Is it possible to assign terminal service client in a GPO?*Update*YES

[ivwshane]

I'm tired of creating terminal services client disks and installing it on my machine everytime I reformat. Is there a way I could publish it in a GPO? And I need terminal services in administrator mode not application mode.


Thanks!

 

[1KrazyFool]

I'm not sure about the GPO, but you can pull the software off of X:\WINNT\system32\clients\tsclient\win32\disks\disk1.

ie: start->run-> \\server\admin$\system32\clients\tsclient\win32\disks\disk1\

 

[Tallgeese]

As for installing TS Client, I usually publish a share of the disks. Works like a charm.
HANDY TIP: If you create connection definitions and put them in the "disk" directories, all the connections will be pre-installed when the client is installed.

Term Services mode (either App or Admin) is set at the server.

One way to change the mode:
* Start->Settings->Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs
* Click Add/Remove Windows Components
* Click Components
* Click Next (Terminal Services should be checked)
* Choose whatever mode you want for Terminal Services
* Finish all the remaining dialog boxes

HTH

 

[ivwshane]

Thanks for the help. TallGeese what do you mean "create connection definitions"?



Can I run the setup from with in the disks\disk1 share? When I tried it I get an error stating it can't find setup.exe or one of it's components (I have the disks folder shared and the appropriate permissions on). However if I copy it to the system then all is good, not really a big deal but I would just like to know why it does what it does.

 

[Tallgeese]

I've seen that error once before...make sure you got ALL the files (there are some hidden files on the disks). There was something else to check too. If I think of it, I'll post it.

Terminal Services comes with a component called "Client Connection Manager." It's the primary interface for setting up "connections" to different Terminal Servers.
It actually creates files that end with ".cns" that are simply descriptions of the connections.

CCM has import/export functionality, and that is what most people use to deploy connections using .cns files. However, I round that if I copied all the applications I wanted installed for a particular user to the setup disks/share, when I installed the Terminal Services Client, those connections automagically appeared.

Hadn't seen it documented anywhere else, but hadn't been looking either.

ANOTHER TIP: No matter how you deploy connections, be careful when you export if deploying to many users. If you create a connection, connect to the resource with a particular username (example: TESTER), then export the .cns for deployment, ALL users who import that .cns file will see that first username (TESTER) appear EVERY time in the "Username:" flied of the TS login when the making the connection. They can always clear it an type their own name, but brace for a deluge of helpdesk calls if such a deployment occurs.

 

[Tallgeese]

Make sure you setup your tsclnt share like so:

tsclnt (or whatever) <- share point
|_Disk1
|_Disk2

Make sure you copy ALL the contents of each disk to the proper folder.
The users must also have "write" permission on the share

If you still get an error, map a drive letter to your share point, then use the drive letter to access the Setup program.

HTH

 

[ivwshane]

Thanks I figured out what it was, I had to share at a higher level. I guess it needed some files outside of the disks folder. Now let me see if I understand you correctly regarding ts and application mode;
Say I wanted MS word for a user, then I would just install it to the share where the ts client setup is? And everything would be automatically configured? I haven't played with ts in application mode because I don't know if I can just run it with out purchasing any additional license's. This is only for me and for practice, meaning I have no job yet I'm currently just working toward my MCSE/MCDBA. While I'm sure I could just pass the test I don't just want to be a paper MCSE (sorry about the rant).


Thanks for your help.


Have you seen my other topic? here

 

[Tallgeese]

Are you talking about a user running MS Word on a server within a Terminal Session, or trying to install Word on the locally (like what you can do with policy objects)?

 

[ivwshane]

Word was probably a bad example since you can easily publish/assign. I'm trying to understand what you said, my understanding was that you ment install it on the ts so it can be used in ts application mode.

 

[Tallgeese]

OK...although I'm still not sure you're there

Application mode simply means that you can serve connections (applications usually) to any and all users that you designate.
Admin mode means that only administrators can access a terminal shell or applications.

Remember: A connection can be defined to either let the user go to a desktop shell on the server, or go straight into an application.

I've seen some items (certain advanced function printer drivers and network fax client drivers) that would NOT work unless the user had a complete desktop shell.

 

[ivwshane]

Well right now I currently use ts in administration mode because I don't have any monitors or keyboards hooked up to them. But I would like to eventualy try out application mode for at least one connection whether that's for a whole shell or just a specified program doesn't really matter at this point. I'll most likely try with only a couple of applications only (no desktop), so I'm assuming that's what your tip was referring to.

 

[Tallgeese]

my tip refers to ANY connection, whether it goes to an application only, or a desktop shell.

 

[ivwshane]

Well after doing some playing around I have found out a way to apply TS client in a GPO without having to pay for any additional software. What I did was use the free software that comes with win2k server in the valueadd section of the cd (I was reminded of this by another board member) it's called wininstall LE. Using that program I was able to create an .MSI file from which I was able to publish TS!



Thanks for everyone's input! I hope that this might be of some use.