RDP thinclient with xubuntu 24.04 and xfreerdp

  1. Download xubuntu 24.04 (64bit version only) and write it to a USB pendrive (ie: with Rufus under Windows)
  2. Boot xubuntu, choose "Try or Install Xubuntu" from the GRUB boot menu if requested
  3. When the destkop is ready, start the installer by clicking on "Install Xubuntu ..." icon on the desktop and start the installer
  4. During the installation, choose your language, keyboard, network connection, interactive installation, Xubuntu Minimal, enable "Install thirdy-party software for ....". When creating the user, please choose "uterm" as username and a password of your choice, uncheck "Require my password to log in". Then choose your timezone and start installing.
  5. Boot your installation and logon as user uterm, upgrade the system
    sudo apt update
    sudo apt dist-upgrade
    Install and uninstall packages
    sudo apt install openssh-server freerdp2-x11 x11vnc git gnome-system-tools mousepad
    sudo apt purge -y unattended-upgrades "?name(^gimp.*)" "?name(^libreoffice.*)" "?name(^thunderbird.*)"
    sudo apt autoremove
  6. Prevent cupsd from automatically mapping printers
    sudo sed -i 's/^\s*#\s\+BrowseProtocols none/BrowseProtocols none/' /etc/cups/cups-browsed.conf
  7. Prepare the following fields here with your settings:
    List of terminal servers, space separated hostnames or IP
    Which TS# is the default (0 is the first)
    VNC default password:
    Default RDP user:
    Default RDP user AD domain:
    and then press this to show the next step commands
  8. Open a terminal and execute the following commands:
    cd
    rm .xprofile .xsessionrc
    [ -d pterm ] || mkdir pterm
    cd pterm
    rm 10-autologonpterm.conf.txt xsessionrc.txt .myptermid countdown.py 2> /dev/null
    rm power-button-off.png ptermlogo.png 2> /dev/null
    wget http://www.giovanni.panozzo.it/guides/pterm/10-autologonpterm.conf.txt
    wget http://www.giovanni.panozzo.it/guides/pterm/xprofile.txt
    wget http://www.giovanni.panozzo.it/guides/pterm/ptermconman.txt
    wget http://www.giovanni.panozzo.it/guides/pterm/ptermconfig.txt
    wget http://www.giovanni.panozzo.it/guides/pterm/ptermlogo.png
    wget http://www.giovanni.panozzo.it/guides/pterm/power-button-off.png
    mv xprofile.txt ../.xprofile
    mv ptermconman.txt ptermconman.py
    mv ptermconfig.txt .config
    chmod 755 ptermconman.py
    
    And then (this requires to enter the uterm user password)
    sudo mv 10-autologonuterm.conf /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/
    
  9. Reboot, and you should get an authentication prompt for RDP Access
Other notes

Other projects on github/gitlab

  • TsLsUsers a windows commandline tool to list and disconnect all RDP/RDS/TS users
  • ScreenTextScroller an application for linux/windows/mac to show a scrolling text in fullscreen, with a web management interface.
  • Contacts

    Write me at giodev@panozzo.it