VNC no longer working properly...please help!

[arniepi]

I don't know what I did, but...
I had been successfully accessing my RPi3 remotely using VNC which would boot up into the GUI desktop. I was trying to figure out how to get it to boot into a command line screen, instead of the desktop and must have messed something up.
However, I must have inadvertently changed something because now, while I can still connect to it via VNC, all I get is a very small black screen with no visible cursor.
If I attach my HDMI monitor directly to the pi, I get the proper screen with cursor, etc.
Can someone suggest what might be causing the behavior when I connect remotely and how to fix it?
Thanks so much in advance....Arniepi

[KMyers]

Not sure about this but I think you have to boot into GUI for VNC to work. Also make sure you have the right user name and password in the viewer software. Got caught on this myself.

This could all be wrong and I am sure someone will correct me!

Ken

[klricks]

The GUI must be running either by boot to desktop or by startx
If you don't have a HDMI monitor attached then you need to force hotplug in config.txt
See this for details: https://support.realvnc.com/knowledgeba ... e/View/523

If you want to remote CLI then use SSH with PuTTY instead of VNC.

[sconemad]

Hi,

It really depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you're purely using text-based command-line, then SSH is the way to go. If you're using the desktop, then use VNC.

If you're switching between both, or running graphical applications from the command line which don't need X11 (e.g. Kodi or omxplayer), then the RealVNC server has an "experimental direct capture mode", which will let you control the Pi without X running. You can enable this easily from the desktop, by enabling the option on the Troubleshooting page of the RealVNC Server options dialog, or if you only have command line access then you can edit the config file as explained here:
https://support.realvnc.com/Knowledgeba ... mmand-line

Hope this helps

[arniepi]

The GUI must be running either by boot to desktop or by startx
If you don't have a HDMI monitor attached then you need to force hotplug in config.txt
See this for details: https://support.realvnc.com/knowledgeba ... e/View/523

If you want to remote CLI then use SSH with PuTTY instead of VNC.

So...how do I boot to desktop given the condition that I described above. I can attach a HDMI monitor and see now that it boots to the command line and gives a prompt of pi@raspberrypi: ~?
My question is how to I get the desktop to show when I connect via VNC? As I stated, now, when I connect by VNC all I see is a small black screen with no visible prompt.
Thanks again in advance...Arniepi

[klricks]

The GUI must be running either by boot to desktop or by startx
If you don't have a HDMI monitor attached then you need to force hotplug in config.txt
See this for details: https://support.realvnc.com/knowledgeba ... e/View/523

If you want to remote CLI then use SSH with PuTTY instead of VNC.

So...how do I boot to desktop given the condition that I described above. I can attach a HDMI monitor and see now that it boots to the command line and gives a prompt of pi@raspberrypi: ~?
My question is how to I get the desktop to show when I connect via VNC? As I stated, now, when I connect by VNC all I see is a small black screen with no visible prompt.
Thanks again in advance...Arniepi

You need to attach a monitor and keyboard/mouse and set boot to desktop with sudo raspi-config OR type startx and use the config tool in [menu] --> [Preferences]
Or you could remote connect with SSH and Putty and run sudo raspi-config that way.
Then you need to make the edits to /boot/config.txt as in the link I provided.

[arniepi]

Thank you to all who responded. I ended up attaching a monitor to the pi and ran raspi-config. V oila!
I was having fear that I would have to start from step 1 and initialize another microSD card with raspian.
I really appreciate the help I got here.
All the best....arniepi

The GUI must be running either by boot to desktop or by startx
If you don't have a HDMI monitor attached then you need to force hotplug in config.txt
See this for details: https://support.realvnc.com/knowledgeba ... e/View/523

If you want to remote CLI then use SSH with PuTTY instead of VNC.

So...how do I boot to desktop given the condition that I described above. I can attach a HDMI monitor and see now that it boots to the command line and gives a prompt of pi@raspberrypi: ~?
My question is how to I get the desktop to show when I connect via VNC? As I stated, now, when I connect by VNC all I see is a small black screen with no visible prompt.
Thanks again in advance...Arniepi

You need to attach a monitor and keyboard/mouse and set boot to desktop with sudo raspi-config OR type startx and use the config tool in [menu] --> [Preferences]
Or you could remote connect with SSH and Putty and run sudo raspi-config that way.
Then you need to make the edits to /boot/config.txt as in the link I provided.