This howto will explain to you how to install a frontend on your server which is accessible via NX. This tutorial is for Debian based systems, and has been tested on an Flosoft.biz FlexServ (RPS).
1. Check the basic Debian setup.
We need to modify the sources.list
vi /etc/apt/sources.list
Add the following 2 lines:
deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian etch main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian etch main contrib non-free
Close and save (:wq) and run this command to update:
apt-get update
Then check if your system is up to date, and if necessary install updates.
apt-get dist-upgrade
2. Installing the X window manager xorg.
Just type in:
apt-get install xserver-xorg-core xorg
There will be a few questions at the end, for now just go with the defaults.
3. The Login Manager
Now you have 3 options. You can install any of the following Login Manager’s. Your options are:
- KDM
KDM is probably the best if you want to use KDE - GDM
GDM is probably the best if you want to use Gnome - XDM
XDM is probably the best if you want to use Fluxbox or XFCE
Once you have chosen one of the GUIs run one of the following three commands:
apt-get install kdm
apt-get install gdm
apt-get install xdm
4. The GUI
Now again, you have a choice of different Graphical User Interfaces.
- KDE
Personally my favourite on Debian - Gnome
My favourite on Ubuntu - Fluxbox
Never used it - XFCE4
Never used it
Once you have chosen one of the GUIs run one of the following three commands:
apt-get install kde
apt-get install gnome
apt-get install xfce4
apt-get install fluxbox
Thats all for the base setup.
5. Reboot
You should reboot to make sure the X server starts.
shutdown -r now
6. Create your user
Once your server has rebooted, and you have relogged in, you should create a user which you will use for the GUI.
adduser mynewusername
6. Getting the NX packages
Now we need to setup the NX server, so that you are able to connect to the server from your home. So you need to download the NX server pacakges:
wget http://64.34.161.181/download/3.1.0/Linux/nxclient_3.1.0-2_i386.deb
wget http://64.34.161.181/download/3.1.0/Linux/nxnode_3.1.0-3_i386.deb
wget http://64.34.161.181/download/3.1.0/Linux/FE/nxserver_3.1.0-2_i386.deb
7. Installing the NX packages
As you have the packages now in your directory, you need to install them via dpkg.
dpkg -i nxclient_3.1.0-2_i386.deb
dpkg -i nxnode_3.1.0-3_i386.deb
dpkg -i nxserver_3.1.0-2_i386.deb
8. The Services
Now we need to make sure the services are running.
/etc/init.d/ssh restart
/etc/init.d/nxserver restart
9. The Browser
Last, but not least… well actually least … Firefox! You will need a nice Browser, so Firefox is the way to go.
apt-get install firefox
Now you’re system is setup and you’re ready to use it. Simply setup your NX Client and have fun!
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me or just leave a comment.
Monday, December 31st, 2007, 4:39 am | 
Flosoft.biz, Howto, Linux | 
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31. December, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Hi Florian,
sehr gute Anleitung, hat bei mir mit einem OVH-Server mit Debian4 (OVH Kernel) sofort geklappt.
Vielen Dank
Daniel
31. December, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Merci pour l’EXCELLENT tuto !
1. January, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Hi Flo,
Thanks für das HowTO!
Habs auf nem S4Y V-Server getestet welcher den KDE sehr leicht verkraftet!
Greetz Centro
1. January, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Sympa ton tutoriel. Je viens de tester sur un RPS, effectivement ça tourne vraiment bien, c’est assez bluffant
11. January, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Do note that there is a dependency for NXClient: libaudiofile0. So if you can’t install it, just do:
apt-get install libaudiofile0
Then run the dpkg -i *nxclient-package* command and it will work.
Good tutorial, works like a charm
10. May, 2008 at 11:00 pm
hallo, hab das mal mit vmware getestet (ubuntu serverinstallation) und hat sofort geklappt =)
danke
11. February, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Hello,
I have tested this tutorial with a VPS from proplay.biz,and it worked very well
one word – amazing
4. April, 2009 at 1:31 am
Super Anleitung!
habs diirekt beim ersten Versuch auch als “Linux-Neuling” ohne Probleme eingerichtet bekommen.
Danke dafür.
)
8. May, 2009 at 9:08 am
Hallo nab das ganze getestet und habe mir jetzt die Frage gestellt ob ich auf dem Server wirklich ein X (KDE, Gnome, etc.) istallieren muss.
Ich will den X-Desktop doch nicht auf dem Localen Rechner anzeigen?
Kann mir da jemand helfen?
8. May, 2009 at 9:47 am
Ich verstehe deine Frage irgendwie nicht. Die idee ist doch gerade X zu installieren?
25. November, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Danke für´s tutorial
Hab ne frage: wieso kann ich auf gnome nicht das obere menü anklicken, Anwendungen z.B. ?
Benutze Debian 5 64bit auf ovh (isgenug) und die 3.4.0-versionen statt die o.g. Versionen…
Danke schonmal !
5. December, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Komisch. Das problem hatte ich nicht. Vielleicht dein NX client?
27. December, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Hallo,
danke für das Tutorial. Sehr verständlich geschrieben.
Weiter so
Ich hab nur leider das selbe Problem, wie flava.
danke für ne Antwort.
24. January, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Habe meinen Vserver nach deiner anleitung eingestellt habe alles via putty eingegeben doch ich komme einfach nicht rein mit einem NX-Client kommt immer der gleiche fehler “NX Service is not available” kennst du den fehler?.
MfG Juba
4. February, 2011 at 8:35 pm
123:~# apt-get install firefox
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
Package firefox is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
However the following packages replace it:
iceweasel
E: Package firefox has no installation candidate
123:~#
Can anyone help as this is the error i get when i try to install firefox on my debian!
any help is much appreciated.