Setting up remote desktop access to your headless server is realtively straightforward.
First you need to install a desktop enviroment
Then you need to install the remote desktop server application.
To install the desktop enviroment you need to install the xorg desktop system ( this is a generic desktop that most of the others build off of)
( if you are installing on a headless server you don't need a video driver, the rdp system will provide it later)
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'pacman -Sy xorg-server
')
I'm not sure if its needed, but I also installed the xorg-init package needed to start the x system
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'pacman -Sy xorg-xinit')
The wiki address is https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/xorg
However, you don't need to working about the ~/.xinitrc, because the rdp package uses a different location for starting your desktop enviroment
Now, you need to install a window manager or desktop enviroment. Since we are dealing with modest CPU power I recommend a simple window manager, I use icewm
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'pacman -Sy icewm')
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/IceWM
Here is a good site for configuring it
http://www.osnews.com/story/7774/IceWM_ ... ow_Manager
Now, if you want to add a web browser etc, this is a good time.
I chose arora, its got javascript support, is realtively light, and firefox threw an error
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'pacman -Sy arora')
Now, install xrpd, this is a front end that runs on top of tigervnc, but it will install it for you
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'pacman -Sy xrdp')
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/xrdp
you need to modify the /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh file . This file is intended to allow multiple users to pick different desktops. I'm only using icewm, so my file includes only the following
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', '#!/bin/sh
exec icewm-session')
You can also modify sesman.ini and xrdp.ini, but for me the defaults work, although they have a bunch of options I don't use.
Now, you can start xrdp
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'systemctl start xrdp')
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'systemctl start xrdp-sesman ')
( order seems to be important here)
If you want them to autostart on reboot
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'systemctl enable xrdp')
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'systemctl enable xrdp-sesman')
to log in, use the rdp client from a windows machine and aim it at the default port 3389 on your server. You should be presented with a login box. Login and the icewm desktop should appear.
It may look a little clunky because the menus aren't populated.
To quickly populate the menus install menumaker
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'pacman -Sy menumaker')
then run $this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'mmaker -f icewm ')
the -f forces it to over write previous versions.
The site above has info on editing the menu file if you have an interest.
Good luck
Tom