Xrdp shows a blank screen with Ubuntu 18.04, Bionic Beaver

If you are trying to use remote desktop on Ubuntu or Xubuntu 18.04 you may find that after logging in all you see is a blank screen.

One cause of this is that xfce4 has added code that prevents a second session from opening. You will find that if your computer's main screen is logged into xfce4 you may not be able to use it with xrdp.

To solve this "second session" problem and allow as many sessions as you need, edit /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh and add these lines before the lines that test and execute Xsession. The $HOME/.profile is not part of the solution, but is something that should be run before starting the session anyway.

unset DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
unset XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
. $HOME/.profile
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41 comments:

  1. UnknownJanuary 6, 2019 at 8:54 PM

    thank you, this is work like a charm ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Andrew LuetgersJune 10, 2019 at 3:46 PM

    thanks so much only thing that works!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Alex WijoyoJuly 25, 2019 at 8:29 AM

    Thank you so much. It works.

    ReplyDelete
  4. CANovember 13, 2019 at 10:33 AM

    For Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic
    This works

    sudo apt-get install xorgxrdp-hwe-18.04
    this installs a compatible xrdp package

    The old version is not compatible and if you have it installed you
    have to:

    sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-core
    sudo apt-get -y install xserver-xorg-input-all

    This removes the old stuff if you have it installed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Animesh ChatterjeeDecember 26, 2019 at 7:52 PM

      I followed these steps and lost my entire KDE environment for 18.04 Bionic. I have to reinstall Kubuntu from scratch tomorrow. This suggestion should be removed from this list so that others don't run into the same issue

      Delete
    2. UnknownSeptember 16, 2021 at 3:08 PM

      I just executed the first instruction (sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-core) and worked on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

      Delete
    3. Dave0mSeptember 18, 2022 at 10:51 AM

      the first one, sudo apt-get install xorgxrdp-hwe-18.04, worked for me

      Delete
  5. RowdsterJanuary 30, 2020 at 11:53 AM

    The very sad work around for me is that you can't be logged in locally while trying to use RDP. The 'fix" is to log out locally and RDP works fine. Wow.

    https://github.com/neutrinolabs/xrdp/issues/1358

    ReplyDelete
  6. RowdsterJanuary 30, 2020 at 11:53 AM

    This is still broken all the way through Ubuntu 19 and 20 early builds.

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownJanuary 31, 2020 at 3:27 PM

    Thank you so much. I just fixed the same issue now on Ubuntu 19.10 Desktop. Regards.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Mirza Affan SaiedMarch 1, 2020 at 7:42 AM

    https://www.nakivo.com/blog/how-to-use-remote-desktop-connection-ubuntu-linux-walkthrough/

    save my day

    ReplyDelete
  9. BgrngodMarch 10, 2020 at 6:26 PM

    OMFG, thank you so much for this fix. Huge help for this green linux guy.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Carlos SantosMarch 28, 2020 at 11:41 AM

    you need to install a desktop to xrdp work

    ReplyDelete
  11. TzWeizApril 19, 2020 at 7:19 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  12. TzWeizApril 19, 2020 at 7:20 AM

    Thank you so much

    ReplyDelete
  13. UnknownJune 16, 2020 at 3:51 PM

    This worked for me:
    On the R Pi You can add to

    /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config

    the following line

    allowed_users = anybody

    ReplyDelete
  14. JackJuly 23, 2020 at 11:57 PM

    If I may suggest, use X2GO instead of the pre-installed windows RDP. Its way faster atleast on the Jetson TX2.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter BennettJuly 24, 2020 at 6:31 AM

      Thank you for the tip. x2go looks interesting.

      Delete
  15. completion6September 11, 2020 at 9:18 AM

    Awesome! Worked like a charm.

    ReplyDelete
  16. My BlogOctober 8, 2020 at 5:15 AM

    Thanks! worked with ubuntu 20!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Peter StavrouOctober 9, 2020 at 6:03 PM

    Thank you so much! I finally got the desktop to load but mouse cursor gets stuck on the loading icon. Any ideas on how to fix this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter StavrouOctober 9, 2020 at 6:07 PM

      The loading of the desktop pretty much gets stuck.

      Delete
  18. DecoDecember 8, 2020 at 4:39 AM

    Hell yeah, bro. You rock! Also works for Ubuntu 20.04

    ReplyDelete
  19. OduseDecember 14, 2020 at 10:26 AM

    Like a charm :D Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  20. Vinícius Feitosa da SilvaDecember 15, 2020 at 5:28 AM

    It works for me: https://vinnyfs89.gitbook.io/knowledge/technology/operational-systems/linux/how-to#remote-access-using-the-xrdp-package

    Look at these lines below:

    ```sh
    # Allow firewall access on port 3389
    ufw allow 3389

    # Change "allowed_users" to anybody
    # like this: allowed_users=anybody
    vim /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config
    ```

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter BennettDecember 15, 2020 at 6:17 AM

      I am not sure what you are saying here.

      Are you able to login to xrdp when you are already logged into the main screen? If not you need the solution here.

      Delete
  21. TondaJanuary 6, 2021 at 12:19 PM

    perfect it works on ubuntu 20.10 also, thank you

    ReplyDelete
  22. TondaJanuary 6, 2021 at 12:19 PM

    perfect it works on ubuntu 20.10 also, thank you

    ReplyDelete
  23. 고단장January 10, 2021 at 11:47 AM

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  24. mizerJanuary 11, 2021 at 11:25 AM

    This is awesome ! Saved my day on Ubutnu 20.04, thanks so much !!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. UnknownFebruary 1, 2021 at 1:06 AM

    the file only has read permission it wont even allow me to replace the file

    ReplyDelete
  26. Bilal.sheikhFebruary 15, 2021 at 11:02 PM

    thanks its work

    ReplyDelete
  27. Obs1234February 23, 2021 at 5:14 PM

    2-23-2120

    Works Dandy!! This has been bugging me for ages! I LOVE Ubuntu, but always gave up on it not able to remote desktop in...

    ReplyDelete
  28. ajaxmikeMarch 11, 2021 at 8:02 AM

    It works on Unbuntu Server 20.4 with Cinnamon. Thank you so much. I wish I had found this 2 days ago.

    ReplyDelete
  29. ChuckdubdubdubMarch 16, 2021 at 5:47 PM

    Worked! Thanks much.

    ReplyDelete
  30. C J, KApril 3, 2021 at 11:46 PM

    work for Ubuntu 20.10 64 bit raspberry 4

    ReplyDelete
  31. VimalJune 1, 2021 at 11:55 PM

    Worked on Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)
    Get asked to create a color managed profile though ...

    ReplyDelete
  32. VimalJune 2, 2021 at 12:12 AM

    These two links have been helpful to eliminate all popups:
    https://askubuntu.com/questions/1193810/authentication-required-to-refresh-system-repositories-in-ubuntu-19-10
    http://c-nergy.be/blog/?p=12043

    ReplyDelete

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