Need Help to Get Windows XP Running Headless (Without Monitor)

C

Cactus Jack

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 31, 2003
Messages
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I'm trying to run a box headless with xp but it never wants to work. I try to login with RealVNC which is running as a service and it won't work. It doesn't even show up as connected in the attached devices on my router, but it will show up with a monitor attached, which leads me to believe the driver for the display is not initializing. Any help with this would be appreciated, since I'm about to just put a linux distro (clarkconnect probably) on the box and give the finger to xp.
 
I'd go with the finger option.

Start up the box with a monitor, then unplug? You probably need to restart it too often to make that worth it though...

Some kind of manual driver initialization?

Huh, I've never heard or ran across anything like that.
 
Are you sure that the computer isn't stopping with a video error?

what happens when you start the computer and it does register then you plug in the monitor?
 
Cactus Jack said:
I'm about to just put a linux distro (clarkconnect probably) on the box and give the finger to xp.
Click to expand...
Then why do you want help? :rolleyes:

Anyway. You'll need to set the BIOS to Halt on no errors. That way it will boot without errors such as keyboard errors.
 
Do you have another computer nearby? Why not look into getting a KVM switch, it might be easier and better for you. KVM = Keyboard/Video/Mouse switch, its a one button press that lets you control 2 computers with 1 keyboard, monitor, and mouse. Its very nice :).
 
you can also get a box that will let you hook up your keyboard, mouse, monitor to 2 comps at once, and then switch between the two at your leisure. This may be your best solution, as the comp would always think it has a monitor and operate normally, plus you could switch over to using/viewing it whenever you want. I have this setup now and it works great. I switch between the two comps by pusing Scroll Lock twice relatively quickly.


hope this helps.
 
TheCzar said:
you can also get a box that will let you hook up your keyboard, mouse, monitor to 2 comps at once, and then switch between the two at your leisure. This may be your best solution, as the comp would always think it has a monitor and operate normally, plus you could switch over to using/viewing it whenever you want. I have this setup now and it works great. I switch between the two comps by pusing Scroll Lock twice relatively quickly.


hope this helps.
Click to expand...

*Points up 2 posts* :D . Thats basically the same thing i was suggesting.
 
RDP is the way to go. At this point, when comparing remote software that can be put on a Windows box, Remote Desktop is currently "Teh Win™" in that category (with XP Pro).
 
sorry Direwolf...I didn't read all the posts before posting, just thought I would add my 2 cents...definately the best idea though :)
 
SJConsultant said:
If it's XP Pro, use remote desktop that is already built in.
Click to expand...
Yep, that's what I do. No monitor, keyboard, or mouse on my fileserver and I use Windows Remote Desktop to remote control it.
 
Halt on no errors is already turned on. I know about the kvm option, but I'm just using the box for storage and don't want to spend the money if I don't have to. And I want to keep it Windows XP so I can run the UD client on it (Go HardOCP UD Team!). I've tried the remote desktop and it works fine, when the monitor is actually plugged in. I can start Windows XP fine as long as the monitor is plugged in, even without the keyboard and mouse. There probably is a video error but it is kind of hard to see it without a monitor plugged in. I guess I could try plugging it in when the hard drive activity has ceased when the computer is turned on, although I'm always rather weary of plugging in things when the computer is already on.

Edit: Okay I let it boot up and then I plugged the monitor in, and it gets no signal. Wonderful...

Edit 2: Alrght I unplugged the monitor after I let it boot up and it continues to work. Kind of a crappy way to get it to work.
 
What are the specs of this system? This is so strange. What video card and motherboard are you running?
 
Soyo Dragon Plus!
AMD Athlon XP 1600+
2x256MB Crucial PC2100
Creative Riva TNT
Onboard C-MEDIA Sound
Linksys LNE100TX NIC
4 HDD of various sizes
 
The problem I have with using ONLY remote desktop to control the other PC is that RD seems to have this issue with letting you shut down/restart the pc remotely...so if it starts acting up or something you need to have hardware physically connected to use it...same with updates that require a restart...once you restart the machine you can't connect to it immediately...KVM switches are not very expensive...
 
TheCzar said:
The problem I have with using ONLY remote desktop to control the other PC is that RD seems to have this issue with letting you shut down/restart the pc remotely...so if it starts acting up or something you need to have hardware physically connected to use it...same with updates that require a restart...once you restart the machine you can't connect to it immediately...KVM switches are not very expensive...
Click to expand...

Got just the fix for that:
http://www.goesp.com/Downloads/Software/XP-Remote-Shutdown-Tool/

I put a link in the Quick Launch and when I click on it, this is what comes up.

XPMain.gif


Click on Restart or Shutdown and 30 seconds windows does a forced shutdown.

Dialog.gif


You can also do other PC's, but I think you need a domain set up for this...not sure.

Anyways, this little progy is the shit for running PC's remotely with Remote Desktop.
 
Cactus Jack said:
Soyo Dragon Plus!
AMD Athlon XP 1600+
2x256MB Crucial PC2100
Creative Riva TNT
Onboard C-MEDIA Sound
Linksys LNE100TX NIC
4 HDD of various sizes
Click to expand...

There is nothing out of the ordinary there. I was using a RIVA TNT2 Vanta before my Rage Fury and it worked fine for me. This is weird. I wonder if it could be a video driver problem or something like that. Any chance that you might be able to swap video cards to see if it does it with your other one?
 
Met-AL said:
There is nothing out of the ordinary there. I was using a RIVA TNT2 Vanta before my Rage Fury and it worked fine for me. This is weird. I wonder if it could be a video driver problem or something like that. Any chance that you might be able to swap video cards to see if it does it with your other one?
Click to expand...

I only have the Riva TNT and a GF3 Ti200 on me currently. I think it is a video driver problem, but a fix to the problem eludes me. I may just have to breakdown and get a kvm. Any recommendations for a cheap kvm anyone? :)
 
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