Remote Desktop: XP requires physical login on boot, 2k doesn't ?!?

[stultus]

I use remote desktop to manage multiple computers across the country. I've found that, when using remote desktop with XP, someone has to physically logon to the computer before you can login with remote desktop. This isn't necessary for Win2K.

Example: I want to reboot a 2k and an XP machine. 2K, I go start, restart. A couple minutes later I can login through remote desktop. XP, I go start, restart. When I try to connect remote desktop, it tells me the machine isn't there/isn't running remote desktop/whatever. Someone has to physically go to the machine, login, and log back out before I can remote desktop in.

Does anyone know of a way to make it so that with XP I can login immediately on boot, without requireing someone on-site to login for me?

 

[SaigonK]

The remote control in XP isnt like 2k. its just for support, not for real use.
it is a watered down version of Terminal services....

 

[stultus]

All OS wars aside, I want to use XP. Any way I can hack this to work?

 

[gaidin123]

You just use the Remote Desktop feature of WinXP Pro. You can log in to the machine before anyone physically logs in to it. Maybe you are thinking of remote assistance? Just enable it on your images by right clicking on My Computer, select the Remote tab, check Allow Users to Connect Remotely to this computer. If you are using XP Home you are out of luck as Home only has remote assistance...or use VNC, PC Anywhere, Timbuktu, but those are all slower than terminal services/RDP.

Gaidin

 

[stultus]

Originally posted by: gaidin123
You just use the Remote Desktop feature of WinXP Pro. You can log in to the machine before anyone physically logs in to it.

It won't let me until someone logs in at the machine first. Remote desktop is enabled.

 

[NogginBoink]

That's odd.

I can remote desktop to my home machine with nobody logged in to the console.

Are you sure you're using remote desktop? Or are you trying to use Remote Assistance?

Remote Desktop only works with XP Pro, not XP Home.

 

[stultus]

I can remote desktop to my home machine with nobody logged in to the console.

But had you previously ever logged in? If you turn on your machine, leave for work, go to work, can you still login? If you were EVER on your home computer since last boot, then I'm saying it works. If you've never logged on your home computer and then try to login, it doesn't.

Yes, this is WinXP Pro SP1. Yes, everything is enabled.

 

[NogginBoink]

Truly odd.

Hmmm....

Anything interesting in the event logs? This is supposed to work.

 

[stultus]

It's possible a necessary service isn't on. I didn't do this install, and I know some extraneous services were disabled. If it's supposed to work, then I'll try XP on my own install locally before jumping ship to 2K. That said I spent this afternoon cleaning up the services on my own XP machine locally and didn't see anything that looked like it'd affect this app.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: stultus
It's possible a necessary service isn't on. I didn't do this install, and I know some extraneous services were disabled. If it's supposed to work, then I'll try XP on my own install locally before jumping ship to 2K. That said I spent this afternoon cleaning up the services on my own XP machine locally and didn't see anything that looked like it'd affect this app.

It is absolutely supposed to work, I do this daily.

Bill

 

[elkinm]

Look through the group policy editor gpedit.msc and make sure you set amximum permisions and logons for remote descktop. You should also probably check the services and enable any remote descktop or networking services by default as said before and make sure that no network services are dissabled other then UPNP related ones.. On my system, I have restarted remotely and simply re-logged on a few minutes later without auto logon so XP should have no problems doing that.

 

[stultus]

Originally posted by: elkinm
Look through the group policy editor gpedit.msc and make sure you set amximum permisions and logons for remote descktop. You should also probably check the services and enable any remote descktop or networking services by default as said before and make sure that no network services are dissabled other then UPNP related ones.. On my system, I have restarted remotely and simply re-logged on a few minutes later without auto logon so XP should have no problems doing that.

Do you know specifically where these settings are? It looks quite complex, and I don't really want to lock myself out of my box for a week until someone can go log me in/reset thigns.

 

[gaidin123]

The Terminal Services Service must be running on the remote machine in order for XP's remote desktop to work.

If you are in an AD, check whatever applicable group policies under Workstation Policy->Computer Configuration->Local Policies->User Rights Assignment->Allow logon through Terminal Services. If left unconfigured, any local administrators on the machine you are trying to control should be able to RDP in to it. If any users are configured here, then I believe only they are allowed to remote control the machines.

Also in the GP editor check to see if the Terminal Services Service has been disabled there. If the techs just disabled it on your images or on a per machine basis you can re-enable it domain wide with your GP.

Gaidin

Edit: If you haven't messed with group policy before, you will definitely want to be careful. If you aren't a domain admin I'd highly recommend firing off an email to one of them. It's quite possible that there are multiple group policies defined for different users/workstations and you might accidentally be editing the wrong one. Editing the GP on whatever machine you are trying to connect to will only work until the box refreshes its domain GP and then you may be locked out once more.

 

[stultus]

Terminal Services is enabled (unchanged from Manual setting) since I have been able to connect remotely since day 1.

I'm logging in under the administrator account, so there shouldn't be group policies that apply to me. I'm the only one accessing the box, and it's not been specially configured in any way.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: stultus
Terminal Services is enabled (unchanged from Manual setting) since I have been able to connect remotely since day 1.
I'm logging in under the administrator account, so there shouldn't be group policies that apply to me. I'm the only one accessing the box, and it's not been specially configured in any way.

Any personal firewall on the box? Im thinking maybe one might be applying a default profile and then changing it once a user logs in?

Bill

 

[stultus]

No firewall software is running.

 

[ProviaFan]

This probably won't help, but check in the Services manager under Administrative Tools to make sure that "Terminal Services" is set to "Automatic." Also check in the system logs to see if there are any errors relating to Terminal Services or Remote desktop.

 

[stultus]

It was on Manual, now it's automatic. I didn't see any huge errors relating to terminal services. I'll check and see if manual->automatic fixed it next time the admin is around to help. Any other ideas?

 

[danield@racmtg.]

I know this is old but I didn;t see an answer anywhere. This is a simple explanation. If you are loging into a domain, the LOCAL administrator account of the remote computer must be set to allow remote desktop connections (found under properties of My Computer on Remote tab.)

This will allow the local administrator account of the computer to turn on the appropriate service pre log in. The services and settings associated with any domain account is not started until that account can be authenticated.

 

[Maximilian]

I know this is old but I didn;t see an answer anywhere. This is a simple explanation. If you are loging into a domain, the LOCAL administrator account of the remote computer must be set to allow remote desktop connections (found under properties of My Computer on Remote tab.)

This will allow the local administrator account of the computer to turn on the appropriate service pre log in. The services and settings associated with any domain account is not started until that account can be authenticated.

You dont say! Thats the kind of dedication anandtech has to its members, it dosent matter if it takes 10 years, we will answer your frickin question :awe:

It clicked for me when he started talking about XP SP1.

 

[cheez]

^ Ohhhhhhh... oooooooo..... good catch. Yeah go install SP3. Next!


Oh wait... I would guess that this PC had gone through all kinda updates from Microsoft such as security updates. Your computer might not work properly after installing SP3. I would suggest you don't.

Solution:

- C:\format or re-image
- Now install SP3 if the image didn't come with it.

That's the cleanest way.


cheez