x11vnc : how to have the login screen?

If you'd like the graphical login screen then install a Desktop Manager such as GDM, KDM, LXDM, SLIM, Qingy, LightDM, WDM (I'm sure there are many others, but these are all that I could rattle off the top of my head).

Once installed, enable it start at boot. The procedure for enabling this to start at boot will depend on your distribution's init system (sysvinit/systemd).

Instructions to enabling things to run at boot will most likely be explained on your distribution's wiki page.

  • sysvinit is configured via /etc/rc.conf
  • systemd requires the use of systemd unit files

Remember: You will also need to make sure that x11vnc is loaded at boot, and loaded after the Desktop Manager. Once that's all setup you should be able to reboot the machine remotely.

Good luck.


x11vnc perfectly works with x11vnc -display :0 -auth guess -no6 -forever -nolookup -passwd xxxx -ping 60
Also have a look at the -reopen parameter in case of problem when you logoff.

I use KDM so I put this line into /etc/kde/kdm/Xsetup

Every needed informations are there : http://www.karlrunge.com/x11vnc/faq.html