3

Is it possible to run a VNC server on a machine without any GPU, or are some GPU features necessary even when the image isn't actually sent to a hardware video output?

I guess there should be some way as it's possible on a VM - or does that use some resources of the host GPU too?

artifex
  • 1,634
  • 1
  • 17
  • 22
lxgr
  • 562
  • 2
  • 6
  • 20
  • 1
    What kind of machine do you have that doesn't have a GPU? Does it literally lack any way to hook up a monitor to it? – Driftpeasant Nov 21 '11 at 19:28
  • On which OS are you trying to achieve this? – artifex Nov 21 '11 at 19:34
  • There is no machine yet - I'm thinking about building a home server or renting a hosted server, and I'm wondering if I should get one that has a GPU if I want to occasionally use a GUI application on it. It's going to run Linux in any case. – lxgr Nov 21 '11 at 19:39
  • 2
    You may find that actually getting the machine to boot without a video card is tricky. If you are trying to get a system completely without any video controller, then you need to make sure your system will boot without it. – Zoredache Nov 21 '11 at 19:57
  • @Driftpeasant, I have several systems without a video controller. If you want to access it, you use a serial connection. – Zoredache Nov 21 '11 at 19:58
  • @Zoredache - I myself do not have any of those systems. Every server I've got in production at least has an onboard that I can hook VGA up to. Even the ones I've used a serial concentrator to access had a video controller of some type, even if we weren't using it. – Driftpeasant Nov 21 '11 at 20:00
  • Of course I am stretching the definition of 'server'. Most of the devices are acting as some kind of router/firewall/network appliance. – Zoredache Nov 21 '11 at 20:01

2 Answers2

4

You don't need a video card. I can start tightvncserver on my ALIX.2D13. Though normally when I want a GUI application, I just do X11 forwarding via SSH.

Zoredache
  • 130,897
  • 41
  • 276
  • 420
3

Yes, it's possible to run xserver without a graphics card. Install a framebuffer like Xvfb (X virtual framebuffer) and x11vnc.

Here is some indepth information on x11vnc, like over ssh for encryption:

http://www.karlrunge.com/x11vnc/

artifex
  • 1,634
  • 1
  • 17
  • 22