How do I install the Remote Desktop skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add vamseeachanta/remote-desktop-2 in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

What does the Remote Desktop skill do?

Connect to dev-secondary graphical desktop from dev-primary via VNC over SSH tunnel It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.

Is Remote Desktop safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Remote Desktop?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Remote Desktop free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Remote Desktop?

vamseeachanta (@vamseeachanta) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Remote Desktop by vamseeachanta — Agent Skill

Name: Remote Desktop
Author: vamseeachanta

File contents

Remote Desktop — dev-secondary

Connect to dev-secondary graphical desktop from dev-primary via VNC over SSH tunnel.

Quick Start

Use the live repo script name:

bash scripts/operations/connection/vnc-ace-linux-2.sh

Historical docs/audits may mention vnc-dev-secondary.sh; verify the actual script path with find scripts/operations/connection -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname '*vnc*' before telling the user what to run.

Script is fully self-contained: detects display+auth, auto-starts x11vnc if needed, opens tunnel, launches viewer.

How It Works

Checks if x11vnc is listening on port 5900
If not: parses live Xorg ps entry to find display + auth file dynamically
Starts x11vnc (no sudo if vamsee owns display; sudo prompt if GDM/root owns it)
Opens SSH tunnel localhost:5900 → dev-secondary:5900
Launches xtigervncviewer localhost:5900

Required Flags (Hard-Won)

Flag	Why Required
`-noshm`	MIT-SHM denied when x11vnc user ≠ X server owner
`-noxdamage`	GNOME/Mutter compositor causes XIO crash via XDAMAGE
`-noscr`	GNOME conflicts with RECORD extension scroll detection
`-auth <explicit-path>`	`-auth guess` fails when running as root on GDM display
`-o /dev/null`	Avoids stale root-owned log file permission errors

Auth File Location

Resolved dynamically from ps wwwaux | grep Xorg:

GDM only (no user login): /run/user/120/gdm/Xauthority — requires sudo
User session active: /run/user/1000/gdm/Xauthority — no sudo needed

Persistent Setup (Optional)

To avoid needing to start x11vnc each time, create a systemd service on dev-secondary:

sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/x11vnc.service <<'EOF'
[Unit]
Description=x11vnc VNC server for display :0
After=display-manager.service
Requires=display-manager.service

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/bin/x11vnc -display :0 -auth /run/user/120/gdm/Xauthority -noshm -noxdamage -noscr -forever -nopw -listen localhost -rfbport 5900
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=3

[Install]
WantedBy=graphical.target
EOF
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now x11vnc

Note: systemd service uses GDM auth path — update if user session display changes.

Viewer Notes

SetDesktopSize failed: 1 — harmless; physical display ignores client resize requests
End of stream immediately — x11vnc not running; rerun the script
Connection refused — SSH tunnel failed or nothing on port 5900

References

references/ace-linux-2-vnc-live-check-2026-05-05.md — live SSH/VNC verification commands, observed listener state, and safe alternate-port tunnel probe.

---name: remote-desktop-2description: Connect to dev-secondary graphical desktop from dev-primary via VNC over SSH tunnel---# Remote Desktop — dev-secondaryConnect to dev-secondary graphical desktop from dev-primary via VNC over SSH tunnel.## Quick StartUse the live repo script name:```bashbash scripts/operations/connection/vnc-ace-linux-2.sh```Historical docs/audits may mention `vnc-dev-secondary.sh`; verify the actual script path with `find scripts/operations/connection -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname '*vnc*'` before telling the user what to run.Script is fully self-contained: detects display+auth, auto-starts x11vnc if needed, opens tunnel, launches viewer.## How It Works1. Checks if x11vnc is listening on port 59002. If not: parses live Xorg `ps` entry to find display + auth file dynamically3. Starts x11vnc (no sudo if vamsee owns display; sudo prompt if GDM/root owns it)4. Opens SSH tunnel `localhost:5900 → dev-secondary:5900`5. Launches `xtigervncviewer localhost:5900`## Required Flags (Hard-Won)| Flag | Why Required ||---|---|| `-noshm` | MIT-SHM denied when x11vnc user ≠ X server owner || `-noxdamage` | GNOME/Mutter compositor causes XIO crash via XDAMAGE || `-noscr` | GNOME conflicts with RECORD extension scroll detection || `-auth <explicit-path>` | `-auth guess` fails when running as root on GDM display || `-o /dev/null` | Avoids stale root-owned log file permission errors |## Auth File LocationResolved dynamically from `ps wwwaux | grep Xorg`:- **GDM only (no user login)**: `/run/user/120/gdm/Xauthority` — requires sudo- **User session active**: `/run/user/1000/gdm/Xauthority` — no sudo needed## Persistent Setup (Optional)To avoid needing to start x11vnc each time, create a systemd service on dev-secondary:```bashsudo tee /etc/systemd/system/x11vnc.service <<'EOF'[Unit]Description=x11vnc VNC server for display :0After=display-manager.serviceRequires=display-manager.service[Service]ExecStart=/usr/bin/x11vnc -display :0 -auth /run/user/120/gdm/Xauthority -noshm -noxdamage -noscr -forever -nopw -listen localhost -rfbport 5900Restart=on-failureRestartSec=3[Install]WantedBy=graphical.targetEOFsudo systemctl daemon-reloadsudo systemctl enable --now x11vnc```Note: systemd service uses GDM auth path — update if user session display changes.## Viewer Notes- `SetDesktopSize failed: 1` — harmless; physical display ignores client resize requests- `End of stream` immediately — x11vnc not running; rerun the script- `Connection refused` — SSH tunnel failed or nothing on port 5900## References- `references/ace-linux-2-vnc-live-check-2026-05-05.md` — live SSH/VNC verification commands, observed listener state, and safe alternate-port tunnel probe.

Frequently asked questions

Remote Desktop