Remote Desktop question - Don't want to put PC back to logon on disconnect!?

[NeilF]

I've set up my PC to enable remote desktop, however, when I logon to it and enter in my username/password, when I disconnect it returns the machine back to it's logon screen.

I don't want it to do this, I just was to leave the machine exactly where it was, ie: at the desktop.

Is this possible?

 

[NeilF]

You can't do this with remote desktop. You can with terminal services, but not remote desktop.

Windows doesn't allow concurrent sessions (its in the EULA)

Well, thats the official line, anyway. If you want a kludge, then go here:

http://sig9.com/articles/concurrent-remote-desktop

Interesting... I'm not interested in concurrent users really... I just don't want to leave the machine at home at the logon screen (ideally).

Looks like the page you listed though will make Remote Desktop work just like VNC so someone could be on the PC at home, I could log on remotely and they would then just seenig my moving the mouse around etc etc?

 

[NeilF]

With LogMeIn you can do this however. As I found out by accident, logged off LogMeIn as I'd finished remote working on it. Then went to the system some time later and found out it was still logged in.

Personally I'd rather keep my system so it is logging out on disconnect as it's a safer practice. I always make sure on LogMeIn I log out of my system, then from LogMeIn.

InvG

I'd be happy to use logmein if it allowed me to copy files to/from the machine... Which I think the free version cannot do

 

[NeilF]

No you can't, it can be really annoying, but it's also understandable.

If you want to do something like file transfers then that's fair enough to use RDC really.

Actually, thinking about it, on my box if I am logged in, and I connect via RDC (instead of LMI) then I can disconnect and am sure I don't close the connection. But I am running S2K3, but without Terminal Services.

InvG

So you've got both LogMeIn and Remote Desktop enabled for you machine and you're happy abuot security?

If I can get the concurrent user feature enabled on RDC then surely it would do everything I need, including when I disconnect leaving the PC exactly where it is (not logging off)...

 

[NeilF]

No, I have RDC off now (I think, haven't fiddled properly on that machine for a while). RDC certainly needed to be enabled through my router, which I disabled as I have LMI and all I do on that system is management of it.

I'm not all that fussed about security on that system though, as it doesn't contain anything of importance. I will be redoing the system in a few days time as it's been down for about a week due to the router giving up the ghost and me not being able to be there to replace it.

InvG

What I'll do is use RDC thru the standard port. I only have one account on the machine which is obviously passworded. I'll set the logon to only allow 3 tries before locking the account for 5 mins...

If I can get the concurrent thing working then great, it'll work just like VNC. If not then I'll just have to live with the machine returning to logon.

The reason I want the concurrent thing is that if my GF is at home on the machine in question I really do not want to kick her off when I logon. Ideally - just lke VNC - I'd logon, see my other half doing stuff on there, and just logoff leaving her intact!

 

[NeilF]

just thought I'd say NeilFawcett your sig is too big, So I'd change it before it gets cleared if i were you.

Dude thanks for the heads up... But I've been thru enough with the somewhat daft sig rules here already. I've already had one sig removed because it had FIVE lines in it, even though it was smaller than what you're permitted with an image and a line... And then we get into if the mods can perceive more than four lines in your image or not...

Anyway, back to talking about something sensible...

 

[NeilF]

If you hit Disconnect from within RDC instead of Log Off it leaves the computer locked (i.e. still running your desktop behind it) rather than actually logging you out. Surely thats fine?

Two things:-
1) If anyone is using the PC, they kicked out the way, and you have no idea they were/are there.
2) When you leave the PC someone has to log back in, not a biggy, but impossible for the little nugget. He can't even type his name yet alone a password. This isn't a major thing, he can always just ask someone to log him in.

 

[NeilF]

Why not have two user accounts on the machine - one for you and one for her? then if you RDP into your account, it will warn you that another user is already logged on.

Alternatively, VNC over Hamachi works quite well.

But then, if say for example I've logged into check on a download, that's happening on the other account isn't it?

In effect I just want one session that you access from the machine itself or via the internet. VNC does this perfectly...

 

[NeilF]

I can connect to my W2K3 machine via rdp and then close the session (from the cross in the top right hand corner). This keeps me logged in. Handy

XP Pro doesnt