Manjaro/Arch Linux (2021): NoMachine does not start X server/no display

[johntdavis]

• Info: NoMachine 7.1.3-1 – Free Version (ArchLinux/Manjaro AUR)
• Display Type: Virtual
• Server: 5.10.9-1-MANJARO-ARM #1 SMP PREEMPT Thu Jan 21 15:45:44 CST 2021 aarch64 GNU/Linux (64-bit Manjaro XFCE for Raspberry Pi 4b)
• Client: N/A (Xorg server fails to start correctly, client cannot connect)

Hello!

I’ve been using NoMachine to remotely log into my Raspberry Pi running Manjaro Linux with LightDM+XFCE (64-bit), with a monitor attached. It’s been working great.

I’m now trying to get it to work with no monitor attached, in headless mode. It’s not working, as even though the nxserver comes up without an issue, no hardware display is detected, so the Xorg sever never starts.

(LightDM and Xorg’s logs both indicate no display or “screen” is detected. Xorg shuts down immediately after this.)

I’m using these instructions as a base, though I have modified them to call the XFCE start command I normally use:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/NoMachine#Headless_server

Following another tech support document I found, I also added the following to the node.cfg and sever.cfg files:

AvailableSessionTypes unix-remote,unix-console,unix-default,unix-application,physical-desktop,shadow,unix-xsession-default

However, I’m pretty sure it never even gets to the point where the XFCE command syntax even matters, since it doesn’t start Xorg, and LightDM fails to come up properly.

I’m a bit lost at this point.

I’m confident I could install the XF86 dummy driver or buy an HDMI dummy plug and trick the computer into thinking there’s a hardware display connected, which would solve this problem, but it’s my understanding that I shouldn’t have to do this, because NoMachine is designed to work without a physical display connected.

Is that not correct?

Thanks!

[kroy]

Hi.

Try set:
DefaultDesktopCommand "env XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11 /usr/bin/dbus-launch /usr/bin/startxfce4"
in /usr/NX/etc/node.cfg.

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