Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

Is anyone familiar with Microsoft Remote Desktop? I'm referring to the application with the name MSTSC.EXE. I used this years ago at the office to remote into the servers from home but MS has made changes since then.

I have one laptop downstairs that is usually unattended and I have been using TeamViewer to remote in but that requires a TeamViewer account, and all traffic is routed through the TeamViewer servers. I would prefer a direct connection, and one that doesn't leave pop-ups scattered about. I just want to remote in, do my stuff, then get out. Unfortunately, the current version of MS Remote Desktop cannot connect to a console session. It locks the screen (displays the login screen) and starts a new session, then leaves the screen locked when I am done. My wife doesn't like having to unlock it when she wants to watch a video while on the treadmill. Ideally, what I'd like is a way to connect to an existing session and leave the screen visible and unlocked. MSTSC has a bazillion configuration parameters, most of which are unexplained and one (/shadow) which would seem to be what I want (used with the /console switch) except it requires a sessionID and no number seems to work.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by rubberman
Member Avatar for rproffitt

Sorry no. I'm more of a VNC and telnet over ssh type person.

commented: Likewise. +14
Member Avatar for rubberman

I also use MS Remote Desktop, about 10 or so years ago. Worked well. Haven't used it since so I don't know what MS has done with it.

commented: MS Rabbit goes down the rabbit hole. Didn't follow. +14
Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

They've made it more difficult (maybe impossible) to shadow an existing session. My wife usually waits to ask for help after I am comfortably seated with a cup of coffee and a cat in my lap. I will usually remote in at that point and it's nice that she can see what I am doing. I realize that you don't want someone to be able to remote in without approval but there should be a way to pre-authorize this sort of thing using existing accounts, for example, if I give the Administrator account/password credentials in the connection request and configure the target machine to accept that connection.

Edited by Reverend Jim
Member Avatar for rubberman

Have you checked on the MS website for help with this?

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