Server not responding? But it is

[Steve]

I have a client who is getting a message that there are no logons available
at the terminal server or the terminal server is not responding. I am sure
it is a client side issue but can't find anything wrong. It is a WIndows NT
SP6a Workstation client.

I am sure it is a client issue becuase I have two independat terminal
servers. One runs Windows 2000 and is currently and actively servering 15
other users. All these users are in the same network and same domain but
this 16th user cannot cannot. I have a Windows 2003 terminal server I just
finished setting up and this problem workstation cannot connect to it as a
sole user either. All other users have no issues regardless of the TS. The
user of the problem workstation can login from other workstations - plus
this error message comes up before he is every asked to login anyway. The
problem client is seen in network neighborhood, can be pinged, can ping
everything else including the terminal server.

I have tried updating it to the latest RD client but same issue. This
problem client has worked previously. I am told there were no other changes
to the machine done between when it did and did not work. Visually and
scanning for software indicates that is at least nothing obvious.

What would prevent a nt4 workstation from connecting?

 

[Cláudio Rodrigues]

Delete the MSLicensing registry key on that PC and try again.

--
Cláudio Rodrigues, MVP
Windows 2000/NT Server
Terminal Services

http://www.terminal-services.NET

-> The only Terminal Services Client for DOS.
-> The only customized RDP5.1 client with the close button disabled!
-> Developers of SecureRDP, the BEST security utility for TS!

Do NOT email me directly UNLESS YOU KNOW ME or you are a Microsoft
MVP/Employee.
Use my support page on my website to submit your questions directly.

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Is there anything in the EventLog on the TS?
Have you verified that this is not a licensing issue?

 

[Steve]

nothing in the event log. the client can ping the license server and the
license server can ping the client. License manger shows I still have about
10 free licesnes and that is pretty accurate. one suggestionn was to delete
the license reg entry on the client.


but someone suggested deleting the licensing reg key.

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

The client *never* has any direct contact with the LS (all
licensing traffic goes through the TS), so it doesn't mean much
that the client can ping the LS.
I'm still thinking this is a licensing issue, and noticed that
Cláudio thought so too. But then there must be an Event about it,
on the Terminal Server, that is.
By all means, delete the licensing key, that probably solves the
issue, but check the EventLog as well, because it might be a good
idea to verify *exactly* what the problem is, to prevent it from
happening with another client as well.

 

[Steve]

Thanks for the info. I am going to try to reconnect with the workstation and
review the event log again. During the several attempts last week we did
monitor the event log and there were no entries at all the occurred when
that user tried to connect but could not.

What license key should be deleted if I still get no events? A reg key on
the client?

thanks

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Yes, the license is stored in the registry of the client. See:

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

--
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
--- please respond in newsgroup ---

 

[Steve]

Thanks for the info. I tried reconnecting the client several times this
morning and still received the same error. I revewed the event logs on TSE1,
TSE2, and the client and there was not a single event in any of the event
logs that occurred.

I followed the instructions in the KB article to delete the licensing
entries and then the client was able to connect properly.

Is there anywhere else one can look other than the event log? I'm a bit
concerned the problem could recur as due to the lack of event log entries
there was not much I could see.

thanks for all the help! at least with the regkey edit I have the client
back in operation.

 

[Steve]

As suspected, I tried to connect with the client and had the same connection
problem. I reveiwed the event logs on the terminal server and on the client
and neither evet log has logged any event.

So, I went ahead with the removal of the terminal server license using
regedit on the client. I was then successfully able to connect several times
throughout the rest of the day.

Today, kind of as suspected, the same client has the same connection problem
and cannot connect. There are still no items logged in the even log of
either the server or the client. This issue is consistant with a Windows
2000 terminal server and a Windows 2003 terminal server. The client cannot
connect to either and none of them have anything in the event log. This
client had been functioning without issue for about a year. There are also
25 other clients at the same location that are functioning without an issue
right now.

Any other ideas how to track this down and implement a permanent solution?
There's just nothing to go on from the event logs.

thanks for the help!

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

It's weird that the EventLog doesn't show anything...

I should have asked this earlier, but have you verified that you
have unused licenses available?
What do you see in the TS Licensing Manager? I suppose that the
client receives a temporary license the first time after you have
deleted the Licensing key from the registry? How does it look
after the second connection (when it is supposed to get a
permanent license)?

Have you tried to logon to the client as administrator or with a
normal user account? If the user doesn't have write permission to
the Licensing key in the registry, it can't store the permanent
license.

Could you post the output from the Licensing Reporter Tool?
317592 - HOW TO: Use the Terminal Services Licensing Reporter Tool
(Lsreport.exe)
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=317592

--
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
--- please respond in newsgroup ---

 

[Steve]

Yep, I had 10 available licenses in terminal server licensing. I wasn't able
to check license manager after their first reconnect, but now and prior to
the problem it showed the client was issued a permanent license. I have
tried the connection both as a regular user and as admin. At the same
location there are also many other users connecting properly to the TS. The
specific user can login to one of those machines and not have an issue.The
problem client does not even make it to the TS login. After initiating the
remote desktop connection it pauses 2-3 seconds then returns the error. This
client has been problem free with the same users for the past 10 months. No
changes made on the client side either. So, very strange indeed especially
with nothing in the event log. The client can even browse to a share on the
TS so it sure looks like all should be ok.

Thanks for the info on the license reporter. I will take a look and post the
output.

 

[Steve]

Any place I can download the lsreport tool for 2000? I can find it for 2003
but can't seem to pinpoint a download for 2000.

thanks again!

 

[Steve]

I was able to use the 2003 lsreport tool. The problem machine in question is
in there as Fuji2a1.

atached it is!

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

I'm beginning to doubt that this is a license problem after all.
To be honest, I've no idea how to continue troubleshooting this
problem. In your situation, I would probably decide that a
complete fresh installation of the client is less time consuming
than continued troubleshooting (or at least re-install the rdp
software on the client + re-apply SP6a). But it would be
unsatisfying not to know what caused this...
Are you using the latest rdp 5.2 client from
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?
FamilyID=a8255ffc-4b4a-40e7-a706-cde7e9b57e79&DisplayLang=en

--
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
--- please respond in newsgroup ---

 

[Steve]

Yep, reinstalled using the lasted RDP client already as well. I had not yet
re-applied the SP, but thats the next step. If anyone has any other ideas,
I'd certainly be open to them.