On Thu, 16 Oct 2008, Andy Gallant wrote:
I want to run X-Windows on my Vista Home Prem laptop. I've been trying to
make Cygwin work, but it was a struggle even to get it installed. I have
access to a Unix expert but he has never run Cygwin on Vista. Google ("is my
friend" (tm)) helped locate hints to help get the Cygwin package to install
without apparent errors, but we can't get Cygwin's X-Windows to work - there
are a number of errors.
Has anybody succeeded with getting Cygwin's X-Windows to run on Vista? Is
there a reasonable alternative, preferably both stable and free (Xming?)?
Can anyone help with these questions? Thanks in advance.
I've used X-ming myself on XP, and found it very good. Two links I've
found for it are:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/xming
http://www.straightrunning.com/XmingNotes/
I have used Cygwin, but not their X-server (a plain cross-compiled
XFree86, I think).
Have you used cross-machine X windows before? Do you know how to
set up your DISPLAY environment variable. There are 2 general ways
you can run X windows... plain unencrypted, and tunneled via ssh.
For the first way, just log in to the remote machine (where the programs
will reside whose displays you want on your Vista machine). If your
Vista machine has an IP address of 1.2.3.4, then in your shell on
the remote machine (probably either telnet or an ssh client like Putty)
set an environment variable DISPLAY to "1.2.3.4:0". Either of
setenv DISPLAY 1.2.3.4:0 (csh)
DISPLAY=1.2.3.4:0 ; export DISPLAY (sh or bash)
You probably will also need to open the X ports in your firewall
control panel on the Vista machine (TCP ports 6000, 6001, etc.).
To tunnel via ssh, tell your SSH to "forward X" or "forward X ports"
(there's a checkbox in the Putty options if that's what you're using).
Then, when you login with that SSH client, it should automatically
set the DISPLAY variable to something like "localhost:10" or similar.
You won't need to open any ports in your Vista firewall.
Let me know if you have more questions.
--
Vicky Staubly http://www.steeds.com/vicky/ [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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