Windows 7 RDP, how to make it go straight to the session?

[Red Squirrel]

I have a system at work that runs a web server in a VM. It's setup to auto start the VM when the account logs in, so we just leave it logged in all the time. The do global forced reboots all the time to all the machines here so it has to be reset a lot. To do this we RDP to the machine and login as the generic user and then let it go, and X out of the RDP session.

But for some reason, after the last force reboot, it no longer works thsi way. When you RDP to the machine you get a list of users. The actual user, and then "other". if you click the user and prompts for user/pass again (you already entered it to RDP to the machine) but it won't accept it, ever. End up having to click "other" then type the domain + user and login that way. So essentially have to go through a whole bunch of hoops just to get to the session.

Is there a way to fix it so that when you RDP to the machine it actually opens the session right away?

 

[mikeymikec]

With the terminal services client you can specify your user/pass before you connect. I don't know how securely the client stores it though.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah I am specifying it, but instead of landing right into the session I land into what you'd see if you were in front of the terminal where you have to pick your user. So I end up having to login twice. The 2nd time also does not work if I pick my user from the list, I have to specify other than type the full username including the domain.

 

[mikeymikec]

Anything interesting in the event logs (I think I would spend most of my attention on the security log in this case)?

Yeah I am specifying it, but instead of landing right into the session I land into what you'd see if you were in front of the terminal where you have to pick your user. So I end up having to login twice.

This sounds like a configuration issue (possibly brought on by an update?) server-side to me.

The 2nd time also does not work if I pick my user from the list, I have to specify other than type the full username including the domain.

This sounds like something else; it reminds me of a problem I sometimes see on my Server 2008 (R1) box in that I click on the user to log in with, type in my password, then it dumps me back at the login screen without any message as if nothing had happened.

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Side note - you mentioned both VM and RDP in the OP. Sure, the VM client OS could have an RDP server running to allow clients to connect to it, but is this what you mean?

I'll keep an eye on this thread as my terminal service knowledge is not that deep and diverse.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah the VM is linux so I am RDPing to the host. But if it matters, the VM is running in VirtualBox, and it's setup as a NAT. Ex: I connect to the machine's IP to connect to the HTTP or SSH server that is hosted by the VM. Wonder if that is doing anything weird with the RDP port? I don't think so though, as I had to specify each port in the Vbox NAT otherwise there is no forward.

 

[mikeymikec]

I'd be curious to know what happens from a Windows client (ie. I wonder if this is MS yet again doing childish things when you don't do things "their way"). My server box is working as expected with the RDP client, though I haven't yet installed this month's slew of updates.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Oh sorry, yeah I'm RDPing from a windows 7 client. RDPing to the host, which happens to have a Linux VM. But I'm not connecting to/from that VM.

I don't have physical access to try that way if that's what you meant. Well I do but it's high up with no mouse,keyboard or monitor so worse case scenario I can try to lug a monitor and keyboard up there.

 

[mikeymikec]

Oh sorry, yeah I'm RDPing from a windows 7 client. RDPing to the host, which happens to have a Linux VM. But I'm not connecting to/from that VM.

I don't have physical access to try that way if that's what you meant. Well I do but it's high up with no mouse,keyboard or monitor so worse case scenario I can try to lug a monitor and keyboard up there.

lol. I'm just going to let someone else field your overall question; anything tech related seems to hate me this weekend.

 

[sm625]

I dont know about windows RDP, but I know with TightVNC you can connect to a computer with a single click, via a command line shortcut:

"C:\Program Files\TightVNC\tvnviewer.exe" -host=%TARGET(1.2.3.4)% -password=YOURPASSWORDHERE

 

[Dahak]

Edit.... I miss read the OP, is sounds like you need to change the creditials on the RPD client to the same ones as you use the 2nd time when logging into the host. Once done it should go all the way.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Edit.... I miss read the OP, is sounds like you need to change the creditials on the RPD client to the same ones as you use the 2nd time when logging into the host. Once done it should go all the way.

Yeah I realized I have to enter the domain as part of the username. I still need to login twice for some reason though but at least I don't have to enter the username again just the password, but I wonder if something odd is hung up. Maybe next reboot will fix it. It's almost acting as if there is more than one active session.