Remote desktop on macbook pro with no video

[btree]

I have a 2007 macbook pro with a dead video card. Neither the LCD nor the external video port work. The apple store confirmed everything else works fine. I would like to use it in a server-like application, but to set it up I will need some way to get video working temporarily.

When it broke, I had ssh enabled but that's about it. I didn't install remote desktop or anything like that. Is there any way to ssh in and install/set up Remote Desktop or something equivalent? I'm used to doing X11 forwarding over ssh on linux, but I haven't found anything similar for mac.

Thanks, and let me know if I've left out any necessary info!

 

[DoFoT9]

i wonder if its possible to open a remote desktop connection over SSH, im fairly certain it is. you would HAVE to be able to enable VNC via SSH... surely...

 

[plinden]

Assuming you can indeed ssh in AND you have admin privileges:

cd /private/etc
sudo vi ScreenSharing.launchd

Enter enabled and save (type :w)

Your computer should show up in the Shared section of Finder, or you can VNC in at "vnc://<ip address>"

Edit: Just realized, you don't say what version of OS X you're running. My info above is for Snow Leopard. For Leopard you create a file called com.apple.ScreenSharing.launchd containing enabled in /Library/Preferences.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

Uhh, Apple knows its a dead 8600 and they aren't fixing it? Uhh ohh.

 

[DoFoT9]

Uhh, Apple knows its a dead 8600 and they aren't fixing it? Uhh ohh.

thats a good point!