #1  0x000000008001c57a in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #2  0x000000008001c628 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #3  <signal handler called>
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #4  0x0000000000000000 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #5  0x00000048bd8808f6 in ?? () from /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #6  0x00000048bd89821c in ?? () from /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #7  0x00000048bd89591c in ?? () from /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #8  0x00000048bd897a4c in ?? () from /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #9  0x00000048bd897f64 in ?? () from /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #10 0x00000048bc918372 in g_main_context_dispatch () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #11 0x00000048bc91c708 in ?? () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #12 0x00000048bc91ccf6 in g_main_loop_run () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #13 0x00000048bde20cea in gtk_dialog_run () from /usr/lib64/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #14 0x00000000800294d6 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #15 0x0000000080021a90 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #16 0x00000048bca9e5d6 in g_closure_invoke () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #17 0x00000048bcab8a32 in ?? () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #18 0x00000048bcaba542 in g_signal_emit_valist () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #19 0x00000048bcabaa2e in g_signal_emit () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #20 0x0000000080026e00 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #21 0x000000008001563a in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #22 0x00000048bca9e5d6 in g_closure_invoke () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #23 0x00000048bcab8a32 in ?? () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #24 0x00000048bcaba2ee in g_signal_emit_valist () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #25 0x00000048bcabaa2e in g_signal_emit () from /lib64/libgobject-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #26 0x0000000080012822 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #27 0x00000048bd396e6c in _SmsProcessMessage () from /usr/lib64/libSM.so.6
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #28 0x00000048bd3842ce in IceProcessMessages () from /usr/lib64/libICE.so.6
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #29 0x0000000080013708 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #30 0x00000048bc918372 in g_main_context_dispatch () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #31 0x00000048bc91c708 in ?? () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #32 0x00000048bc91ccf6 in g_main_loop_run () from /lib64/libglib-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #33 0x00000048bdeb2418 in gtk_main () from /usr/lib64/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #34 0x000000008001df64 in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #35 0x00000048bc63b924 in __libc_start_main () from /lib64/libc.so.6
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: #36 0x000000008000d3ca in ?? ()
gdm[34019]: No symbol table info available.
gdm[34019]: A debugging session is active.
gdm[34019]:
gdm[34019]:     Inferior 1 [process 33970] will be detached.
gdm[34019]:
gdm[34019]: Quit anyway? (y or n) [answered Y; input not from terminal]
gdm[34019]: ******************* END **********************************

(nautilus:34016): EggSMClient-WARNING **: Failed to connect to the session manager: IO error occured opening connection

Initializing nautilus-gdu extension
Initializing nautilus-open-terminal extension
** Message: Could not connect to session manager: Could not get owner of name 'org.gnome.SessionManager': no such name

** (gnome-panel:34015): WARNING **: Could not connect to session manager: Could not get owner of name 'org.gnome.SessionManager': no such name

** (gnome-settings-daemon:33984): WARNING **: Key 0x70 (keycodes:  33)  with state 0x4000000 (resolved to 0x0)  has no usable modifiers (usable modifiers are 0x140000fd)


Starting a user session (using TightVNC Viewer (version 2.7.10    built  13th Jul 2013)    I start a desktop with a cursor that shows it's busy with 'something.'
I *can* start (say) a firefox session,  but keystrokes inevitably result in the browser session crashing.

Here's the appended log information for that session attempt"

Thu Nov 13 11:40:45 2014
 Connections: accepted: 9.23.34.234::61613
 SConnection: Client needs protocol version 3.8
 SConnection: Client requests security type VncAuth(2)

Thu Nov 13 11:40:52 2014
 VNCSConnST:  Server default pixel format depth 24 (32bpp) big-endian rgb888
 VNCSConnST:  Client pixel format depth 24 (32bpp) little-endian rgb888

(firefox:34133): GnomeUI-WARNING **: While connecting to session manager:
Could not open network socket.
/usr/lib64/firefox/firefox: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0: undefined symbol: _XGetRequest

Thu Nov 13 11:46:10 2014
 Connections: closed: 9.23.34.234::61613 (Clean disconnection)
 SMsgWriter:  framebuffer updates 9322
 SMsgWriter:    Tight rects 276, bytes 418402
 SMsgWriter:    raw bytes equivalent 12968944, compression ratio 30.996372


I understand the words,   but not the implications....

[Phil Clowes]

[Pierre Ossman]

On Thu, 13 Nov 2014 08:47:44 -0800 (PST),
Phil Clowes wrote:

> (firefox:34133): GnomeUI-WARNING **: While connecting to session manager:
> Could not open network socket.
> /usr/lib64/firefox/firefox: symbol lookup error:
> /usr/lib64/libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0: undefined symbol: _XGetRequest
>

Something is horribly broken with your system. Your GTK+ libraries
are mis-matching with your libX11 libraries. At this point I'm afraid
I'd suggest a reinstallation. Otherwise you're going to have to verify
every package and see what is correct and what isn't. :/

Rgds
--
Pierre Ossman Software Development

Cendio AB https://cendio.com
Teknikringen 8 https://twitter.com/ThinLinc
583 30 Linköping https://facebook.com/ThinLinc
Phone: +46-13-214600 https://plus.google.com/+CendioThinLinc

[Phil Clowes]

Makes sense Pierre.
I'll look at what we have done to get to ths point.

Thanks for taking time for this
Cheers