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Install VNC from the command line

Overview

Not every distribution of VNC comes with it's own installer. Plus, sometimes you'll want to just keep a copy of the key files rather than a large setup.exe file. This howto covers the method for installing VNC from a NT command shell.

Requirements

Steps

  1. Drop into a CMD shell and change to the Program Files directory. Now make a folder called Orl and CD into it. Make another folder, this time called VNC and CD into that too. Your path should now say "c:\program files\orl\vnc" (although you might be on D drive, but you get what I mean).

  2. Now copy winvnc.exe, vncviewer.exe and vnchooks.dll into this folder.

  3. If you're running Windows 9x, you need to copy omnithread_rd.dll into your Windows\System folder. If you're using NT/2000/XP then copy that into winnt\system32.

  4. If you have exported existing VNC settings from another computer, you should install them now by double clicking on the .reg file. If you haven't got one of these files, you can set one up later. (This is covered in another how to).

  5. Staying in the command prompt, type winvnc -install and hit enter. This will add VNC as a service.

  6. For NT users, type net start winvnc and press enter. This starts the service up.
    Win9x users will have to jump to step 7 and then reboot the computer.

  7. Now type winvnc -servicehelper and this starts the helper program. This is used to display an icon in the taskbar, as well as work out who logged on the local box. This is important if you want to use individual user settings.

  8. When the service has started up, you'll probably be asked for a password. If it doesn't go into a command shell and change directory to where you installed VNC (probably \program files\orl\winvnc). Now run "winvnc -defaultsettings" (without the quotes) and this will display a dialog box for the default user settings.

  9. Test the connect using vncviewer from another machine. Use the target machine's IP address or it's computer name (if you have WINS).