Remote Desktop Connection - Revisited

[Jethro]

Ok, to make this clear...

*********************************

You can login in to RIGHT from LEFT using Remote Desktop. There is no
problem with RIGHT, correct? If that is not correct then you have lost me
somewhere...

Exactly. That should mean that RIGHT is set up correctly to allow
LEFT to connect to it and manage it. My only concern there is that I
would think a login/password should be requested in the process, but
it is not. Connection is made immediately. But that's an issue to
be dealt with later I'm thinking.
I cannot and never have been able to login to LEFT from RIGHT using
Remote Desktop.

*********************************

The Terminal Services service status on LEFT is started but the netstat
command shows LEFT is not listening on TCP Port 3389. Have you or someone
else in the past changed the listening port on LEFT to something other than
3389?

Exactly. Not that I know of.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q306759

As per the URL, I went to the Registry on LEFT machine and to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TerminalServer\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\PortNumber

and found Port Number 3389 was already there (as I guess it should
have been). So I did nothing.

If not then as an administrator run this command from a command line on
LEFT. Reboot the PC after doing this...

regsvr32 remotepg.dll

I did this, and it said it succeeded - after which I rebooted.

I immediately checked netstat on LEFT machine - still does not show
3389 at all and certainly not that it is waiting. Then I tried
another remote connection from RIGHT to LEFT and get the same error.

Frustrating

Thanks

Jethro

 

[Jethro]

Is the service running on LEFT?

Good Morning!

Since I was getting nowhere, I decided to bite the bullet as they say,
and I started fresh by installing a virgin copy of XP PRO SP2 on a
spare hard drive I have - putting on it only what I had to for
audio-video-networking. I set up sharing etc, using the same
parameters, namely LEFT etc.

Then I downloaded and installed MS's latest RDC (V6) on LEFT.
I checked and now I have RDC V6 on both LEFT and RIGHT. You may
remember that I did not have RDC V6 on LEFT before. It was an earlier
version for some reason. RIGHT machine always did have V6.

I am back to where I was yesterday now. Namely, I can access and
change folders & files on both LEFT and RIGHT from either machine.
But I can only Remote Connect from LEFT to RIGHT, not RIGHT to LEFT.

I do notice one thing on the LEFT machine. Netstat shows very few
lines showing 'listening', and 3389 is on shown at all. This was also
true yesterday, but that was with my original hard drive which
contained all kinds of other stuff. I checked the Registry on LEFT
machine and found 3389 shown where it is supposed to be.

So whatever is wrong, it is consistent. I have to be missing
something.

Watchatink?

Jethro

 

[Sooner Al [MVP]]

Good Morning!

Since I was getting nowhere, I decided to bite the bullet as they say,
and I started fresh by installing a virgin copy of XP PRO SP2 on a
spare hard drive I have - putting on it only what I had to for
audio-video-networking. I set up sharing etc, using the same
parameters, namely LEFT etc.

Then I downloaded and installed MS's latest RDC (V6) on LEFT.
I checked and now I have RDC V6 on both LEFT and RIGHT. You may
remember that I did not have RDC V6 on LEFT before. It was an earlier
version for some reason. RIGHT machine always did have V6.

I am back to where I was yesterday now. Namely, I can access and
change folders & files on both LEFT and RIGHT from either machine.
But I can only Remote Connect from LEFT to RIGHT, not RIGHT to LEFT.

I do notice one thing on the LEFT machine. Netstat shows very few
lines showing 'listening', and 3389 is on shown at all. This was also
true yesterday, but that was with my original hard drive which
contained all kinds of other stuff. I checked the Registry on LEFT
machine and found 3389 shown where it is supposed to be.

So whatever is wrong, it is consistent. I have to be missing
something.

Watchatink?

Jethro

What I think after that is I don't have the foggiest idea what is going on.
I was going to suggest a "repair install" on LEFT but your doing a clean
install certainly trumps that. I presume you checked to see if the Terminal
Services service is in fact in a "started" state? You might look at the
dependencies tab to see what other services that service needs and check
those. Beyond that I really have no idea other than some process, ie.
anti-virus, anti-worm, etc etc etc...etc is killing the computer from
listening on that port.

As far as RIGHT is concerned did you ever in the past configure it for
automatic login for Remote Desktop? This illustrates the group policy that
dictates that. Just run gpedit.msc from the "Start -> Run" command window to
get there.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281262/en-us

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Sooner Al [MVP]]

What I think after that is I don't have the foggiest idea what is going
on. I was going to suggest a "repair install" on LEFT but your doing a
clean install certainly trumps that. I presume you checked to see if the
Terminal Services service is in fact in a "started" state? You might look
at the dependencies tab to see what other services that service needs and
check those. Beyond that I really have no idea other than some process,
ie. anti-virus, anti-worm, etc etc etc...etc is killing the computer from
listening on that port.

As far as RIGHT is concerned did you ever in the past configure it for
automatic login for Remote Desktop? This illustrates the group policy that
dictates that. Just run gpedit.msc from the "Start -> Run" command window
to get there.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281262/en-us

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

Since you have a spare drive on LEFT to play with try this if you have the
time...

Do a clean install of the OS but don't add any other software like MS
updates or your audio-video stuff. Just enable the basic network, ie.
computer name, workgroup, user ID and password. Make sure you can ping RIGHT
from LEFT and LEFT from RIGHT by static IP. See if you can login to LEFT
from RIGHT with Remote Desktop using the static IP for LEFT.

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Sooner Al [MVP]]

Since you have a spare drive on LEFT to play with try this if you have the
time...

Do a clean install of the OS but don't add any other software like MS
updates or your audio-video stuff. Just enable the basic network, ie.
computer name, workgroup, user ID and password. Make sure you can ping
RIGHT from LEFT and LEFT from RIGHT by static IP. See if you can login to
LEFT from RIGHT with Remote Desktop using the static IP for LEFT.

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

I forgot to add you need to make sure you enable Remote Desktop after the
clean install.

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Jethro]

What I think after that is I don't have the foggiest idea what is going on.

That makes two of us.

I was going to suggest a "repair install" on LEFT but your doing a clean
install certainly trumps that. I presume you checked to see if the Terminal
Services service is in fact in a "started" state?

Indeed I did - on both machines. All are 'started'.

You might look at the
dependencies tab to see what other services that service needs and check
those. Beyond that I really have no idea other than some process, ie.
anti-virus, anti-worm, etc etc etc...etc is killing the computer from
listening on that port.

If you mean killing the computer from listening on LEFT machine, I
have no antivirus, anti-anything installed on it. It is 'pure' XP PRO
SP2 except for some lan, audio & video drivers. I have no idea why
port 3389 is not shown under netstat. And I don't know how to
manually put it there.

As far as RIGHT is concerned did you ever in the past configure it for
automatic login for Remote Desktop?

Not that I know of. When I try Remote Connect from RIGHT, it asks me
for login/password. Then fails.

This illustrates the group policy that
dictates that. Just run gpedit.msc from the "Start -> Run" command window to
get there.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281262/en-us

I looked at this - it is beyond my current comprehension. I don't
think it is user-intuitive. At least not Jethro-intuitive.

Thanks for your help though. I remain stuck - glad I was just trying
to learn how to do all this in case of future need. There is always
PCANYWHERE I guess.

Jethro

 

[Jethro]

Since you have a spare drive on LEFT to play with try this if you have the
time...

Do a clean install of the OS but don't add any other software like MS
updates or your audio-video stuff. Just enable the basic network, ie.
computer name, workgroup, user ID and password. Make sure you can ping RIGHT
from LEFT and LEFT from RIGHT by static IP. See if you can login to LEFT
from RIGHT with Remote Desktop using the static IP for LEFT.

Can do - this PM though. Remember however, right now I can use My
Network Places in Windows Explorer to access, change, delete folder
and files from LEFT to RIGHT and from RIGHT to LEFT. I can also Ping
using static IPs both ways even now.

 

[Jethro]

I forgot to add you need to make sure you enable Remote Desktop after the
clean install.

Good point!

Jethro

 

[Sooner Al [MVP]]

Not that I know of. When I try Remote Connect from RIGHT, it asks me
for login/password. Then fails.


I looked at this - it is beyond my current comprehension. I don't
think it is user-intuitive. At least not Jethro-intuitive.

Thanks for your help though. I remain stuck - glad I was just trying
to learn how to do all this in case of future need. There is always
PCANYWHERE I guess.

Jethro

The auto login is happening on RIGHT is that not correct, ie. you can
connect from LEFT to RIGHT using Remote Desktop but you never get prompted
for user ID or password? If that is the case inspect the group policy
setting on RIGHT.

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Jethro]

The auto login is happening on RIGHT is that not correct, ie. you can
connect from LEFT to RIGHT using Remote Desktop but you never get prompted
for user ID or password? If that is the case inspect the group policy
setting on RIGHT.

Hi

I'm back!

That was true before, using the old hard drive, but now that I have
created this new hard drive with the 'virgin' (as I call it) copy of
XP PRO SP2, I get prompted for ID and password properly - both ways.
After which, going RIGHT to LEFT, it fails.

Jethro

 

[Sooner Al [MVP]]

Hi

I'm back!

That was true before, using the old hard drive, but now that I have
created this new hard drive with the 'virgin' (as I call it) copy of
XP PRO SP2, I get prompted for ID and password properly - both ways.
After which, going RIGHT to LEFT, it fails.

Jethro

So to summarize...

*******************
RIGHT...

When logging into RIGHT from LEFT using Remote Desktop you now get prompted
for a user ID and password. You can subsequently login successfully with
Remote Desktop and remotely access/control RIGHT from LEFT.

*******************
LEFT...

When logging into LEFT from RIGHT using Remote Desktop you now get prompted
for a user ID and password. You get an error message when you provide the
user ID and password and can not remotely access/control LEFT from RIGHT.

If that is correct are you logging into LEFT as an administrator? If not did
you add the limited user to the Remote Desktop Users Group?

*******************

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Jethro]

So to summarize...

*******************
RIGHT...

When logging into RIGHT from LEFT using Remote Desktop you now get prompted
for a user ID and password. You can subsequently login successfully with
Remote Desktop and remotely access/control RIGHT from LEFT.

That's right.

*******************
LEFT...

When logging into LEFT from RIGHT using Remote Desktop you now get prompted
for a user ID and password. You get an error message when you provide the
user ID and password and can not remotely access/control LEFT from RIGHT.

That's right. I cannot remotely access/control LEFT from RIGHT,

If that is correct are you logging into LEFT as an administrator? If not did
you add the limited user to the Remote Desktop Users Group?

I only have one user on each machine - called jethro1 - with same
password. Both machines show jethro1 as a 'password-protected
computer administrator'. Naturally, when I try to remotely connect, I
login (or try to) as jethro1 with proper password.

On RIGHT machine, jethro1 is listed as being in the 'Remote Desktop
Users' window, and it says additionally that 'jethro1 already has
access to this computer'. On LEFT machine, jethro1 is not listed as
being in the 'Remote Desktop Users' window (no one is), but it says
additionally that 'jethro1 already has access to this computer'.
To make two machines agree, I added jethro1 as a user in the 'Remote
Desktop Users' window.

Guess what? Now Remote Connect works just fine - both ways. As far
as I can see, the only change I have made is the adding of jethro1 to
the 'Remote Desktop Users' window. Since Jethro1 was said to already
allowed access, this doesn't seem right. But there it is. I'll go
check yesterday's LEFT hard drive to see what it shows in this area
and see if I can make it work now. Thanks

Jethro

 

[Jethro]

That's right.



That's right. I cannot remotely access/control LEFT from RIGHT,


I only have one user on each machine - called jethro1 - with same
password. Both machines show jethro1 as a 'password-protected
computer administrator'. Naturally, when I try to remotely connect, I
login (or try to) as jethro1 with proper password.

On RIGHT machine, jethro1 is listed as being in the 'Remote Desktop
Users' window, and it says additionally that 'jethro1 already has
access to this computer'. On LEFT machine, jethro1 is not listed as
being in the 'Remote Desktop Users' window (no one is), but it says
additionally that 'jethro1 already has access to this computer'.
To make two machines agree, I added jethro1 as a user in the 'Remote
Desktop Users' window.

Guess what? Now Remote Connect works just fine - both ways. As far
as I can see, the only change I have made is the adding of jethro1 to
the 'Remote Desktop Users' window. Since Jethro1 was said to already
allowed access, this doesn't seem right. But there it is. I'll go
check yesterday's LEFT hard drive to see what it shows in this area
and see if I can make it work now. Thanks

Jethro

Awwww crap! I still have same problem when I use yesterday's hard
drive. I checked that its 'Remote Desktop Users' window is same as I
described earlier (above), and it is. Since my test hard drive works
now, this leaves me thinking that LEFT machine's hard drive has
something on it that is mucking things up. I remembered that the
Remote Desktop Connect version was not v6 on LEFT machine, which it
was on RIGHT machine, so I downloaded the upgrade from MS again, and
installed it. Same failure. I even tried switching users to the
temporary users on both machines (I called them TEST), and still could
not connect RIGHT to LEFT.

One day I will find out the cause. I've had it, as I am sure you have
also.

Thanks for helps.

Jethro

 

[Sooner Al [MVP]]

Awwww crap! I still have same problem when I use yesterday's hard
drive. I checked that its 'Remote Desktop Users' window is same as I
described earlier (above), and it is. Since my test hard drive works
now, this leaves me thinking that LEFT machine's hard drive has
something on it that is mucking things up. I remembered that the
Remote Desktop Connect version was not v6 on LEFT machine, which it
was on RIGHT machine, so I downloaded the upgrade from MS again, and
installed it. Same failure. I even tried switching users to the
temporary users on both machines (I called them TEST), and still could
not connect RIGHT to LEFT.

One day I will find out the cause. I've had it, as I am sure you have
also.

Thanks for helps.

Jethro

Thanks for the update.

Sorry I could not help more...

Good luck...

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375