question about remote desktop connection

[hungrygoose]

is there a way to limit the files that ppl connected through RDC can see/access?.....

 

[Ichinisan]

The same way you would change permissions for local users. Make sure you don't share an administrator name/password if you don't want to give Admin access rights.

 

[hungrygoose]

problem is, i can't seem to make someone be able to connect w/a user name i give them unless i add them to the administrator group

 

[cleverhandle]

You need to explicitly give users permission to connect via RDC.

Right-click My Computer -> Properties -> Remote -> Select Remote Users

 

[hungrygoose]

ahhhh......that was the trick rite there.....thnx alot man

 

[hungrygoose]

actually that didn't work come to find out.....unless i give the user admin rights, it won't log me off and log them on.....it says only the current user or an admin can log on.....wat's the workaround?....surely i don't have to allow admin rights in order for them to take over my computer

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: hungrygoose
actually that didn't work come to find out.....unless i give the user admin rights, it won't log me off and log them on.....it says only the current user or an admin can log on.....wat's the workaround?....surely i don't have to allow admin rights in order for them to take over my computer

You must be an administrator or a member of the Remote Desktop Users group on your computer. Try adding the users to the RDU group and see if the problem is resolved.

Bill

 

[hungrygoose]

i tried that and it didn't make any difference.....have to have admin in order to log me off and log them on

 

[stephbu]

Sounds like you're connecting to a Windows XP Pro machine

By adding users to the 'Remote Desktop Users' group, or granting them 'Allow logon by Terminal Services' rights in - it will enable remote login. Sounds like you're seeing a slightly different side effect here though. Windows XP Pro is only licenced for one 'active' local or remote session. RDC has two roles, a) allow remote-administration e.g. by a domain administrator and b) mobile worker to access his desktop from home.

Sounds like the problem starts because someone is already logged-on when a remote user tries to connect. Because its a strict one-out, one-in policy, that interactive user has to be logged-off.

The only people who can log other users off are people who are members of the Administrators group, or the user themselves. Your remote users will need to possess Administrative rights if any other user is left logged on.

There are somethings you can do to help aleviate this - e.g. setting up the auto-logout screen saver from Win2K sdk (google for winexit.scr) However even this isn't foolproof.

The constraints on Remote Desktop are documented in the support system and on the MS website.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/remotedesktop/faq.asp

If you need more parallel sessions you'll need to go for an MS or 3rd party terminal services system. VNC is reasonably good - it's client is a little lacking compared to MSTSC though on features like sound, clipboard, printer and drive mapping.

 

[Ichinisan]

You could just try:
Start>Log Off

And then allow the client to connect...they can use it until you log-on again.

 

[eLinux]

Out of curiosity, does Windows 2k3 allow more than one connection?

j/w...

 

[stephbu]

Ichinisan - hungrygoose's problem is that if user 'a' forgets to log-off, user 'b' needs admin rights to log user 'a' off to gain access. Its very easy to disconnect a terminal services client *and* stay logged on - e.g. by losing connection or closing MSTSC.

eLinux - Win2K3 allows a pair of remote connections when Terminal Services are configured for remote admin mode. Of course on Win2K3 with appropriate licencing you could run terminal server fully enabled - and have as many remote clients as you are licenced for.