XRDP Session Closing When Opening Terminal Or SSH On Ubuntu 24.04 Fix

Jul 17, 2025 by ADMIN 70 views

XRDP Session Closing Issue When Opening Terminal or SSH on Ubuntu 24.04: Troubleshooting Guide

Hey guys! Having trouble with your XRDP session closing unexpectedly when you open a terminal or start an SSH session on Ubuntu 24.04? You're not alone! This issue, especially prevalent with Xfce and XRDP version 0.9.24, can be a real head-scratcher. But don't worry, we're here to help you dive deep into the problem, understand the potential causes, and, most importantly, provide you with effective solutions. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the common reasons behind this behavior and equip you with the knowledge to troubleshoot and resolve it. Let's get started and get your remote sessions running smoothly again!

Okay, so you're using XRDP on your Ubuntu 24.04 machine, probably with the Xfce desktop environment, and every time you try to open a terminal within your RDP session, or even when you initiate an SSH connection from outside, the whole XRDP session just abruptly closes. Frustrating, right? This issue typically manifests as a sudden disconnection from your remote session, forcing you to reconnect and lose any unsaved work. The core problem here is the unexpected termination of the XRDP session, which can stem from a variety of underlying issues. These issues range from resource contention and session management conflicts to misconfigured settings within the XRDP or Xfce environment itself. It's crucial to understand that XRDP acts as a bridge, allowing you to access your graphical desktop remotely. When something interrupts this bridge, like a process crashing or a configuration error, the session can terminate. Let's delve into the potential culprits and how to tackle them, so you can get back to seamless remote access. We'll cover everything from basic checks to advanced troubleshooting steps, ensuring you have a clear path to resolving this pesky problem. Remember, a stable remote session is key to productivity, so let's make it happen!

Potential Causes

So, what could be causing your XRDP session to close unexpectedly? Let's break down the most common culprits:

Resource Limits

First off, resource limits. Your system has a finite amount of resources like memory and CPU. If opening a terminal or starting an SSH session pushes these resources over the limit, XRDP might crash to protect the system. Think of it like this: your server is a busy restaurant, and each application is a customer ordering food. If too many customers order at once (too many applications running), the kitchen (your system resources) gets overwhelmed, and things start to break down. To check this, use commands like top, htop, or free -m to monitor CPU and memory usage. Look for any processes consuming excessive resources. High CPU or memory usage can indicate a bottleneck that's causing XRDP to terminate sessions. It's also worth noting that resource limits can be configured at the system level, and if these limits are set too low, they can prematurely kill processes, including XRDP. We'll explore how to adjust these limits later in the troubleshooting section.

Session Management Conflicts

Session management can also be a tricky area. XRDP relies on session management to handle multiple connections. If there's a conflict, say two sessions trying to use the same resources or settings, XRDP might close one or both to resolve the conflict. This is like two people trying to use the same key to enter a room – it just won't work! Session management conflicts often arise when XRDP is not configured correctly to handle multiple concurrent sessions, or when there are conflicting settings between the XRDP configuration and the underlying desktop environment (like Xfce). To investigate, you'll need to examine the XRDP configuration files and the session logs, looking for any signs of conflicts or errors. Properly configuring session management is vital for stable XRDP operation, especially in multi-user environments. We'll guide you through the essential configuration steps to minimize these conflicts.

Xfce Configuration Issues

Xfce, being the desktop environment you're using, can also be the source of the problem. A misconfigured Xfce setting might interfere with XRDP's operation, causing the session to close when you perform certain actions, like opening a terminal. Imagine Xfce as the interior design of your remote desktop – if something is out of place or broken, it can make the whole experience unstable. Common Xfce-related issues include incorrect display settings, problematic plugins, or conflicting configurations with XRDP. Xfce's configuration files are where these settings are stored, and sometimes, a simple tweak can make all the difference. We'll walk you through checking these configurations, looking for anything that might be causing the crashes. This includes reviewing Xfce's session settings, power management configurations, and any custom scripts that might be running and interfering with XRDP.

XRDP Bugs and Compatibility

Finally, there's the possibility of XRDP bugs or compatibility issues. Software isn't perfect, and sometimes bugs can creep in. XRDP, like any other application, might have bugs that cause it to crash under certain conditions. Also, compatibility issues between XRDP and other components, such as the X server or specific libraries, can lead to unexpected behavior. Think of this as a puzzle where the pieces don't quite fit together – even if each piece is fine on its own, the overall picture is unstable. To address this, it's essential to ensure that you're using a stable version of XRDP and that all your system's packages are up to date. Checking the XRDP release notes and community forums can provide valuable insights into known issues and workarounds. Staying current with updates and patches is crucial for maintaining a stable and secure remote desktop environment.

Alright, let's get our hands dirty and start troubleshooting! Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you nail down the cause of the XRDP session closures:

1. Check System Resources

First things first, let's see if your system is being overloaded. Use these commands in a terminal:

top
htop
free -m

top and htop give you a real-time view of CPU and memory usage. Look for any processes hogging resources. If you see something consistently maxing out, that could be your culprit. free -m shows you your total, used, and free memory in megabytes. Pay close attention to the swap usage. If your system is swapping heavily, it means you're running out of RAM, which can definitely cause XRDP to crash. If resources are the issue, try closing unnecessary applications or increasing your system's RAM if possible.

2. Examine XRDP Logs

Logs are your best friends when troubleshooting. XRDP logs can provide valuable clues about what's going wrong. Check these log files:

/var/log/xrdp.log
/var/log/xrdp-sesman.log

Use commands like cat, less, or tail to view these logs. Look for any error messages, warnings, or anything that seems out of the ordinary. Pay special attention to timestamps – try to correlate log entries with the time your session crashed. Error messages like "Out of memory" or "Segmentation fault" can point you directly to the issue. If you find recurring errors, search the internet for those specific messages – chances are someone else has encountered the same problem and found a solution.

3. Review Xfce Session Settings

Since you're using Xfce, let's check its session settings. Sometimes, a misconfigured setting can cause problems. Go to Settings Manager > Session and Startup. Look at the "Session" tab. Make sure "Automatically save session" is enabled. If it's not, Xfce might not be properly restoring your session, which can lead to crashes. Also, check the "Application Autostart" tab. Disable any non-essential applications that start automatically. These apps might be consuming resources or causing conflicts. A clean session startup can often resolve unexpected crashes. Restart your XRDP session after making these changes to see if the issue is resolved.

4. Check for Conflicting Applications

Sometimes, certain applications can conflict with XRDP. This is especially true for applications that try to manage displays or graphics. Think about any applications you've recently installed or updated. Try closing these applications one by one to see if the problem goes away. If you identify a conflicting application, you might need to uninstall it or find an alternative. Identifying application conflicts can be tricky, but it's a crucial step in the troubleshooting process. It's also worth checking for any custom scripts or startup applications that might be interfering with XRDP's operation. These can sometimes introduce unexpected behavior.

5. Update XRDP and System Packages

Make sure you're running the latest version of XRDP and all your system packages. Outdated software can have bugs that have already been fixed in newer versions. Use these commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

This will update your package lists and upgrade any outdated packages. Keeping your system up-to-date is a fundamental step in maintaining stability and security. If there are any known bugs in XRDP that cause session crashes, updating to the latest version is often the simplest solution. Additionally, updated system libraries and dependencies can improve compatibility and resolve conflicts.

6. Adjust Resource Limits (Advanced)

If you suspect resource limits are the issue, you can try adjusting them. This is an advanced step, so be careful! Edit the /etc/security/limits.conf file:

sudo nano /etc/security/limits.conf

Add these lines at the end (or modify existing ones):

* soft nofile 65535
* hard nofile 65535
* soft nproc 65535
* hard nproc 65535

These lines increase the maximum number of open files and processes for all users. Be cautious when modifying system limits, as setting them too high can lead to other issues. After making these changes, you'll need to log out and log back in for them to take effect. This step should only be taken if you're confident that resource limits are the root cause of the problem and you understand the potential implications.

7. Reinstall XRDP (Last Resort)

If all else fails, try reinstalling XRDP. Sometimes, a fresh installation can fix corrupted files or configurations. First, remove XRDP:

sudo apt remove xrdp
sudo apt autoremove

Then, reinstall it:

sudo apt install xrdp

Reinstalling XRDP should be considered a last resort, as it will revert your XRDP configuration to the default settings. However, if the problem is caused by a corrupted configuration file or a broken installation, a reinstall can often resolve the issue. After reinstalling, you'll need to reconfigure XRDP to your desired settings, but this can sometimes be the cleanest way to start troubleshooting.

Okay, let's drill down into the specific scenarios you mentioned: XRDP closing when opening a terminal or starting an SSH session. Here’s what you can do:

Terminal Issues

If your XRDP session closes specifically when you open a terminal, the issue might be related to the terminal emulator or its configuration. Here’s how to troubleshoot:

Try a Different Terminal Emulator

Xfce comes with xfce4-terminal by default, but it's worth trying a different terminal emulator to see if that resolves the issue. Install a different terminal, like gnome-terminal or terminator:

sudo apt install gnome-terminal

Then, try opening the new terminal within your XRDP session. If the session doesn't crash, the issue is likely with xfce4-terminal. Switching terminal emulators can help you isolate the problem. If another terminal works fine, you can then focus on troubleshooting xfce4-terminal's configuration or consider using the alternative terminal as your default within XRDP.

Check Terminal Configuration

If changing the terminal doesn't help, the problem might be in the terminal's configuration. Look for any unusual settings, especially in the preferences or profile settings. Common issues include incorrect font settings, problematic plugins, or custom scripts that might be causing crashes. Reviewing the terminal's configuration can uncover hidden issues that might be interfering with XRDP's operation. Try resetting the terminal's settings to their defaults to see if that resolves the problem. This can often eliminate misconfigurations as a potential cause.

SSH Issues

If your XRDP session closes when you start an SSH session externally, the problem might be related to session management or resource contention. Here's how to tackle it:

Check SSH Configuration

Review your SSH configuration file (/etc/ssh/sshd_config) for any settings that might be causing issues. Look for settings related to session limits, timeouts, or authentication methods. Incorrect SSH settings can sometimes lead to conflicts with XRDP's session management. For example, if the MaxSessions setting is too low, it might prevent new SSH sessions from being established, which could lead to unexpected behavior. Ensure that the SSH configuration is compatible with XRDP's requirements.

Limit Concurrent Sessions

Too many concurrent sessions can overwhelm the system. Try limiting the number of concurrent SSH sessions by adjusting the MaxSessions setting in /etc/ssh/sshd_config:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Add or modify the MaxSessions line:

MaxSessions 10

Restart the SSH service:

sudo systemctl restart sshd

Limiting concurrent sessions can help prevent resource exhaustion and improve stability. By setting a reasonable limit on the number of simultaneous SSH connections, you can reduce the risk of XRDP sessions crashing due to resource contention. This is especially important in multi-user environments where multiple SSH connections are common.

Investigate Authentication Methods

Sometimes, authentication methods can cause issues. If you're using key-based authentication, make sure your keys are properly configured and there are no permission issues. If you're using password authentication, ensure that the password is correct and there are no restrictions on password-based logins. Authentication problems can sometimes lead to session failures and unexpected disconnections. Verify that the authentication methods you're using are compatible with both XRDP and SSH, and that there are no conflicts or misconfigurations.

So, there you have it! A comprehensive guide to troubleshooting XRDP session closing issues on Ubuntu 24.04. We've covered the common causes, from resource limits and session management conflicts to Xfce configurations and XRDP bugs. We've also provided step-by-step instructions for identifying and resolving these issues, including specific solutions for terminal and SSH-related problems. Remember, troubleshooting can be a process of elimination, so be patient and methodical. By following these steps and carefully examining your system, you should be able to get your XRDP sessions running smoothly again. Don't hesitate to consult online forums and communities for additional help, and remember, a stable remote session is key to a productive workflow. Happy remote desktoping!