Table Of Contents

This document is intended as a guide for Faculty and Students of UWT to assist in remotely connecting to campus services using XFree86 on their home computers.

This document was last updated Monday, February 24, 2003

HowTo Setup Cygwin/XWindows at Home

Installation Overview

Download Cygwin

Goto www.cygwin.com and click on the "Install Now" Link as indicated in the screen shot below.

www.cygwin.com
Cygwin Home Page

Save the Setup program to its own folder.

Run Setup

Once the download is complete (shouldn't take long) run the Setup program.

Note: You must have Administrator privelages to install Cygwin on NT/2000/XP

  1. Press "Next"
  2. Select "Download From Internet" and press "Next"
  3. Choose a directory to download the packages to and press "Next"
  4. Leave the default setting of "Direct Connection" (unless you have a proxy server) and press "Next"
  5. Select an appropriate download site and press "Next"

Cygwin Setup Select Source
Cygwin Setup Select Source
 
Download Directory Proxy Server
Download Directory Proxer Server
 
Download Site Packages
Download Site Packages

Select Packages

  1. Click the '+' next to each line under: 
       +All * Default
    (Admin, Archive, etc.) and select the packages to install.

    Packages Used at UWT (you may install more packages that listed here)

    ash base-files base-passwd
    bash bc crypt
    cygwin diff diffutils
    fileutils findutils gawk
    gdbm gettext ghostscript
    grep gzip less
    libiconv libpng login
    lynx more ncurses
    openssh openssl pcre
    rcs readline sed
    sh-utils tar termcap
    terminfo texinfo textutils
    vim which XFree86
    zlib    

  2. Press "Next" to download the packages.

    Download Progress
    Download Progress

Configuration and Installation

  1. Run Setup again.
  2. Press "Next"
  3. Select "Install from Local Directory" and press "Next"
    1. Set the root directory (the destination directory) to c:\cygwin
    2. Default Text File Type: UNIX file format
    3. Install For: "Just Me"
  4. Press "Next"

    Install
    Install

  5. Verify the packages directory and press "Next" (should be the same directory that setup.exe is in)

  6. Click on the word "Default" on the line that reads: 
       +All * Default
    (Sometimes it takes a second for it to change). It should then read: 
      +All * Install

  7. Press "Next"

    Select Default Packages Installation Progress
    Download Progress Installation Progress
     
    Setup Finished
    Setup Finished

Configure XFree86

Make a copy of c:\cygwin\usr\X11R6\bin\startxwin.bat, or see the one we use in the labs here.

In your new file (both lines are near the bottom of the file):

  1. replace the line 
      run twm
    with 
      REM run twm
  2. replace the line 
      run xterm -sl 1000 -sb -rightbar -ms red -fg yellow -bg black -e /usr/bin/bash
    with 
      run xterm -sl 1000 -sb -rightbar -ms red -fg yellow -bg black -e /usr/bin/bash --login -i

More Information

How to Remotely Access Lab Resources (new window)
How to connect to an IT Lab Linux or Solaris Machine (new window)