Connecting to SSCC Linux Computers using X-Win32

Printer Friendly Version

Last Revised:10/10/2007

X-Win32 is the SSCC's suggested Linux client for Windows PCs. To install X-Win32, first download it from the SSCC web server. You'll need to give your SSCC user name and password, as X-Win32 is only licensed for UW faculty, staff, and students. Save the file in a convenient location, and then double-click on it. It will install itself, and connections to HAL and KITE will be set up automatically.

X-Win32 can be a bit confusing because it doesn't log you into anything when it starts. It merely places an icon down in the lower-right coner of your screen.

To log into a server, click once on the icon and choose HAL or KITE. If you double-click on the icon you'll get the configuration program instead. As your session begins you'll note a status window that describes what X-Win32 is doing as it connects to the server. Feel free to check Close this dialog when command completes or just close the window once your session starts.

Setting up New Sessions

If you need to connect to a server other than KITE and HAL (notably FALCON), you'll need to set up a new session. It's very easy to do. You can also set up sessions which use xterm rather than GNOME as the terminal program.

Double click on the X-Win32 icon to start the configuration program. Click the Wizard button under New Session.

(If you've created sessions using previous versions of X-Win32, you can transfer them to the latest version by clicking Migrate Sessions.)

Give the session a Name (for your own purposes--the computer doesn't care what it is). Choose StarNet SSH as the Type. Then click Next.

Give the address of the server you want to connect to and click Next.

Now type in your user name and password. Click Next.

The next screen allows you to choose which terminal program to run. Our suggestion is that you use the GNOME terminal, and that is what the pre-defined sessions use. To use it type gnome-terminal in the Command box.

However, if you prefer xterm, just click on Linux and X-Win32 will enter it for you automatically.

Click Finish, and your session is ready for use.

Using an .xdefaults File (xterm Users Only)

GNOME keeps track of its own settings, but if you are using xterm and have set up an .xdefaults file with your preferred settings, you need to tell X-Win32 to use it. Open the configuration program by double-clicking on the X-Win32 icon and click on the Window tab. Uncheck the box Set Xresource defaults and click OK.