Remote desktop

[Rosivaldo Fernandes Alves]

Why does Windows XP Professional allow only one connection via Remote
Desktop by time when it is a member of a domain? Why there is not such a
constraint when it is a group member?

Thanks,

Rosivaldo.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Windows XP Pro only allows one active logon connection, either via console,
or Remote Desktop, regardless of whether its part of a domain or workgroup.

 

[Rosivaldo Fernandes Alves]

Dear Doug,

The Help and Support Center says different (my system is in Portuguese, but
I've put an amateur translation after this):

Visão geral sobre a Área de trabalho remota: "(...) A Área de trabalho
remota também permite que mais de um usuário tenha sessões ativas em um
único computador. Isso significa que vários usuários podem deixar seus
aplicativos em execução e manter o estado de suas sessões do Windows, mesmo
enquanto outras pessoas estiverem conectadas.
Com o recurso Troca rápida de usuário, você pode trocar rapidamente de
usuários no mesmo computador. (...) A Troca rápida de usuário funciona em
computadores autônomos e em computadores que sejam membros de grupos de
trabalho.
A Área de trabalho remota permite várias situações, incluindo: (...)
- Compartilhar um console - Permitir que vários usuários mantenham
sessões de programa e configuração separadas em um único computador, (...)."

Remote Desktop Overview: "(...) Remote desktop also allows more than one
user having active sessions in a single computer. It means that several
users may keep their applications running and the state of their Windows
sessions, even while other people are connected.
With the Quick user change, you can change quickly the users in the same
computer. (...) The Quick user change works in autonomous computers and in
computers that are workgroup members.
Remote Desktop allows several situations, including: (...)
- Sharing a console - Letting several users keep separate program and
configuration sessions in a single computer, (...)."

Am I understanding something wrong?

By the way, forgive my poor English and the even poorer translation.

Best regards,

Rosivaldo.


"Remote Desktop

Windows XP Pro only allows one active logon connection, either via console,
or Remote Desktop, regardless of whether its part of a domain or

workgroup.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

It could be a Help documentation issue, something lost in Microsoft's
translation (by the way, I've installed the Brazilian Portuguese version to
troubleshoot a problem before <G>)

The feature they are referring to is Fast User Switching. This is what
allows mutliple users to be logged in to the computer, but only one account
is "active" at a time. Most programs will run in the background on the
"inactive" user account, but not all. A User logging in via Remote Desktop
is treated just like a user logging in at the keyboard. They become the
"active" user, and any other user that is logged on gets switched to the
background. And XP Pro will only allow for one Remote Desktop user to be
"actively" connected at any one time.

 

[Rosivaldo Fernandes Alves]

Dear Doug,

So does it mean that, with Windows XP, there no way of having a true
multi-user environment, like Unix?

Rosivaldo.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Correct. If you need concurrent sessions, you'll have to go to Windows
Server 2003 and Terminal Services.