ultravnc
Connection only works when other remote software solution is used simultaneously
Problem: I can only connect to my remote server if I'm also connected via other remote software. Problem popped up using UltraVNC 1.6.1.0, still exists in 1.6.4.0.
Expected behavior: I want to log into my remote server via remote access software (in my case, Remmina - in my customer's case, UltraVNC client) no matter whether the other user is connected or not.
Experienced behavior: If I'm using a remote client software like Remmina, I can type in the password which is set and try to connect, but I'm getting an "Authentication rejected, try to reconnect" error. I can only connect successfully if I'm also connected via Teamviewer, even if remote server's users are logged out. As soon as I close Teamviewer, Remmina blackens out. Connection is not terminated, I have to close it manually.
Settings: Remote server runs on Win11 Pro + UltraVNC 1.6.4 server as a system service, with default settings + password set. During installation, I made sure only UltraVNC server is installed (not Repeater or Viewer). An endpoint security solution (BitDefender) is running, but shows no errors/warnings.
Solution: unknown, please provide. I reinstalled UltraVNC server several times, tried different settings, checked/unchecked the virtual display driver option during installation. Nothing seems to work. I have to downgrade to a previous, probably unsafe version. An older UltraVNC server version runs fine on another machine.
Note: may be related with https://github.com/ultravnc/UltraVNC/issues/268 ? Can't elaborate, I'm not a developer.
@Neustradamus It looks like an UltraVNC server issue which is not my forte.
If I had to guess something is happening with DXGI Desktop Duplication intialization (possibly permission problems). Desktop Duplication might need a simple re-init when AcquireNextFrame call fails but I'm not familiar with the codebase.
DXGI Desktop Duplication can easy be test by unchecking DDEngine (Desktop Duplication Engine)
Is it a headless system ?
Thanks for your answers so far.
It's not a headless system.
DDEngine was unchecked in the settings. I checked it, reboot, didn't work (only with Teamviewer connected, again). I un-checked DDEngine again, reboot, now VNC connection without Teamviewer works both for me and my customer (yay!).
BUT, when I connect via Teamviewer, while my customer is online, and I close Teamviewer again, VNC kicks her out of the session ("Server closed connection - Your connection has been refused"). VNC on the server is set to more than 1 user and "if last user disconnects, do: nothing" so this shouldn't be a problem.
If vnc is running as service -> it clone the console If teamviewer is running as the user, he show the user desktop, but it looks liuke it's actual showing a buildin rdp session.
If you logon with vnc and the screen is black, then vnc is running as user in a rdp session and the rdp session is minimized. The OS close th video when no rdp is active -> Black
- Verify is vnc is realy running as service, check the systray it should indicate service.
Sorry for the late response.
UltraVNC is running as a server. I installed it via Admin user as a service, while my customer has her own user with some less access/permissions.
But there's one thing odd. I can't stop and start the server via systray, even if I'm logged in as Admin. I'm pretty sure it was possible before I uninstalled the previous version and installed the current version (1.6.4.0).
When I uninstall UVNC, some files remain in C:\Program Files\uvnc bvna . I renamed the folder before reinstalling UVNC again, just to make sure there is no problem when the system writes over the old config. The problem remains, though.
Could you please give me some info about which UVNC-related keys are stored in the Windows Registry, and which values they should have? It wouldn't be the first time I had to scratch off obsolete values from the Registry by hand (not on this machine, I mean, in general).
Normally, if it is installed by an administrator on a machine as a Service, when you are an administrator, normally, there is no problem to stop or uninstall the service via systray menu, and if you are not administrator, there is an administrator account/password request (security).
Yes, when you uninstall the software, some files are not removed (log files and old configuration file place), this historical problem is known, these files must be moved in good folder in the future (already done for configuration file but old file is not removed) (@RudiDeVos).
Now: good configuration file place:
- Service: %ProgramData%\UltraVNC
- Application: %LocalAppData%\UltraVNC
UltraVNC does not use Windows Registry, only the configuration file.
No, sorry guys. I had to switch to another software solution to offer my client a reliable product.