licensing protocol question-I'm at the end of my rope

[Thomas Scheff]

I'm running remote desktop on Windows XP which ran fine for awhile.
Now I get this error.
"The remote computer disconnected the session because of an error in
the licensing protocol. Please try connecting to the remote computer
again or contact your server administrator."

The Microsoft knowledge base had this to say

"Cause: The licensing protocol handles the communication of licensing
information between your computer and the remote computer. If there is
an error in the licensing protocol, your computer cannot be connected
to the remote computer.

Solution: Try connecting to the remote computer again. If you
continue to receive this error message, contact the server
administrator"



I'm the server admin, and I can't figure this out. Please help! Where
do I check to see if my license has expired? It's such a strange
problem because I can connect to other servers in the domain, just not
terminal servers.

Please help

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

What OS is the Terminal Server running? W2K or 2003?
Do you have a TS Licensing Server installed and activated?
If not, that's the cause of the problem.
If yes, have you verified that the TS can locate the LS?
If yes, have you checked the status of your TS CALs in the TS
Licensing Manager?
Which EventIDs do you see on the TS?
If the TS runs 2003, did you purchase and install TS CALs on the
LS?

Windows 2000 Terminal Services Licensing FAQ
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/howtobuy/pricing/tsfaq
..asp

Windows Server 2003 Pricing and Licensing FAQ
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/pric
licfaq.mspx

 

[Thomas Scheff]

It's WIN 2000
We have TS Licensing installed and activated. The other admins and
users can connect to this box, for some reaon I can't.
What do I look for in the event log, the application log, system log
or secirity log?

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

In the system log, I was wondering if you see an EventID 1010
("cannot locate licensing server") there.

I would check the TS Licensing Manager, it's possible that the
other users are stil running on temporary licenses, and that you
are simply the first one with an expired temporary license. You
are running XP Pro, aren't you, not XP Home Edition?
If you find in LS Manager that all other workstation have received
a permanent license, then your problem seems to be associated with
only your workstation. If that is the case, I would delete the
license from your workstation, thereby forcing it to grab a new
one.

187614 - Removing Terminal Server Licenses from an RDP Client
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=187614

Check this article as well. Although the error message mentioned
is slightly different, it has been reported to fix this type of
problem.
323597 - Windows XP Clients Cannot Connect to a Windows 2000
Terminal Services Server
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=323597

 

[Thomas Scheff]

Vera, I can't thank you enough. I deleted the registry, the entire
thing. I tried deleting the key, but couldn't, but when I deleted the
whole thing it worked.

Thanks again. I'll be sure to give this information to anyone else if
I see them asking. Share the wealth I always say.
Thomas

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Glad that your problem is solved, Thomas!
I wouldn't recommend to anyone to "delete the registry, the entire
thing" to solve problems, though! I'm not sure what exactly you
deleted, but deleting more than the specific keys could render
your machine unbootable.

--
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
--- please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ---

 

[Thomas Scheff]

What's happeing is I can't delete the key from the registry, but if I
delete the MSLisencing, I guess it's a file, then I can connect. This
only solves the problem temporarily, when I close out, the key is
back, and I have to delete the file again.

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

OK, that means that you are receiving a temporary license on your
first connection, but the issueing of the permanent license (which
always happens on the second connection) fails.

To find out the reason for this, can you anser these questions:
* Do you get an EventID 1010 in the system log on the TS?
* In TS Licensing Manager, can you verify that the other clients
(that can connect) have received a permanent TS CAL?
* Are you running XP Pro or XP Home Edition on the client that
can't connect?
* If XP Home, have you verified that there is a free TS CAL
available in TS Licensing Manager?
* If XP Pro (which should get an "Existing Windows 2000 TS CAL"),
is this client located on the same LAN as the other clients and
the Licensing Server, or are you connecting through a WAN?
* If XP Pro, have you tried the solution from this KB article:

323597 - Windows XP Clients Cannot Connect to a Windows 2000
Terminal Services Server
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=323597

--
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
--- please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ---

 

[Thomas Scheff]

OK, that means that you are receiving a temporary license on your
first connection, but the issueing of the permanent license (which
always happens on the second connection) fails.

To find out the reason for this, can you anser these questions:
* Do you get an EventID 1010 in the system log on the TS?
* In TS Licensing Manager, can you verify that the other clients
(that can connect) have received a permanent TS CAL?
* Are you running XP Pro or XP Home Edition on the client that
can't connect?
* If XP Home, have you verified that there is a free TS CAL
available in TS Licensing Manager?
* If XP Pro (which should get an "Existing Windows 2000 TS CAL"),
is this client located on the same LAN as the other clients and
the Licensing Server, or are you connecting through a WAN?
* If XP Pro, have you tried the solution from this KB article:

323597 - Windows XP Clients Cannot Connect to a Windows 2000
Terminal Services Server
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=323597

1. I do not see event ID 1010, only 1004
I looked in the TS Licensing (start-programs-admin tools-licensing) on
the box I am trying to connect to and I see the following under
products view
per seat purchased--0
per seat allocated--186
per server allocated--3099
per server reached---123

On the box I can connect to I see this,
per seat purchased--0
per seat allocated--55
per server allocated--55
per server reached---24.
I'm running XP Pro, it's on a LAN, but the devices are not on the LAN,
but the WAN.

How do I verify there is a free TS CAL?

I'll check that articke next.
Thanks

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Thomas,
what you have been looking at are the normal *server CALs*, not
the TS CALs!
You have to check Start - Programs - Admin Tools - Terminal
Services Licensing.

--
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
--- please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ---

 

[Thomas Scheff]

Right, I was in there I saw "existing windows 2000 licenses" and my
computer is in there with no expiration date

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Then applying KB 323597 would be my next step.

--
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
--- please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ---

 

[Thomas Scheff]

Thanks for the info. At the present time I cannot restart the terminal
servers, but when I get a chance I will try this.
Thomas