[SOLVED] Xvfb Setup Issues, KDE headless Issues

[EmeraldUser]

Okay, so here's my situation: I have a small, out-of-sight server in my house that I'm attempting to set up. In all fairness, I'm essentially done, except one thing: its set up to automatically turn on, log back in, and connect in case of a power failure or maintenance shut down, but since it does not have a monitor plugged in, KDE refuses to run. Now, I know, why run KDE on a headless system? I'm working on getting around that, but for now its essential: this server acts as a wireless print/file/web server for my household, and I haven't yet figured out how to setup autologin/autoconnect/wpa_supplicant on soley-TTY based config.

A little research later, I stumbled upon xvfb, for setting up virtual X displays... which is exactly what I need to get KDE to load without a monitor plugged in. The only problem is, I can't seem to find any tutorials or documentation that isn't horribly outdated.

I also tried to find information on manually configuring wpa_supplicant and iwconfig/ifup to run my wireless GUI-free, but it generated errors, and I don't know enough about the inner workings of *NIX to know what to do to fix them.

So, I would really appreciate anyone who has a way around the headless KDE problem, or knows how to configure xvfb or can walk me through ifconfig in openSUSE 11.3.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[gogalthorp]

LOL just boot into run level 3 ie no GUI. Why do you need a GUI for a server? It just takes up memory resources. You can always start the GUI up if you really need it with a startx command.

Just add a 3 to the /boot/grub/menu.list file entry that is auto booting

[EmeraldUser]

Now, I know, why run KDE on a headless system? I'm working on getting around that, but for now its essential: this server acts as a wireless print/file/web server for my household, and I haven't yet figured out how to setup autologin/autoconnect/wpa_supplicant on soley-TTY based config.

Network Manager runs the network connections. Network Manager will not run without KDE.

And no, I can't start the X server without a monitor. I've tried. Its rare, but a google search finds several other people with my problem. Its probably hardware based, which would explain why so few people have the issue, but X refuses to start, because it needs a display.

[Segfault]

What gogalthorp said. Plus, wireless connection is far inferior to wired connection, wireless and server do not go together.

Network Manager runs the network connections.

Certainly not, it merely configures and switches them for you. What network manager can do you can do. By hand. Once and for good.

[EmeraldUser]

I know, but as I stated in my first post, I tried, and failed to get the network configured with ifconfig/iwconfig/wpa_supplicant.

Here's the contents of my self-generated wpa_supplicant.conf file.

ap_scan=1
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

network={
	ssid="ACTIONTEC"
	scan_ssid=0
	proto=WPA
	key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
	psk="jacob3141510"
	pairwise=TKIP
	group=TKIP
}

Network Manager doesn't seem to make one of its own (or its hidden somewhere else) or I'd just copy its file.

When I try to configure wpa supplicant, however, I get SIOC******* errors. I can try it again and print the exact output if you'd like.

And I'm aware the wireless connections are inferior... and as far as "wireless and server do not go together..." this is a wireless print server, in part. Due to space constraints, wired is not an option. The file server and web server part don't have to be wireless, but I am limited to what I can plug into my router directly, and I am not about to get more hardware for another server when doing so would not even solve my wireless print server problem.

[EmeraldUser]

Okay, so after quite a bit of tinkering (a lot of which I don't fully understand, I have a workable, no-GUI required wireless connection on boot. But... I'm having problems figuring out how to autologin to a TTY with openSUSE. Any suggestions?

[EmeraldUser]

Nevermind again, figured it out. If anyone else ever reads this: I had to disable dhcp... couldn't get it to configure for the life of me, but that wasn't an issue for me, anyway, since my router had a reserved IP for the MAC. After that, I brought down wlan0, using ifdown, killall wpa_supplicant, killed the pid that dhchcd wlan0 listed, and reran the yast network configurator. Worked like a charm after startup.