Remote Assistance Problems

[Darren]

I have been trying to use the remote assistance option on xp. I have pro on
my laptop and home on my desktop. I can request assistance from home and
that works fine, viewing and controlling. However, I am unable to request
assistance using XP pro. I keep getting "a program could not start" when
trying to send by email and the remote session gets disconnected before I
even manage to see the other screen using messenger.

Your help would be much appreciated.

D

 

[Jeffrey Randow (MVP)]

Go to Computer Management (compmgmt.msc from the Start=>Run menu or in
Control Panel Administrative Tools), select the Services "entry" under
the Services & Applications tree list.. Look for the Remote Access
Connection Manager Service. If it isn't started, then start it.. If
it is disabled, re-enable it and then start it. Then try to use
Remote Assistance again...

Jeffrey Randow (Windows MVP - Networking & Smart Display)
(e-mail address removed)

Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
be answered depending on time availability....

Remote Networking Technology Wiki -
http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
Smart Display Support - http://www.smartdisplays.us
Windows XP Expert Zone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

 

[Jim de Graff]

I'm having the same problem. I do 24 hour support for our control centre.
I've been using PcAnywhere for the after-hours calls but would rather use
Remote Assistance (XP Pro all around). I've enabled "Offer Remote
Assistance" in gpedit and both the "Remote Access Auto Connection Manager"
and "Remote Acces Connection Manager" services are running. I still get "A
program could not start. Please try again".

 

[Polecatt]

I posted in another topic this notation

I found the same issue and brought it up to msn messenger who forwarded me to microsoft. I found using remote assistance works if you use it through the help and support section. CLick the ask a friend to help and select the name from the messenger contact list and it works. I am thinking there is an error in the 7.o and 7.5 versions. I think I had succesful connections when using the 5 and 6 versions of messenger.

I know the router thing is a factor, however my connections failed in versions 7.X but worked without configuring routers in help and support method of using remote assitance. Try it and see if it works. I am thinking of loading old version of messenger, but they annoy you with continual update available notices.

 

[habskilla]

fyi

I upgraded from 7.0 to 7.5 and now Remote Assistance does not work. I have not found a way to get it to work.

Anyone know where I can download 7.0?

Habskilla

 

[TomKat06]

Remote Assistance error "A program could not start. Please try again."
First of all I would like to thank everyone who has worked on this and came up with a possible solution.
In our case none of the suggestions seemed to work. I had already allowed all of the exceptions through the firewall.
Remote Assistance in Windows XP with SP1 works just fine in our environment. However, any machine running SP2 would get the error "A program could not start. Please try again." I tried setting permissions to files and folders containing any file associated with Remote Assistance to no avail.
Finally, I compared the services on two machines side-by-side, one running SP2 and one with SP1. The SP1 machine had the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service running as a Local System account. The machine running SP2 had the service running under the Network Service account.
I changed the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service on the SP2 machine to run under the Local System account and Remote Assistance started working.
I don't know of any downfall to changing this, but I am interested in hearing of any.
Lastly....
To those websites that require a fee to get help, You may use this solution. Just know that I think you people should be ashamed of yourselves for selling your information to others. In todays day and age we should all work together to find solutions and to offer those solutions free of charge to those in need of them.
TomKat
Tech. Architect

 

[drambuie]

Sounds good .....BUT

Remote Assistance error "A program could not start. Please try again."
.............I changed the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service on the SP2 machine to run under the Local System account and Remote Assistance started working.
I don't know of any downfall to changing this, but I am interested in hearing of any...............

Sounds like the answer to my problem BUT I still haven't figured out how or where to make that change to Local System account.

I'd sure appreciate some help in changing that setting.

 

[TomKat06]

Right-click on My Computer, select Manage from the menu, expand Services and Applications, select Services, in the right-hand window, scroll down to Remote Procedure Call (RPC), right-click on Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and select properties, open the Log On tab, under Log on as: change to Local System account. Apply the changes and reboot. Let me know if this helps.

TomKat06

 

[drambuie]

Right-click on My Computer, select Manage from the menu, expand Services and Applications, select Services, in the right-hand window, scroll down to Remote Procedure Call (RPC), right-click on Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and select properties, open the Log On tab, under Log on as: change to Local System account. Apply the changes and reboot. Let me know if this helps.

TomKat06

Thanks !!
But it doesn't work for me. As soon as I click on 'send invitatation' I get the same "A program could not start" message.

 

[TomKat06]

Is your Windows Firewall running? if it is, you will nee to make sure that you allow Remote Assistance in the Exceptions.

Also, right-click on My computer, select Properties, click on the Reemote tab and make sure that you check the box for Remote Assistance.

Are you working in a Domain environment, or is this your home computer?

Here is a link to some helpfull firewall settings:
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/q310/6/08.asp&NoWebContent=1

 

[drambuie]

It's my home computer on a home network via a router.

Remote assitance was/is selected as an exception to the firewall.

The box for remote assitance was/is checked under My computer/properties.

 

[PhillyMan11377]

Remote Assistance not working with SP2

Hey guys, I have been working on this issue for the past week at work and finally got it working. First off, final resolution was to do as TomKat06 stated with changing the Logon As option for the RPC service to Local Admin. Account (Thanks a million Tom and I haven't read or noticed any problems with leaving this setting in a Domain enviroment). Drambuie - If you go back and look at the services again, check to see if you have one that says DCOM Server Process Launcher. If this process is disabled or not started Remote Assistance will not work. Change the startup type to automatic and restart your machine. See if that resolved the problem. Another popular suggestion is to go to Start\ Control Panel\ Administrative Tools \ Component Services. Expand Computer Services & right click on your computer name and choose Properties. Under the Default Protocols Tab make sure that TCP \ IP is at the top of the list. If it's not you will have the option to move it up in the list. Click OK and try again. I didnt see anything about having to reboot but you might want to try that if still not working.

 

[drambuie]

Still no go.

..... Drambuie - If you go back and look at the services again, check to see if you have one that says DCOM Server Process Launcher. If this process is disabled or not started Remote Assistance will not work. Change the startup type to automatic and restart your machine. See if that resolved the problem. Another popular suggestion is to go to Start\ Control Panel\ Administrative Tools \ Component Services. Expand Computer Services & right click on your computer name and choose Properties. Under the Default Protocols Tab make sure that TCP \ IP is at the top of the list. If it's not you will have the option to move it up in the list. Click OK and try again. I didnt see anything about having to reboot but you might want to try that if still not working.

Thanks !! Checked and found DCOM on automatic and started.
TCP\IP was/is at the top of the list. .....And the mistery continues.

 

[philcollins99]

Make sure you have started the following service:

"Remote Desktop Help Session Manager"

I followed all of the above and this seemed to be the final step to get it going.

 

[david10soccer]

Come On Guys...

XP PRO has the full service of Remote assistance whereas XP HOME only has the server software, meaning that you can let someone else help you but you can NOT control another PC....

 

[david10soccer]

Mistake

A fast reader is not a good reader...my apologies, you can receive remote assistance on XP HOME, you can not offer remote assistance. On XP PRO you can do both, I see that here's where you have the problem, by looking at the message you are getting, it tells me that you have problems with the service not starting, it might be blocked. If you are behind a firewall (or router with firewall software in it) you have to open port 3389, if you don't know how to do this, then DON'T TOUCH IT! instead, make sure you have WINDOWS MESSENGER installed by going to START>CONTROL PANEL>ADD/REMOVE WINDOWS COMPONENTS, then go to the botton and find Windows Messenger, make sure the checkbox is checked, if not, check it and click next and follow instructions. Once this has been done, go to START>ALL PROGRAMS and open WINDOWS MESSENGER, careful, not to be confused with MSN MESSENGER or WINDOWS LIVE MESSENGER. Once logged in, try remote assistance that way and you will be able to access it bypassing your router and/or firewall (THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED AS WINDOWS MESSENGER CREATES A SECURITY HOLE, BUT IT IS A QUICK FIX), the long term fix would be to open port 3389 in your router/firewall and make sure that the means to offer/receive remote assistance are being protected by your firewall and antivirus software (be email, file, messenger). Hope this helps.

 

[kingull]

Remote Assistance "A program could not start"

I ran a program in suppport tools MMSRDPCLI.EXE which refused to complete. Then I ADDED remote desktop in world wide web
services in internet information services.

Remote Assistance by Email now runs again and sends a request by email.

Might be a sheer coincidence but!!!!!!!!!

Am running XPSP2 Version 2002

 

[claytonpaul]

This Solved it all for me

Finally...all day working on this....but i finally figured it out..i think. While i've gone thru every other step listed on every website and forum out on the web...the trick that finally made this work for me was to ENABLE "TERMINAL SERVICES." running xp home, sp3

from a command prompt: services.msc
Under "SERVICES" find TERMINAL SERVICES, rt click it, properties and then choose STARTUP TYPE as AUTOMATIC and then START the service...this finally did it for me...hope this helps!! cpb

 

[zion2010]

remote assistance problem

i did remote assistance using msn with one of my friend..after that his internet connection keep dropping. why is that? im using windows xp my friend using windows 7..

PLZ someone HELP! ME..

Thank you