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Google Remote Desktop

Install Remote Desktop Extension

1. Navigate to Chrome Remote Desktop Web Store and install it by clicking Add to Chrome.

2. Click Launch App and the remote desktop app window should open.

Install Chrome Remote Desktop Package

1. You will now need to get the .deb for remote desktop with the following command in terminal:

wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/chrome-remote-desktop_current_amd64.deb

2. Then install it by running:

sudo apt install ./chrome-remote-desktop_current_amd64.deb

3. If the initial installation attempt will fail, simply run sudo apt install -f to fix the missing dependencies and to complete the installation.

sudo apt-get install -f

4. You will need to add yourself to the chrome-remote-desktop group then reboot for the changes to take effect.

sudo usermod -a -G chrome-remote-desktop $USER
sudo reboot

Create Session File

1. You will need to create a remote desktop session file in your home directory:

gedit ~/.chrome-remote-desktop-session

2. Look in /usr/share/xsessions/ for the .desktop file for your linux environment. For example, ElementaryOS has a file named Pantheon with the following command: gnome-session --session=pantheon.

3. Within the chrome-remote-desktop-session file enter the following (make sure to use your respective distro .desktop file):

exec /usr/sbin/lightdm-session "gnome-session --session=pantheon"

4. If running ElementayOS you will also need to add the following to the file:

DESKTOP_SESSION=pantheon
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=Pantheon 
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000

5. Save the file and close.

Post-Install Configuration (Setting up Displays)

1. Stop Chrome Remote Desktop:

/opt/google/chrome-remote-desktop/chrome-remote-desktop --stop

2. Backup the original configuration:

sudo cp /opt/google/chrome-remote-desktop/chrome-remote-desktop /opt/google/chrome-remote-desktop/chrome-remote-desktop.orig

3. Edit the config (chrome-remote-desktop) file:

gedit /opt/google/chrome-remote-desktop/chrome-remote-desktop

4. Find DEFAULT_SIZES and update the remote desktop resolution. For example:

DEFAULT_SIZES = "2560x1440"

5. For multiple displays you will need to enter in the resolution for each one:

DEFAULT_SIZES = "2560x1440,2560x1440,2560x1440"

6. Determine your main display number (obtain it with echo $DISPLAY from terminal). Find FIRST_X_DISPLAY_NUMBER and set the FIRST_X_DISPLAY_NUMBER to the display number (Ubuntu 17.10 and lower: usually 0, Ubuntu 18.04: usually 1)

echo $DISPLAY


FIRST_X_DISPLAY_NUMBER = 0
7. Around line 425, within the definition for get_unused_display_number(), comment out sections that look for additional displays by adding # infront:

# while os.path.exists(X_LOCK_FILE_TEMPLATE % display):
#   display += 1

8. Lastly, find launch_session() and comment out launch_x_server() and launch_x_session() within launch_session(). You will then add display = self.get_unused_display_number() and self.child_env["DISPLAY"] = ":%d" % display to the definition. The function definition should look like the following:

def launch_session(self, x_args):
    self._init_child_env()
    self._setup_pulseaudio()
    self._setup_gnubby()
    #self._launch_x_server(x_args)
    #self._launch_x_session()
    display = self.get_unused_display_number()
    self.child_env["DISPLAY"] = ":%d" % display

9. Save and exit the editor. Start Chrome Remote Desktop:

/opt/google/chrome-remote-desktop/chrome-remote-desktop --start

Launch Remote Desktop

1. Finally, head to Chrome Remote Web and Click TURN ON to enable remote desktop access. Set the system name, set the remote desktop connection PIN and click START.