Need to remove NoMachine from Pop!_OS COSMIC computer

[doobs]

So,

I used the https://web9001.nomachine.com/download/9.1/Linux/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64.tar.gz to install NoMachine on my newly instantiated Pop!_OS COSMIC BETA on a desktop computer.

Several things are inop:

1. I only have access to one of two monitors from client machines
2. NoMachine does not echo input from either a Linux or Windows client

looking through nxserver, there doesn’t seem to be an install for Pop!_OS COSMIC.

So, until there is more support, I want to remove NoMachine from this computer.

Trouble is, I have no idea how.

Can someone please weigh in here?

Thank you

chris

 

[Britgirl]

PopOS is based on Ubuntu, so it should not be that different. The only issue we are aware of is on the latest Ubuntu 25, virtual display sessions are not possible because Ubuntu has removed support for Xorg. See this article for reference: http://www.nomachine.com/AR10W01330.

I only have access to one of two monitors from client machines
NoMachine does not echo input from either a Linux or Windows client

Please explain exactly what you mean. Screenshots or images which show the problem would be useful.

For uninstall instructions, take a look at the installation guide: https://kb.nomachine.com/DT04U00269#2.7

sudo /opt/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --uninstall

then, remove the installation directory:

sudo rm -rf /opt/NX

[doobs]

A screenshot of NoMachine not working? Dunno how to do that.

I managed to find nxserver, and no it wasn’t in /opt/NX, it was in /usr/NX/bin

The folder that I installed from was deleted after initial installation. Had no idea it would be needed it to uninstall.

So I got this:

chris@halfpint:/usr/NX/bin$ sudo ./nxserver --uninstall

nawk: cannot open "/mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/etc/server.cfg"
 (No such file or directory)

NX> 595 ERROR: Initialization failed. Cannot open file: /mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/
nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/etc/server.cfg

NX> 595 ERROR: No such file or directory. Please try to fix the problem by

NX> 595 ERROR: running /mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/
nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --install

Looking through the newly unzipped files, I find server.cfg.sample and copy it over to “/mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/etc/server.cfg” and edit it to reflect where (I think) the files are.

This is what server.cfg looks like now:

# Specify the path of base directory where the NX software has been

# installed.

#

ServerRoot = “/usr/NX/bin”

#

# Specify the path of the home directory of the nx user on Windows.

#

NXUserHome = “/var/NX/nx/.nx”

Now I get:

chris@halfpint:/usr/NX/bin$ sudo ./nxserver --uninstall

NX> 630 ERROR: No subscription found on this server.

NX> 630 ERROR: Please contact NoMachine to acquire a valid subscription.

So, I’m going to ask again:

How do I remove NoMachine from this computer?

Thank you

[Britgirl]

Sorry I pasted the command to use for non-default locations. Here are the commands, again, from the guide I previously linked.

UNINSTALL

sudo /usr/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --uninstall

then, remove the installation directory:

sudo rm -rf /usr/NX

[doobs]

Third time :

sudo /usr/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver –-uninstall

NX> 704 ERROR: Unknown action '–-uninstall'.

Usage: nxserver ACTION

Actions:

--install        {SYSTEM}   Run the NoMachine server install procedure for the

specified system or distribution

--update         {SYSTEM}   Run the NoMachine server update procedure for the

specified system or distribution

--uninstall                 Run the NoMachine server uninstall procedure.

--pre-uninstall             Disable access to new NX sessions, terminate

sessions and reset the session DBs.

--keygen                    Generate a new pair of SSH keys for the NoMachine

login. After running this procedure, clients will use the key: /usr/NX/share/keys/default.id_dsa.key
to connect to this NX server.

--keyrestore                Restore the SSH key provided with the server package. Current key will be moved to default.id_dsa.key.backup file.

--help                      Show this message

The specified SYSTEM must be one of the following operating systems.

If not the NoMachine setup will try to autodetect the system or will choose

the layout that better resembles one of the known OS.

 

redhat       Red Hat Enterprise 4 and later.

suse         SLED 10 and later, SLES 10 and later, Open SUSE 10 and later.

slackware

mandriva     Mandriva 2009 and later.

debian       Debian 4.0 and later.

Ubuntu 8.04 and later.

fedora       Fedora 10 and later.

If it’s any help, I tried this:
sudo /usr/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --update

NX> 704 NoMachine Server package is already installed in: /mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX.
So, once more with feeling:

How do I remove NoMachine from this computer?

[Britgirl]

I am pasting what you have written above

sudo /usr/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver –-uninstall

and now I’m pasting what the command is in our guide

sudo /usr/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --uninstall

I see a slight difference in the ‘-‘ you are using. I don’t know if that is an error in the paste and how it shows in our forum or if you copied from your terminal. But please check this. If you don’t use the right command, the output you show is expected.

[doobs]

Copied and pasted EXACTLY as shown above:
sudo /usr/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --uninstall

NX> 704 Standalone NoMachine Server package is installed in another directory.
Why is this so hard?

[fisherman]

Based on this discussion and the info you shared, it looks like NoMachine is installed in two different locations: /usr/NX and /mnt/....

From the command output you posted:

sudo /usr/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --update
NX> 704 NoMachine Server package is already installed in:
/mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX.

We can see that there’s also an installation under
/mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/.
It also seems that this folder no longer exists or that the /mnt drive is detached, which explains the error message:
nawk: cannot open “/mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/etc/server.cfg”

As a workaround, you can try copying the files from /usr/NX/ to /mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/, and then run:
/mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --uninstall

This should let you properly uninstall the leftover NoMachine installation.

[doobs]

Thank you.

That “seemed” to have succeeded, but it looks like some detritus was left behind.

When trying to install NoMachine from the deb file, I’m getting this:

chris@halfpint:~/Desktop$ sudo dpkg -i nomachine_9.2.18_3_amd64.deb

(Reading database … 210754 files and directories currently installed.)

Preparing to unpack nomachine_9.2.18_3_amd64.deb …

nawk: cannot open “/mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/etc/server.cfg” (No such file or directory)

/etc/NX/nxserver: line 200: /mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/bin/nxserver.bin: No such file or directory

dpkg: error processing archive nomachine_9.2.18_3_amd64.deb (–install):

 new nomachine package pre-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 127

Any ideas where the remnants could be hiding?

Thank you.

To the folks at NoMachine: Could you please make the process of installing this on Linux (for home users at least) a lot less convoluted?

This has been a real PITA trying to sort out, and I’m not done yet.

cheers,

chris

[zaq]

Hi,
Looks like the situation is a little chaotic because you installed NoMachine in two paths:

1) /mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/ – custom location,
2) /usr/NX/ – default location.

Your custom location doesn’t exist because you removed it and this is likely the reason why the first procedure didn’t work:

sudo /mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/nomachine_9.1.24_6_x86_64/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --uninstall

In this state !M is corrupted and will never work right. You need to remove what is easily possible to remove, then install properly !M again and uninstall in the proper way:

1. To uninstall !M installed by *.deb packages manager. The command probably returns error/warning:

sudo dpkg -P nomachine

2. Remove all files installed in a default path:

rm -rf /usr/NX

3. Remove all files installed in a custom path:

rm -rf /mnt/library/Linux/NoMachine/

4. Remove !M configuration files

rm -rf /etc/NX
rm -rf /var/NX

5. Install again !M:

sudo dpkg -i nomachine_9.2.18_3_amd64.deb

6. Uninstall again !M to autoremove all files and system configurations like services, menu applications entry. Their paths depends on type of a Linux distribution:

sudo dpkg -P nomachine

It isn’t recommended removing files or dirs. For future doubts we have the installation/uninstallation manuals:

tar.gz:
https://kb.nomachine.com/DT04U00269?s=installation+guide#2.7

deb:
https://kb.nomachine.com/DT04U00269?s=installation+guide#2.6

[doobs]

Thank you.

I managed to clean up the mess, and am now faced with the issue that led to this debacle.

NoMachine doesn’t work with Pop!_OS Cosmic. I can connect to it, but at that point no further action is possible.

This time removing it will be easier.

cheers,

chris

[Britgirl]

It’s probably better to split the topic now that you have resolved the problem of not being able to uninstall, and give it the correct title.  You asked in an earlier reply about whether we can make the process of installing the application on Linux a lot less convoluted. Well, we can say your install process was convoluted, no? Use the DEB the next time 😉

If you wish to continue the discussion about NoMachine not working correctly on your Pop!_OS COSMIC installation, let us know. Our own tests show that NoMachine sessions connect and work correctly. It would be useful to know what specific “action is not possible”. Do you mean you can see the desktop but can’t input anything?

[doobs]

Then why is the tar file an option?

Yes, I can see the desktop. No, I can’t input anything. No control. I’ve removed NoMachine from the device and am looking for alternatives. So, not really a reason to continue this discussion unless someone has an easy solution.

[Britgirl]

Tar.gz is the most universal package. Not all Linux distributions have a package manager which supports rpm or deb. So for those die-hard Linux users who want to use NoMachine on distros that we don’t officially support, or that doesn’t offer their own package manager, they can opt for the tar (Tiny Core and earlier versions of Slackware for example, Gentoo and Arch as well, https://kb.nomachine.com/AR03L00789). We don’t like to exclude people from trying the software just because they are not using one of the traditional distributions. Good luck with your search. Maybe in the future you’ll give us another chance.

[Author]

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