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I have a Slackware Linux server that doesn't have a monitor. It doesn't run any GUIs.

Is there a way to remotely access the screen? I always use SSH, but there are times where the SSH services fails and I can't do anything (nor even tell what the problem is).

I use Teamviewer from my Windows computer to other PCs, but is there anything I can use to remotely view this from a Windows machine?

I also want to see what it's doing at boot, before the SSH service starts.

4 Answers 4

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If iLO/DRAC is present, use them. IF not, you can equip your host by so called IP-KVM. If your host is virtual, probably you can access it via some kind of VNC.

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Look into NoMachine NX Free Edition. It will provide an optimized remote session over SSH and has clients for Macintosh, Windows and Linux.

http://www.nomachine.com/download.php

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    This wont help if ssh dies. NoMachine uses ssh.
    – phemmer
    Mar 31, 2012 at 22:50
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    Then you need some form of out-of-band management. serverfault.com/questions/235976/ilo-and-drac-equivalents - If the SSH daemon is failing, there are other configuration issues with this setup that need to be addressed.
    – ewwhite
    Mar 31, 2012 at 23:15
  • I have to question the barrage of upvotes on this. Question says: It doesn't run any GUIs Apr 1, 2012 at 4:18
  • NX doesn't require that you run a GUI on the server. You can have the X libraries present and get multiple full GUI sessions remotely even if you're in runlevel 3 on the actual target computer. Also, the OP changed the question and requirements following my answer. This is really a question about out-of-band management.
    – ewwhite
    Apr 1, 2012 at 4:37
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With any server, if the service fails you lose access. If SSH is failing, I'd be concerned about configuration mistakes or hardware issues. Adding another service isn't a solution for this problem.

If your server is real hardware, consider setting up an external serial console and using that as the kernel's console interface. If its a VM, the hypervisor's console feature.

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  • I should have been more clear. I also want to see what it's doing during boot, before the SSH service starts.
    – Zeno
    Mar 31, 2012 at 23:09
  • External consoles will provide that. Otherwise, use dmesg. Mar 31, 2012 at 23:22
  • What do you mean by "external consoles"? dmesg won't work, because the machine isn't even fully booted yet.
    – Zeno
    Mar 31, 2012 at 23:28
  • @Zero, if you have virtual machine, the console feature of the hypervisor. If you don't, a KVM over IP or serial console server. Apr 1, 2012 at 2:36
  • How do I KVM over IP?
    – Zeno
    Apr 1, 2012 at 2:49
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If you just need to view the console messages, you can use netconsole to send them to a syslog server running on your windows box.

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