ISTech Support Forum

ISTech Support Forum
http://www.istechforum.com/YaBB.pl
Windows & Network Issues >> General Windows & Network Issues >> Using Windows XP Pro as a terminal server.
http://www.istechforum.com/YaBB.pl?num=1197568162

Message started by Tim Goldstein on 12/13/07 at 10:49:22

Title: Using Windows XP Pro as a terminal server.
Post by Tim Goldstein on 12/13/07 at 10:49:22

For those of you who have ever wondered why you can only terminal in one session at a time for windows XP but you could do it with Windows 2000 and the very first release of Windows xp, It because windows does not support it, and does not get paid for it.

If you think you need to use a Windows XP machine as a terminal server, here's the unsupported way how to do it. (In other words, you do this at your own risk! Don't call me if it doesn't workfor you!)

Print these directions so that you have them to work from.
Restart your computer in Safe Mode
Turn off/disable Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) and Terminal Services
Right click My Computer
Select Properties
Click on the Remote tab at the top of the window
UNCHECK the box next to, “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer“
Click OK
Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services
Find Terminal Services in the list
Right click on Terminal Services and click Properties
In the Startup Type box, select Disabled
Click OK to close the window
Next you will replace the current version of the Terminal Services DLL (termsrv.dll) with an unrestricted version from a previous release of Terminal Services.
A copy of the Terminal Services DLL - is at http://chiefgeektek.com/files/termsrv.dll Save it to your Desktop or other suitable location
Using a file manager like Windows Explorer open C:\Windows\system32\dllcache
Rename the file termsrv.dll to termsrv_dll.bak or whatever you would like.
Copy the downloaded termsrv.dll file (the one you just downloaded from the web) to C:\Windows\system32\dllcache
Open the C:\Windows\system32 folder
Delete the file termsrv.dll in C:\Windows\system32
Now we can edit the Windows Registry to enable more than one RDP connection. Go to Start -> Run and type regedit - Hopefully you knew that already
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\Licensing Core
Add a DWORD Key named EnableConcurrentSessions and give it a value of 1
Close the Registry Editor window
Go to Start -> Run and type gpedit.msc to run the Group Policy Editor
Browse to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Terminal Services and double click Limit number of connections
Select the Enabled button and enter the number of connections you would like to enable….at least 2.
Restart Windows
Right click My Computer and select Properties.
Click on the Remote tab at the top of the window
CHECK the box next to, “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer“
Click OK
Go to Start -> Control Panel ->Administrative Tools -> Services. Select Terminal Services from the list and double click it or right-click -> Properties. Set the Startup Type to Manual.

Restart Windows/Computer
You should be good to go.

AGAIN! This is at your own risk! Please do this on a test machine!

Title: Re: Using Windows XP Pro as a terminal server.
Post by kkmfg on 12/13/07 at 11:47:35

It's nice information to know. Thanks!

The simpler solution, of course, is to use linux where terminal servers are readily available for free and one needn't jump through contrived hoops just to use a feature. (not that I'm saying that it's your fault that it's contrived... If MS wasn't a money grabbing monster this would not be an issue)