I get a black or a grey VNC screen

Some of you successfully logged in, started the VNC server, and then came back the next day to a black or grey screen. The typical reason is simple (this is not the only reason this may occur, though). You logged out using the N-menu (Menu->Logout). Understandable, and we will work to remove that option. In fact, you should leave your VNC session active, and only kill the VNC client. In Figure 20, those of you experiencing this problem presumably chose the red-circled 'Logout' to exit for the day. You should in fact choose the green-circled "x" to close your VNC client. Your VNC session will continue running, and you will then find the same desktop as on the day before when you connect again using your SSH/VNC combination (this differs somewhat from the real RDC, where you do need to log out. Those curious about the reason for the difference can write to me off-list).

Figure 20: How to close the VNC session

The solution is fairly straightforward: Restart your VNC session. At the SSH prompt,

        vncserver -kill :<your_VNC_number>
        vncserver :<your_VNC_number>

This will restart your VNC session with the same number as before.