Reconnecting after a Restart

Is it possible in Windows XP to make a VNC connection when a user is not logged in? One of the things we need to do over here is reboot to different OS’s using something like Norton Ghost.

I can reboot in win 9x and immediately get a connection, but not XP/2000. I get a “password rejected” message back from the VNC server. Any idears?

Thanks,

Allen

Hi, Allen:

Yes. I’ve just double-checked this on a local XP machine. You need to make sure that you’ve registered VNC as a service (the RealVNC service includes a script that does this – just running as a service doesn’t do the same thing), that the service is set to run automatically, and that it’s set to logon as Local System (you’ll find these last two settings in the services control panel). There doesn’t appear to be any trick to it beyond that.

If you’re still having trouble, send us any additional info you can think of, including screen shots of the VNC configuration panel if possible.

Hope this helps.

  • Matt

I already have VNC registered as a service, and set to start automatically and it is set to logon as local system. Am I going to have to figure out a way to log onto the system first?

Can’t think of much else, and I’m working from home today, so if you want to see the configuration screen for VNC, I’ll have to get it over to you tomorrow.

No, you shouldn’t have to log onto the system first. It works here from a cold boot – the VNC server is available at the login screen. This should work, so I think there must just be a misconfiguration somewhere. And the fact that you’re getting a “password rejected” message indicates that you are in fact talking to the VNC server, it just doesn’t like what you’re saying. I’d try resetting the password when you can get to the machine again – maybe it’s not what you think it is. Have you tried turning on Caps Lock and typing the password? Maybe that was on when you originally stored it.

That did it. It’s always the obvious thing.

:oops: slithers back to his office with his tail between his legs :oops:

Glad to hear you got it working. Sorry it didn’t occur to me to suggest that right away – it really should have.