X-Win32

Introduction

In computing, X-Win32 is a proprietary implementation of the X Window System for Microsoft Windows, produced by StarNet Communications. It is based on X11R7.7.

X-Win32 allows remote display of UNIX windows on Windows machines in a normal window alongside the other Windows applications.

Availability and Downloads

Download X-Win32 from http://www.buffalo.edu/ubit/service-guides/software/downloading/windows-.... It is covered as part of a campus agreement and is available to all UB student/faculty/staff.

Setup for CSE Servers

  1. Go to "Start" -> "All Programs" -> "X-Win32 18".
  2. Click "Wizard"
  3. Click "SSH" and in the name enter the name of the server you will be connecting to (ex. timberlake.cse.buffalo.edu). click Next
  4. Enter the hostname of the server (ex. timberlake.cse.buffalo.edu). Click Next
  5. Leave the username and passwords fields blank. Click Next.
  6. Select the "linux command". At the top, where the connection command is auto-completed, change the command to:
    • CentOS6 systems (such as metallica and timberlake) verify the connection command is: 
      
/usr/bin/xterm -ls
    • FreeBSD systems (such as fork) verify the connection command is: 
      
/usr/X11R6/bin/xterm -ls
    • If you don't know what operating system your host system runs, see https://wiki.cse.buffalo.edu/services/content/student-systems or issue the command: 
      
% uname -a
      ... on the machine you wish to connect to graphically from Windows.
  7. Click Finished.
  8. You may then launch XWin by going to "Start" -> "Xwin32" -> "Xwin32". From here the XWin Icon will launch in the bottom right corner of the screen. You will then be able to click this icon in the task tray and select the machine profile you just created.

XWin and PuTTY

To use XWin with an SSH client such as PuTTY, you must enable X11 forwarding back to your computer. This requires XWin to be running in the background.

To enable X11 forwarding in PuTTY:

  1. In the initial PuTTY configuration window, select: Connection -> SSH -> X11
  2. Select: Enable X11 forwarding

References

  1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Win32
  2. http://www.buffalo.edu/ubit/service-guides/software/downloading/windows-...