Will wrote:
> When using the RDP client in Windows XP SP2, connecting to the
> machine you already are logged into appears to fail with a
> message that there is already
> a console session and you cannot open a second console window.
> Is there any way to work around this?
>
> With Windows 2000, it is an extremely useful thing to be able to
> login to the same machine from your console login. I typically
> login as a simply "user" with minimal permissions and then open
> up a second console window through Terminal Services and login as
> administrator. If I have some administrative chore on the
> system it is extremely convenient to be able to
> switch over to the other console session and do the work as
> administrator. I can't believe they would take a step backwards
> and forbid that practice in
> Windows XP?
>
> I'm aware of the Run As feature, but it is extremely cumbersome
> to have to type a long password on each command.
>
> By the way, does Microsoft have a newsgroup dedicated to
> discussion of RDP issues and terminal services? I saw such
> groups for WindowsNT only.
Richard G. Harper wrote:
> Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003 allow up to three
> sessions at once for remote and local access. Windows XP, not
> being a server operating system, allows only one.
Will wrote:
> That's fine, I only need one. I have no other RDP session to
> the Windows XP. I'm simply trying to connect from the Windows XP
> box to itself using RDP. They can't be counting the current
> login to the console as an instance of an RDP session?!
>
> How do I get the terminal services management applications open to
> see what RDP sessions Windows XP thinks are there?
Shenan Stanley wrote:
> I believe you misunderstood.
>
> First - when you say "Windows 2000" in your original post - you
> must have meant "Windows 2000 Server" - correct?
>
> Second - when Richard said that Windows 2000/2003 allows up to
> three sessions at once - he meant "at once".. One local, two
> remote... That's your possible combination.
>
> Last - when Richard said Windows XP allows only one - he meant
> only one session (period) - local or remote - not one of each.
>
> Is there a way around that? Sure - you can look for the hack to
> allow multiple terminal service connections to Windows XP that
> requires the replacement of a dll from a beta version of Service
> Pack 2 out on the web - but it is definitely not supported by Microsoft.
Will wrote:
> Microsoft should allow one console and one remote for Windows XP,
> specifically to support an administrator session concurrent with a
> user session, which has many many possible applications, including
> remote administration of the machine while it is in use, and
> application installation by the user using a separate console
> session. Neither of those things has anything to do with being a
> server or a workstation.
>
> What is the DLL that needs to be replaced to fix this problem? I
> hate to be using Beta code of course, but it renders the OS of much
> lower value to me if I cannot administer things in a console
> environment while I am logged in to the console as a simple user.
> It's a very bizarre thing Microsoft has done here.
>
> And yes, Windows 2000=Windows 2000 Server.
You should not expect a Server Operating system and a Workstation operating
System to have the same feature sets.
You first stated:
"I can't believe they would take a step backwards (from Windows 2000) and
forbid that practice in Windows XP?"
... but you left out that you meant "Windows 2000 Server".
Windows XP Professional (an upgrade from Windows 2000 Professional
workstation) allows Remote Desktop where Windows 2000 Professional
(workstation) does not even have that capability. Only the server version
of Windows 2000 had Terminal Services. You were comparing Apples and
Oranges in the first place. (Server vs. workstation OS.)
If you want the same functionality you had in your previous OS - stay within
the same family of products. If you ran a server OS before - you should
upgrade to its next level (Windows 2003) in order to maintain an
enhanced/improved feature set from that family of OSes (server) instead of
jumping down to the less-feature rich workstation family.
Having said that - I gave you all you needed to find the hacked DLL from the
beta version of SP2.. A Google search for Multiple Remote Desktop Sessions
in Windows XP should get you what you need to make it work in Windows XP
(albeit unsupported.) However - I think you are doing yourself a disservice
by not sticking with the family of products you locked yourself into
originally.
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html