Remote Desktop Disconnects Remote PC

[alpder]

We are running XP computers on a Novell 6.5 network. I am trying to setup remote desktop. I can connect, but before I get the connection, I get the message:
"The user COMP1\administrator is currently logged on to this computer. If you continue, administrator has to disconnect from this computer. Do you want to continue?"
The connection works fine if I say "yes", but the remote computer is no longer available as administrator is logged off. This is no use for us as our PCs are remotely located and we need them connected all the time.
I would be grateful if anyone has the solution.

 

[bcastner]

XP is a single user OS. When you make the remote connection it is identical to sitting at the remote computer and logging in as yourself. If another user was logged in, you would log them off in order to make your logon.

Remote Desktop does the same thing, and does not support two or more simultaneous connections. Your remote logon is going to end whatever logon is currently active on the remote computer.

Notes that may help:

. You can logon as Administrator
. You can force a reboot of the remote machine at the end of your session. If you have Autologon enabled on the remote workstation, this would restore the original Administrator logon. The reboot is done either:
. By Ctrl-Alt-End to bring up Task Manager to select reboot
. By Start, Run, shutdown -r -f
. You might consider one of the many variations of VNC in the alternative

 

[cdogg]

I just want to point out that it's not the OS that's the problem here. It's Remote Desktop's limited functionality which prohibits the use of "fast-user switching" which allows for multiple simultaneous logins.

The fix would be to go with different remote management software like PCAnywhere 11 (or higher) which supports fast-user switching.

Of course, you could always log on as the administrator like bcastner pointed out...


~cdogg
[tab]"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind";
[tab][tab]- Aristotle
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[bcastner]

The RD client works fine in multi-session settings. Unfortunately, XP does not support multi-sessions. The issue comes down to one DLL, which is an OS DLL and not an RD client DLL:

http://forum.osnn.net/showthread.php?t=39878index.htm

 

[cdogg]

Bill,
So are you saying this is an issue that started occurring in SP2?

All I know is that in using PCAnywhere 11 with a host running XP SP1, I don't have the problem described in this thread.


~cdogg
[tab]"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind";
[tab][tab]- Aristotle
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[bcastner]

cdogg,

No, it did not start with SP2. It has been an issue from day one for XP.

My quibble: was it an OS, Fast User Switching or an RD issue? My answer is still it is an OS issue and deliberate decision.

I might not have been clear above, but the DLL involved in whether you can multi-session an RD session is completely up to a single DLL at the HOST site. Again, a quibble, this DLL has nothing to do with the RD client or Fast User Switching, just the XP OS Host.

There was consideration during the SP2 process to allow two (same as Windows2003) Administrative sessions. It was abandoned. The link I gave above is for a DLL from an SP2 beta that permits it.

I do not condone, support, or recommend this as a solution. I offer to you cdogg that it does work, and it would be silly for me to deny that as an MS-MVP. But, this is not a fast user switching, or RDP issue. This is a deliberate decision by Microsoft about the OS, as I stated earlier. Perhaps next time the restriction will be relaxed.

I offered to the original poster:

. logon as the local Administrator
. reboot the machine with Autologon enabled
. consider third party utilities such as VNC

Within the confines of the EULA and what RD means to Microsoft at the moment, these are the only valid choices.

Cdogg, you know I respect the heck out of you, (and do not doubt you have immediately tested the DLL and registry changes for multi-sessions).

It is out there, and it does work. But this is hacker-level solutions, not an enterprise solution.

As always, Cdogg:
Best,
Bill

 

[cdogg]

All good points. However, (and I'm just asking here), why then does another piece of software such as PCAnywhere get around the problem if it is in fact caused by an OS DLL?

I can't vouch on the multiple connections problem, but I do know that if someone is logged in as Administrator, PCAnywhere will allow you to switch to another login without logging off the Administrator.


~cdogg
[tab]"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind";
[tab][tab]- Aristotle
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[bcastner]

The PC AnyWhere program runs a server component that replaces the GINA/MSGINA of XP.

As a bad analogy, it would be if you accepted the native XP remote assistance request, as oppossed to accepting an RD session.

What third party programs do is similar to Remote Assistance, in which you have remote control of the desktop as oppossed to a remote session.

A remote session is a true logon as user. Remote control offers all sorts of possibilites, none requiring the DLL or other OS aspects discussed above.

Bill