OpenSuSE 13.2 - connect to Windows Remote Desktop

     In order to remotely connect to a Windows Server 2012, I have tested 2 programs: KRDC and Remmina. Both works quite fine, with a plus for Remmina, which allows printer sharing. Let's take a look at them.

KRDC

     KRDC is made by KDE and I found it installed by default. At least, I don't remember installing it by myself. It does not require anything special, it just works, even on a slower connection. It is easy to configure. It has a "Media sharing" option which I couldn't figure out what it does. It does not has a "Printer sharing" option and I couldn't find a "File sharing" option. Maybe the "Media sharing" option can be used, but I don't know how.

     In short, for a simple remote control it's just what you need, especially on a KDE desktop.

Remmina Remote Desktop

     Remmina is more sophisticated. It can be easily installed through Yast: just open and search for Remmina. Pay attention, you must also install remmina-plugin-rdp in order to connect to a Windows Remote Desktop.

     Once installed, it is about just as easy to configure and use as KRDC. Subjectively speaking, I think it requires a fastest connection connection. However, it has "File sharing" and "Printer sharing". In a very strange way, printer sharing will work only if you enable the "Sound" option as "Local". Concerning printer, in my case it didn't print the whole page no matter what setting I tried: the first 3 lines were just missing. I don't know it it was a driver-problem on Linux side or a Remmina-problem.

     "File sharing" is working fine. Just select a folder in configuration options and it will appear as a virtual drive on Windows side. No problems.

My conclusion:

     Remmina is more complete. However, if you need to rely on it for printing, make sure you test it.

[UPDATE]
     For some strange reason, this morning Remmina refused to connect to server, saying "Unable to connect" The solution was to delete the file /home/neklar/.freerdp/known_hosts

OpenSuSE 13.2 / ACER laptop - system goes to sleep

     I have a ACER laptop for quite some time (2009). Most of the time I use it as a desktop computer: the lid is closed and the image goes to a  external monitor. Of course, I disabled the lid-event in order to prevent the system to go to sleep. I never had any problems with that.

     However, this morning, after applying some updates, the system started to behave differently: it was going to sleep every 20 seconds or so, without any obvious reason. I checked all the settings and everything appeared to be normal. If I opened the lid, it was not going to sleep anymore, but when I closed it back, the same problem returned. Ok, I can stay with the lid open, but I don't like it that way.

     So, I have some possibilities:

          1) the system is too old and it's showing its age

          2) there is a new setting after the update and I cannot found it

          3) there is a bug in the update (either a driver or a setting)

     I don't have an answer, but after google-ing a while I have a solution (or, at least, a workaround): I forced the system to ignore the lid.

1) Open Dolphin a SuperUser (you need root access)

2) Edit the file /etc/systemd/logind.conf

3) Add (or modify if it already exists) the following line: HandleLidSwitch=ignore (also make shure it does not have the # character in front of it; this character marks a line as comment and it will be ignored)

4) Save and reboot