Oh, the miracles of technology, or how stupid can I be...

[Foonyak]

Recently (within the past hour) I was given an intro into the VNC (View Network Computer?) program. I have two chipsets that I'm testing at the moment; one downstairs on the test floor, the other upstairs in a lab. It takes about three minutes to walk from the test floor to the lab. The test time for the chips on the test floor is about twelve minutes and about eighty minutes for the chips in the lab.

I asked about using VNC so I could monitor the PC in the lab from the test floor, thus enabling me to get to the lab as the test is just wrapping up. No problem; I boot up VNC, take a look around at what I have running upstairs, shut off what isn't necessary, make sure that both tests are about ten mintues from finishing, and go to have a cigarette.

On my way back in, I think I should check the lab PC. and head upstairs. I get to the computer, and about the time I'm mentally calling myself every name under the sun, my boss says to me, "Didn't you just VNC into that computer so you wouldn't have to run back and forth so much?"

My reply went something like this. ":ponder: :embarassed: :cry: "

[kcma]

and i snob cheapie cigerettes :p

[rgirty]

I'm guessing these aren't windoze boxes.

[Foonyak]

Yes, they are. All Dells...
Why?

[kcma]

i <3 windows :p

[ambushingAnA]

VNC! is awesum! esp when the other person is trying to do something in your computer and u keep moving the mouse or closing things /giggle

[Foonyak]

esp when the other person is trying to do something in your computer and u keep moving the mouse or closing things

That's why the "Lock Computer" feature is so nice. I just check the thing about every fifteen minutes, lock it back up, and continue what I was doing on the other PC. If anyone else unlocks it, it forces me off (and shuts everything I'm doing down without saving). No one wants to do that because we work in a professional setting, where getting your work done makes people happy, and screwing off like that (abusing VNC) gets people fired.

[rgirty]

Yes, they are. All Dells...
Why?

xp pro and server 2003 have remote desktop built in. You can use remote desktop to accomplish what you are trying to do instead of a 3rd party app like vnc.

Most people that I know with windows boxes use remote desktop.

[Foonyak]

Ahh...Remote Desktop and VNC are on all of the computers that I've used here. I think they're installed on every PC here that isn't UNIX driven. Dell and TI have a mass consumption program worked out (so much so that TI employees get 10% off of home-use PCs purchased from Dell) so they've probably got a standard software package for all of the PCs the TI buys.

VNC is the only one that I've seen used, so I thought it would be easier for me to use that than Remote Desktop. Besides that, I'm not a computer guru, so I wouldn't know where to start looking for Remote Desktop.

[Tanitha]

I personally find Remote Desktop to be much easier to use than anything else. (And it's built in :grin:) Steps:

1. On the target PC you need to enable remote administration. Right click on My Computer, Properties.

2. Switch to the "Remote" tab and there you can turn on Remote Desktop. Setup your remote users and there you go.

3. From the source computer go to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Communication and you'll find a Remote Desktop link there.

We use it here across the LAN to manage all our servers. Or from home across the VPN to work on our desktops here / manage the servers, etc.

Very much easier.

[rgirty]

Go to run:

in the run window type this word: mstsc

you will see remote destop client, put in the target ip and you should be set, you will need to log into the same account, and or create an account.. etc the normal stuff.

One advantage I believe vnc may have is creating/saving profiles.

[Tanitha]

If you click "Options" from that mstsc you can save the connection profile from there.

[Foonyak]

Very much easier.

If you say so. :grin:VNC is in the system tray.

[rgirty]

Tanitha, ironically I never even noticed that.

[HR_Hellfire]

Speaking from experience I've found remote desktop to be painfully slow if your network is large, the internet is involved or, in my cause, if the routing topology was based on the marks left by spaghetti fire at a wall at high speed. I have yet to try VNC but I get the feeling it may be faster than RDC. Also RDC is horribly insecure. Almost anyone on your network looking to break into computers will know to sniff out RDC sessions and bruteforce RDC servers. If you can use public/private keys on VNC (or find a modified version of it that allows for this) that would be a good bet, white lists and ARP monitoring/antimeasure programs are also good.
Of course, if you have no need to worry about hackers, stupid employees, you are not running wireless anywhere on the network, and your IT staff has a combined IQ of 100 or greater then everything I listed is excessive.
Also, a lot of what was mentioned may mean nothing to you. Wikipedia is your friend.

~HR_HELLFIRE

[Tanitha]

I'm lucky, running it over a VPN - everything nice and sweet and secure. And as fast as if I'm running on the PC itself, but sadly no D3D access through it.