Want to Remotely Control a Linux Box from WinXP Pro

[Clocker]

I have WinXP Pro on my main machine. I have a machine down stairs with a big HDD in it. I would like to be able to remotely control the machine (something like remote desktop maybe?) as well as use it as a network storage drive. What is the best way to do it?

Linux is the desired OS for the machine (whichever distribution is best for this) but I will try anything that doesn't take a programmers knowledge to implement....

Thanks!
C

 

[Jake the Dog]

i know VNC is available for Liunx. i don't know if it can work with it's MS equivalent but it's worth looking into.

 

[i]

i know VNC is available for Liunx. i don't know if it can work with it's MS equivalent but it's worth looking into.

It will definitely work. VNC supports a host of different platforms and offers seamless interoperability between them. On the rare occasion you come across an OS where you can't get the VNC client installed, you can configure the server to accept connections over the web. This means you can control the computer (PC, Mac, whatever) from any Java-enabled web browser.

VNC is fantastic software.

 

[Clocker]

Which version of Linux works best for acting in file shareing? I'll need to map a drive to a folder/partition on the Linux box.

Thanks
C

 

[i]

Which version of Linux works best for acting in file shareing? I'll need to map a drive to a folder/partition on the Linux box.

I'm nervous already. :wink:

Presuming this is a home network attached to the Internet, how good a firewall do you have set up? If you've got something solid, then things get easier and you can be more adventurous.

As for which distribution, that's a tough question. I'm using RedHat 7.2 myself - I only chose it because I wanted to be able to find lots of help out there when I needed it. Now, a year or so later, I find myself with enough experience that I'm considering trying other options. I want to give the "Linux From Scratch" project a try (perhaps on my laptop to be really adventurous), along with Gentoo Linux.

That's the route I've been taking to improve my experience with Linux: one day I just decided to jump in and pick something and build from there. It's been a long, slow process, but definitely worthwhile. I guess that's my first suggestion: just pick one. :wink:

As for what distribution works well specifically with file sharing ... well ... I'm not sure anyone can answer that. You'd probably invite a, "my distribution is better than your distribution," argument in many places. I think you'll find that the software that allows file sharing is easily available for most of the "big name" Linux distributions.

You've got two options:
1) plain old FTP (not bad if you've got a decent graphical client on your Windows system)
2) Samba ... to allow direct MS networking (what you're probably looking for)

I have no experience with setting up a Linux box to run the Samba server software (though I've used the client a lot). From other posts I've seen in the Technical Support forum here it's apparent there are others at SF who have. Hopefully they will post something insightful here. I will add that a recurring theme I've seen here and elsewhere is that life gets really hard if you want to be able to authenticate users before they can access the stuff you're sharing via Samba.

Assuming this is your own personal network with a solid firewall you may not have to worry about that. I have an OpenBSD firewall from hell protecting my network from the outside world, so if it were me, I'd have no problems doing that. Again, a lot depends on your network.

What was the question again? :wink:

Oh yeah, you needed a short answer about which distribution to use that will include everything you need to get file sharing working. :wink:

First distribution that cames to mind: SuSE Linux

That's just what I'd try. Can't say if it'll be right for you. :-?

 

[Clocker]

Thanks a lot for your feedback.

I've found a good fast place from which to download all of RH 8.0 so I think I'm going to try that one for the same reasons you used 7.3. I figure the latest and greatest will also be the easiest to use and set-up. I think RH has Samba built in so that it can be easily enabled etc. too so that will probably help me.

I've downloaded VNC and can't wait to get started with it!. If I can get VNC going, then I can put RH8 on both my basement machines!

I'll be spending my Friday evening playing with it while my wife works late. How sad in one way but good in another! :-(

 

[Cliptin]

Thanks a lot for your feedback.

I've found a good fast place from which to download all of RH 8.0 so I think I'm going to try that one for the same reasons you used 7.3. I figure the latest and greatest will also be the easiest to use and set-up. I think RH has Samba built in so that it can be easily enabled etc. too so that will probably help me.

I've downloaded VNC and can't wait to get started with it!. If I can get VNC going, then I can put RH8 on both my basement machines!

I'll be spending my Friday evening playing with it while my wife works late. How sad in one way but good in another! :-(

The first step will be to make sure it gets installed. The second step will be to make sure the daemon starts at boot time. I usually pick the custom install but then I don't know what I'm doing.

 

[blakerwry]

I found that setting up samba via webmin was very easy.

During installation of both Mandrake and Redhat you can choose to install Samba (So that should be a no brainer).

I know in the last 2 releases of mandrake you can select it to start on boot with the other services too.

So installation and startup is a breeze, the only thing left is to configure it.

I've found that Webmin (http://www.webmin.com) is a decent GUI for configuring a whole host of servers and services on your linux box. I use it for proFTP, Apache(http server), and Samba. It woks via secure http so almost any browser will be capable of using it and installation instructions are available on the website (it is available in RPM format so installation should be reletively easy in redhat or mandrake)

 

[Clocker]

Thanks again for your input. I found a REALLY fast ftp mirror for RH8 if anybody wants it:

mirror.mcs.anl.gov

/pub/redhat/redhat/linux/8.0/en/iso/i386/

C

 

[Clocker]

WIth respect to file sharing....I only really need to allow the WinXP box to access files on the RedHat drive. Does that make my set-up easier? The Linux box doesn't need to access shares....

Thanks,
C

 

[Cliptin]

WIth respect to file sharing....I only really need to allow the WinXP box to access files on the RedHat drive. Does that make my set-up easier? The Linux box doesn't need to access shares....

Thanks,
C

This is the exact problem folks were having. I suggest you ship your drive to James and let him work his magic. AFAIK, he is the only one to get it working.

 

[James]

Maybe, but I cheated to get it working (ie. I don't use encrypted passwords).

 

[Clocker]

Well...I freaking give up....again.

I got Samba running so I could see the Samba Server on the network but I could not log into it. I'm sure there is some cryptic POS file I need to modify but I just can't dael with that BS. I got VNC working so I could see the Linux Desktop on my WinXP machine. However, all I could see was a couple term windows I had going, it didn't look like a virtual desktop like I'm used to seeing with WinXP Remote Desktop.

I guess I'll give it a shot in another 6 months.

C

 

[i]

Well...I freaking give up....again.

I got Samba running so I could see the Samba Server on the network but I could not log into it. I'm sure there is some cryptic POS file I need to modify but I just can't dael with that BS. I got VNC working so I could see the Linux Desktop on my WinXP machine. However, all I could see was a couple term windows I had going, it didn't look like a virtual desktop like I'm used to seeing with WinXP Remote Desktop.

I guess I'll give it a shot in another 6 months.

C

Sorry to hear it's going poorly Clocker. I'm likely to start playing with Samba in the next few weeks ... I'll post here if I have any success (others will too I'm sure). Maybe you can give it a try again later.

 

[Clocker]

Thanks :wink:

 

[The JoJo]

Clocker, you did use smbpasswd to create a samba user and a password for that user?
Easiest to have the samba user named the same as your WinXP user.

 

[Bozo]

Have you tried 'mapping' to the Linux box from XP? That works in NT and 2000. Then again, I believe MS purposely made it next to imposible to connect an XP box to anything Linux

Bozo

 

[Clocker]

You guys are gonna make me try it again, aren't you?!

Thanks for the help...keep it coming!!

 

[Mercutio]

VNC by default doesn't start up a Window manager, just a couple of terminal sessions. If you want a full-featured session, add

kde &

to the end of your ~/.vnc/xstartup file.

And follow The JoJo's advice for setting up samba. You just don't have a username mapping, something that takes about five seconds to correct.

 

[blakerwry]

clocker, i got samba going in less than 10 minutes with webmin... I used share level passwords.... encrypted...

since i'm behind a firewall and I'm not sharing anything important (important security wise or important to the computer's operation) I just have guest access allowed under each shares properties.

I currently have 3 shares: 1 for a single user, 1 for music, and 1 for movies.

 

[Clocker]

clocker, i got samba going in less than 10 minutes with webmin... I used share level passwords.... encrypted...

since i'm behind a firewall and I'm not sharing anything important (important security wise or important to the computer's operation) I just have guest access allowed under each shares properties.

I currently have 3 shares: 1 for a single user, 1 for music, and 1 for movies.

Are you on ICQ or anything blakerwry?

ICQ=7671231

C

 

[blakerwry]

btw, remember to restart webmin after changing it's configuration.

 

[Cliptin]

Do you still have a 98 box you can test with to temporarily avoid the difficulties with XP?

 

[blakerwry]

Are you on ICQ or anything blakerwry?

ICQ=7671231

I added you to my list... just awaiting the authorization.

 

[Clocker]

VNC by default doesn't start up a Window manager, just a couple of terminal sessions. If you want a full-featured session, add

kde &

to the end of your ~/.vnc/xstartup file.

And follow The JoJo's advice for setting up samba. You just don't have a username mapping, something that takes about five seconds to correct.

Merc-

I get 'command not found' in the VNC log file when I put kde & in there. I think it is because:

RedHat 8.0 replaces the traditional GNOME interface with Bluecurve, a Red Hat-created GUI theme combining elements of both GNOME and KDE

So I wnder how I can have VNC start 'BlueCurve'?

Still no luck with Samba & WinXP although I have created a user. I'm going to try Webmin if I can't get this going the 'traditional' way...

Thanks,
C

 

[Clocker]

Sheissen!

It worked for a little while...I transferred about 5 GB of data to the Linux Box from my WInXP box. Now it stopped working. The only difference now is that I'm trying to access the Samba server from my machine upstairs. I'm using all the same settings that I was using with the WinXP box that is downstairs right night to the Linux box (which was working). Freaking weird.

Sigh...

C

 

[Dozer]

This is indeed strange, Clocker.

I've been running Samba on one of my machines for several months now, accessing it with XP on another machine. I did most of the configuration through Webmin. Yesterday I set up Samba to run on a dual-Pentium machine in console--took awhile to get it all configured, but it works fine. I can see the folder I shared and access it readily. I basically just allowed access to one shared folder. I'm planning on using it as a file server, but I have to add some drive space to the machine first. There were a couple of helpful sites that I used to get it up and running. I don't have them saved here at work, but when I get home I'll post the links--perhaps they'll be helpful to you.

 

[Clocker]

This is indeed strange, Clocker.

I've been running Samba on one of my machines for several months now, accessing it with XP on another machine. I did most of the configuration through Webmin. Yesterday I set up Samba to run on a dual-Pentium machine in console--took awhile to get it all configured, but it works fine. I can see the folder I shared and access it readily. I basically just allowed access to one shared folder. I'm planning on using it as a file server, but I have to add some drive space to the machine first. There were a couple of helpful sites that I used to get it up and running. I don't have them saved here at work, but when I get home I'll post the links--perhaps they'll be helpful to you.

I guess I'll go to the Webmin site and see how to use it...maybe that will help me.

C

 

[Dozer]

Webmin is really easy to install and use. I installed using the RPM for Mandrake, then pointed my browser to http://localhost:10000. It's got a detailed user interface that allows you to configure lots of Linux applications and processes (you can install applications remotely, reboot, kill processes, etc.). You can even access it remotely, but it's a good idea to set Webmin to use https, and change the port you use to access Webmin. The Webmin website is quite good.

 

[Clocker]

I think something is effed up with my router. I installed webmin but I can't contact it from my other network machine.... either.

Damn it all. Damn it all to Hell!

 

[Dozer]

I had to open up port 10000 on my router/firewall to get it to work. Can you get Webmin to run on your local machine? (either http://localhost:10000 or https://localhost:10000). Depending on how Webmin was configured at installaltion, you may have to type https://localhost:10000 to get it to run.

 

[Clocker]

Thanks for trying Dozer but I think I have finially given up. I've been fighting with Linux on and off for a couple days now just to try to do the things I can easily do with WinXP or just about any other flavor of Windowz with a few simple clicks of the mouse. Maybe they'll get it useable on a hybrid network by v10.1 or something but I can't waste any more time with this POS.

Everybody...thanks for the tips. I'll give it a try again in about 6 months I guess.

Clock

 

[Dozer]

Yeah, sometimes it's better to take a breather and come back when you have regained some patience again. I've done that with many a project. Usually I come back to it later, fix the problem immediately and say, "Why the heck was it so hard three days ago!"

 

[Handruin]

I did the same thing at work. I couldn't figure out how to get apache to start. I originally had it working, and then decided to explore a bit with the end result was negative. My fix was to just reinstall redhat every time I couldn't get something back to working. A bit drastic, but I'm no lunx guru.

 

[blakerwry]

heh, reinstallation of linux was my only fix for awhile... it seems like I kept messing something up and could never get things working again... but that was redhat 6... I wish I knew how to use ghost back then... phew... that was alot of work.

I gave linux another spin when mandrake 9 came out and I ahve been happy ever since. I have the time, like the learning and I appreciate the challenge, so it all works well for me.

 

[Dozer]

I have the time, like the learning and I appreciate the challenge, so it all works well for me.

Exactly where I'm at. I have learned much about Linux in a short period of time just by tinkering, researching, and experimenting. Heck, that's how I've learned everything I know about computers to this point. But you definitely must have the time to tinker with it, and tinkering isn't always practical. If I had to deal with Linux in my limitied IT capacity at work, I would be wasting my time trying to troubleshoot and figure out how to configure systems. Instead, I'm able to easily diagnose and fix problems (for the most part) on our Windows machines. Which brings me in a roundabout way to the point that we all have been proving time and again: Linux is not yet a viable solution for mainstream use--at least not until it is readily configurable. I foresee it happening soon, however, as more and more Linux inner-workings are configurable via control panels. I would love to see a panel like the Webmin interface as an integral part of a Linux OS, working much like Windows Control Panel. After all, it does let you configure a vast majority of Linux processes.

Just my two cents worth...