Windows XP RDP freezes host

[admos]

Hi Guys,

A few months ago I bought a new Notebook computer at home (Dell Vostro 1320). I've always been able to remote in to home computer with Remote Desktop. ​

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However, with this notebook, when I try using RDP, I get the log on screen, but the moment I click OK to log in, the host computer freezes. ​

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I did the following testing to try solving the problem, but with no success.​

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1. RDP is enabled.​

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2. I disabled the firewall.​

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3. I took the notebook to my office and tried using RDP inside the domain.​

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4. I tried using RDP with another notebook using a simple router with no firewall.​

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5. I opened a new clean user, and tried to log in to the new user.​

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6. I tried entering a false username or password. In that case, it will give the regular "wrong username" error, but will not freeze.​

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I am searching the net for weeks, with no solution, and this makes me real headache.
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[Ian]

When RDP freezes, does it mean that you need to force reset the laptop (i.e. a total PC freeze) or is it just the application that freezes?

Are you able to use RDP when booting in to safe mode? Also, does event viewer give any error messages when the crash happens?

 

[admos]

Hello and thanks

1 - After freezing, only a forced shutdown will help. CTRL-ALT-DELETE or any other option will not work.

2 - Did not try it in safe mode, will try when arriving home.

3 - I am not familiar with "event viewer", where do I find that?

 

[admos]

Some more info on my notebook:
Dell Vostro 1320
CPU: Intel Core2 Duo P8600 @2.4GHz
RAM: 4 GB
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS
Operating System: WinXP

 

[Ian]

You can find out more about the event viewer in XP at this link - it will explain how to find it and view logs

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427

Have you got your laptop fully patched + service packs? Also, have you got the latest RDP software - that might help:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...FamilyID=72158b4e-b527-45e4-af24-d02938a95683

 

[admos]

Hi Ian

Thanks for your time, I will definitely check all issues you mentioned, when arriving home.

(This will be my homework for today)

Admos

 

[admos]

Hello Ian​

I did all the tests and here are the results.​

• When the computer freezes, it does not generate any event. I checked it several times.
• I downloaded RDP 7.0, no help.
• My computer is 100% updated, except for some Explorer 8 (I have IE7, but actually use Firefox), and some optional programs such as Silverlight.
• While running the host in safe mode, I did not succeed to connect with RDP at all.
  
  The RDP CLIENT computer gave the following error.
  
  ======================================================
  
  [font="]Remote Desktop Disconnected
  
  
  
  This computer can't connect to the remote computer.
  
  
  
  Try connecting again…..[/font]
  
  =======================================================
• During the safe-mode run the following events were created:
  
  ======================================================
  
  [font="]DCOM got error "This service cannot be started in Safe Mode " attempting to start the service EventSystem with arguments "" in order to run the server:
  
  {1BE1F766-5536-11D1-B726-00C04FB926AF}
  
  
  
  For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.[/font]
  
  =======================================================
  
  [font="]The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load:
  
  ehdrv
  
  Fips
  
  intelppm
  
  For more information, see Help and Support Center at [url="[URL]http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp[/URL]"]http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.[/font][/URL]
  
  =======================================================
  
  (I tried to attach print-screen snapshots, wit no success, so I uploaded them with yousendit.com
  
  https://rcpt.yousendit.com/837879642/809a024a2181bba2f6a10d9a1a8b39b8 )

I thank you again for your help​

admos​

 

[Ian]

I'm not sure what else I can recommend, but I do have one last option which might work.

Can you try running "mstsc" from the run box to manually load the connection window. Then, can you browse all the options and disable things like file sharing, printer sharing, clipboard monitoring, drive mapping etc... and then also turn all the options down to a minimum (such as colour bits). Once that is done, try to manually connect again.

 

[admos]

Hello back!

Seems to be real trouble. I tried removing everything, printers disks, and made the lowest available bits. And still the same problem.

admos

 

[Ian]

I'm out of ideas unfortunately

 

[hulettk]

When you did that testing above, at each of those locations, you're saying that RDP failed on your laptop each time? Same results in each case?

Any information on the target computers about the connection?
Error messages in event viewer?

NOTE: You may want to turn on some auditing before testing on both machines.
More info on auditing: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300549

Those audits report in the event viewer. If non-admin users log into either machine, you might want to increase the log size of each event log type and/or select Overwrite events, etc. Otherwise, your audits may fill your logs up and prevent non-admin accounts from logging in, until the admin clears the logs.

 

[admos]

Hello

I did not get the final point what I can do.

I checked the local security setting all 9 entries are marked as "no auditing".
Now, what exactly should i do? Change all 9 or only some of them? Change them for "Failure" only, or also for "Success"?

Regarding the log size, I did not find that at all.

Thanks
admos

 

[hulettk]

Try this...

Auditing - Success & Failure for the following:
Logon Events
Object Access
Process Tracking
System Events

Now go to the Event Viewer.
Right click on each of the following log types: application, security, system
Select Properties.
Select Overwrite events as needed
(you could also increase the log size - 2048 KB perhaps)
Click OK for each one.

Now clear the logs:
Right click on each of the following log types: application, security, system
Select Clear all events
I would say Yes to save it before clearing.
Just assign each a brief name (app = applications, sec = security, etc)

Then run your test RDP session and check for messages in the Event logs.
Zero in on errors mostly, however some messgaes prior to an error may give other clues such as ones that tell you some part of the RDP session was successful, before it crashes.

That kind of info might provide more clues.
Again, this is on BOTH machines, the host laptop and the target PC.

One last thing you could try:
From Start/Run; type cmd
The type: netstat -ab

Be sure to start the RDP session immediately after the netstat command.

It should capture any network connections that are created by RDP and other apps running behind the scenes over the network.