[gdm-list] gdm --no-console + X-Server from Windows does not work

[Joachim Otahal <jou gmx net>]

System is Debian Etch, fresh install, no upgrade from Sarge or beta Etch.
gdm --version
GDM 2.16.4

gdm works locally on that machine like a charm, I start gdm, I get the 
graphical login, do login, play around, no problems.
The problems arise when I try to connect from a Windows machine (Starnet 
xwin32, xming, and others tried):
I get no login screen, I only get the gray X Pattern and the X cursor.

The strange messages in syslog which I cannot tell what they are for:
Jun 18 21:37:48 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_manage: Session id 
614918324 already managed
----
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_manage: Looked up 
jou.internal.intra:0
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_choose_indirect_lookup: Host 
192.168.33.33 not found
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_forward_query_lookup: Host 
192.168.33.33 not found
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_display_manage: Managing 
jou.internal.intra:0

I must note that the local DNS is configured, forward and reverse gives 
the right answer. 192.168.33.1 is the Debain machine, 192.168.33.33 is 
my Windows machine.

When I do "export DISPLAY=192.168.33.33:0" from a parallel ssh session 
while watching the gray X pattern I can start the X programs and gnome 
desktop from the ssh shell. They appear on the right X screen over the 
network and work as expected. The strange syslog messages stop by then.

gdm.conf is simple:
[daemon]
#This is just a try, with or without RemoteGreeter no difference
RemoteGreeter=/usr/lib/gdm/gdmgreeter --disable-sound --disable-crash-dialog
User=gdm
Group=gdm

[security]
AllowRoot=true
AllowRemoteRoot=true
DisallowTCP=true

[xdmcp]
Enable=true
Use24Clock=true

[gui]

[greeter]
ShowLastSession=false

[chooser]

[debug]
Enable=true

[servers]
# none defined


The syslog shows following:
Jun 18 21:37:14 nearyou gdm[16543]: set config key debug/Enable to 
boolean true
Jun 18 21:37:14 nearyou gdm[16543]: set config key daemon/Greeter to 
string /usr/lib/gdm/gdmgreeter

<snipped a few "set config" lines, you can have them if you need them of 
course>

Jun 18 21:37:14 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_main: Here we go...
Jun 18 21:37:14 nearyou gdm[16545]: XDMCP: Start up on host nearyou, 
port 177
Jun 18 21:37:14 nearyou gdm[16545]: Accepting XDMCP connections...
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_decode: Received opcode 
QUERY from client 192.168.33.33
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_query: Opcode 2 
from 192.168.33.33
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_host_allow: 
client->hostname is jou.internal.intra
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_send_willing: Sending 
WILLING to 192.168.33.33
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_decode: Received opcode 
REQUEST from client 192.168.33.33
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_request: Got 
REQUEST from 192.168.33.33
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_host_allow: 
client->hostname is jou.internal.intra
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_request: 
xdmcp_pending=0, MaxPending=4, xdmcp_sessions=0, MaxSessions=16, Manuf
acturerID=
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_display_dispose_check 
(jou.internal.intra:0)
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_auth_secure_display: Setting up 
access for jou.internal.intra:0
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_auth_secure_display: Setting up 
access
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_auth_secure_display: Setting up 
access for jou.internal.intra:0 - 1 entries
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_display_alloc: 
display=jou.internal.intra:0, session id=614918324, xdmcp_pending=1
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_send_accept: Sending 
ACCEPT to 192.168.33.33 with SessionID=614918324
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_decode: Received opcode 
MANAGE from client 192.168.33.33
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_manage: Got MANAGE 
from 192.168.33.33
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_host_allow: 
client->hostname is jou.internal.intra
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_manage: Got 
Display=0, SessionID=614918324 Class=MIT-unspecified from 192.168.33.33
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_manage: Looked up 
jou.internal.intra:0
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_choose_indirect_lookup: Host 
192.168.33.33 not found
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_forward_query_lookup: Host 
192.168.33.33 not found
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_display_manage: Managing 
jou.internal.intra:0
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: loop check: last_start 0, last_loop 
0, now: 1182195466, retry_count: 0
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: Resetting counts for loop of death 
detection
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16546]: gdm_slave_start: Starting slave 
process for jou.internal.intra:0
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16546]: gdm_slave_start: Loop Thingie
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16546]: gdm_slave_run: Opening display 
jou.internal.intra:0
Jun 18 21:37:46 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_display_manage: Forked slave: 16546
Jun 18 21:37:48 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_decode: Received opcode 
MANAGE from client 192.168.33.33
Jun 18 21:37:48 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_manage: Got MANAGE 
from 192.168.33.33
Jun 18 21:37:48 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_host_allow: 
client->hostname is jou.internal.intra
Jun 18 21:37:48 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_manage: Got 
Display=0, SessionID=614918324 Class=MIT-unspecified from 192.168.3
3.33
Jun 18 21:37:48 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_manage: Session id 
614918324 already managed
Jun 18 21:37:52 nearyou gdm[16545]: gdm_xdmcp_handle_manage: Got 
Display=0, SessionID=614918324 Class=MIT-unspecified from 192.168.33.33

The last 5 lines repeat endlessly until I give up the session or force a 
program from a parralel ssh session on that display. The id is random 
upon every new try.

Another thing for compiling gdm on that etch machine (gdm 2.18.2 sources):
./configure gives me:
checking for XML::Parser... configure: error: XML::Parser perl module is 
required for intltool

I cannot install XML::Parser using cpan, this package seems to bee to 
old and (maybe) has been thrown out since it does not work with current 
perl, I was unable to get it on normal ways.

This also means I cannot compile gdm from the sources on my own *sigh*.

I hope I can get some clues what is wrong with my linux server, google & 
co didn't give a working answer.

Joachim Otahal