Terminal Server Remote Administration instead of Remote Desktop

[Lucvdv]

Terminal server, if installed on XPe, works in remote desktop mode - i.e.
it 'moves' the desktop from the XPe system to the client when connecting.

I suppose there's no way to change that to the "remote administration" mode
of Terminal Server on Win2000 Server, where you get a 2nd, separate
desktop?


Several years ago, I created a system that controls a number of devices
over an RS485 bus. The control application was running as shell with
auto-logon to a password-less account. It would have been a perfect target
for an embedded platform, except for the low number of systems that were
created.

Initially it ran on NT4 Workstation, but when Win2000 came out I switched
to Win2000 Server just to get the TS remote admin functionality.

Now I'm considering to move to XPe for the next generation, but it looks
like I'll lose the remote administration.


A related question: I created a first test setup on the new hardware with
nearly all of XP Pro in it (target size almost 800 MB).
Booting up and logging on goes blazingly fast, but when I connect to it
with an RDP client, it takes a _long_ time, after the connection has been
established, before the password prompt appears. Could this be due to a
missing component or a setting that has to be changed, or is it 'normal'
for XP remote desktop?


A third question, about licensing: I've got a PID for a "gaming
application". Is it necessary to request a new PID for each type of
device, or can I use the same PID for different targets?

 

[KM]

Lucvdv,

Terminal server, if installed on XPe, works in remote desktop mode - i.e.
it 'moves' the desktop from the XPe system to the client when connecting.

I suppose there's no way to change that to the "remote administration" mode
of Terminal Server on Win2000 Server, where you get a 2nd, separate
desktop?

IIRC, the remote administration mode is used to connect to curently active Desktop.
Or are you refering to connecting to the device with non-active user account? Then, of course, a separate Desktop is created for
that user logon session.

Anyway, the remote administration is not supported on XP and XPe. However, there is Remote Assistance feature where you can share
your Desktop with other user(s) over RDP. Although you can do pretty much anything on the shared Desktop it is still not the Remote
Administration.
There are also a bunch of 3rd party tools available on the market to do the real Remote Admin on XP. Some of them (RAdmin, VNC) are
easy to componentize for XPe and may require much less dependencies than, say, Terminal Services.

Several years ago, I created a system that controls a number of devices
over an RS485 bus. The control application was running as shell with
auto-logon to a password-less account. It would have been a perfect target
for an embedded platform, except for the low number of systems that were created.

Similar was there from Microsoft for NTe (Remote over serial). It is gone and was not included in XPe.

Initially it ran on NT4 Workstation, but when Win2000 came out I switched
to Win2000 Server just to get the TS remote admin functionality.

Now I'm considering to move to XPe for the next generation, but it looks
like I'll lose the remote administration.

The basic rule is anything you can do on XP Pro, you can implement on XPe.
Although TS on XP is much "weaker"Administrator than on 2003 Server. (I don't think you can even compare those).

A related question: I created a first test setup on the new hardware with
nearly all of XP Pro in it (target size almost 800 MB).
Booting up and logging on goes blazingly fast, but when I connect to it
with an RDP client, it takes a _long_ time, after the connection has been
established, before the password prompt appears. Could this be due to a
missing component or a setting that has to be changed, or is it 'normal'
for XP remote desktop?

Depends on what you mean by "long time". Can you elaborate?
Also, test the hardware with:
- XP Pro
- XP Pro Emulation (www.xpefiles.com)

If the feature works acceptable for you there, you can make it working the same or faster with your own XPe image.

A third question, about licensing: I've got a PID for a "gaming
application". Is it necessary to request a new PID for each type of
device, or can I use the same PID for different targets?

This is very old question. You can use one PIDs on all the devices that are covered by the purchased license.

KM

 

[Lucvdv]

Lucvdv,


IIRC, the remote administration mode is used to connect to curently active Desktop.

In Win2000, remote administration is a full Terminal Server session,
completely independent of the machine's local desktop.

What I want is to be able to log on remotely for some maintenance work
while someone else is using the machine locally, without the two of us
having to share a common desktop or the local user losing access to it.

That's why I'm using W2k Server on the current system, instead of Pro.

Depends on what you mean by "long time". Can you elaborate?

The RDP client connects, but there's an empty blue window for about half a
minute before the logon prompt appears.

In the mean time I found out that it happens only the first time a
connection is established. When I disconnect and re-connect, the logon
prompt appears immediately.

It doesn't matter if there is or has been a console logon before, the first
RDP logon always takes much longer than a console logon or later RDP logon.

Also, test the hardware with:
- XP Pro
- XP Pro Emulation (www.xpefiles.com)

If the feature works acceptable for you there, you can make it working the same or faster with your own XPe image.


This is very old question. You can use one PIDs on all the devices that are covered by the purchased license.

I asked because there's a description of the device in the PID request. So
even if it says it's for a "gaming application", I can use the same PID for
any type of device we might build in the future (let's say a network
storage device and a set-top box), as long as the XPe license permits that
kind of device?

 

[KM]

Lucvdv,

In Win2000, remote administration is a full Terminal Server session,
completely independent of the machine's local desktop.

Sorry, I grabbed the Remote Admin term from another product. I see your point now.

What I want is to be able to log on remotely for some maintenance work
while someone else is using the machine locally, without the two of us
having to share a common desktop or the local user losing access to it.

Sounds like a Telnet server unless you want a GUI like administration session.
Anyway, XP Pro and XPe do not suport what you are asking for.

That's why I'm using W2k Server on the current system, instead of Pro.

Understood. That is the exact reason why you cannot use XPe for the same purpose.
You basically ask for a server functionality (two or more users working the same time on the same machine locally and/or remotely).

The RDP client connects, but there's an empty blue window for about half a
minute before the logon prompt appears.

In the mean time I found out that it happens only the first time a
connection is established. When I disconnect and re-connect, the logon
prompt appears immediately.

It doesn't matter if there is or has been a console logon before, the first
RDP logon always takes much longer than a console logon or later RDP logon.

Did you check Event Log viewer? Sometimes you can see evetns coming from TS if something wrong is happening during logon.
Also, it you turn on auditing on the image (assuming the related functionality was included in the image) it may give you more info.

Also, test the problem with XP Pro or XP Pro Emulation on the same hardware. At least it will give you a feeling if it is a missing
dependency issue.

I asked because there's a description of the device in the PID request. So
even if it says it's for a "gaming application", I can use the same PID for
any type of device we might build in the future (let's say a network
storage device and a set-top box), as long as the XPe license permits that
kind of device?

I understand your question now. I am not a lawyer so I can't answer it. probably MS Legal would but I never saw them here.
Personally I think that a license covers particular type of device and you'd need to purchase new licenses for new device types.