Remote Desktop Client

Remote Desktop Client (RDC) is installed by default on WinXP, but it will also run on Win9x/WinNT4/Win2k (Is better than the client installed by default on Win2k). Originally the client was called Microsoft Terminal Services client, hence the name MSTSC.

It allows you to connect to a WinNT4/Win2k/WinXP/Win2k3 installation with Terminal Services installed and control it remotely. More Info MS KB306566

If using Remote Desktop or VNC to manage many computers, then it might be useful to have a tool to keep track of the different computers:

Microsoft Remote Desktops snap-in (Tsmmc.msc) is included with Windows 2003 (Also included in the Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack and can be used on Windows XP). More Info MS Technet
Royal TS
visionapp Remote Desktop
Remote Desktop Manager
mRemote (Opensource)
RD Tabs

Note by default when disconnecting from a remote non-server system, then the user used for login is logged off. To keep the user logged in, then disconnect with this command (Make shortcut in Quick Launch):

%windir%\System32\tscon.exe 0 /dest:console

More Info MS KB243202
More Info MS KB302801

Note mouse and keyboard movement might seem jerky when doing remote desktop. This can be fixed by setting this registry key on the client-side:

[HKEY_CURENT_USER \Software \Microsoft \Terminal Server Client]
Min Send Interval = 10 (Default 100 ms)
Min Send Interval 5 = 10 (Default 120 ms)

More Info MS KB196460
More Info MS KB830209
More Info MS KB831172

Note it is possible create a system console (session 0) connection to a WinXP/Win2k3 computer instead of a terminal services session. Older applications and services will only display their console window and popup message boxes to session 0. Requires an administrator rights on the computer, and only one is allowed to be logged on like this (Default when performing remote desktop to XP):

mstsc.exe /console

More Info MS KB278666
More Info MS KB311926

Note to start with multi-monitor support:

mstsc.exe /span

Note to see more options:

mstsc.exe /?

More Info MS KB304304

Note it is possible to make a local printer available in a remote session:

Click Start -> Run..

mstsc.exe
Click Options in the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box.
Click the Local Resources tab.
Click Printers in the Local Devices box.
Click Connect.

More Info MS KB243552
More Info MS KB264039
More Info MS KB317780

Note one can save the settings used for the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connection in a file (Ex. Default.rdp). To save the settings start mstsc.exe and in the Remote Desktop Connection-dialog select Options. More Info MS KB885187