Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with remotedesktop

Options for remoting into Windows 7 Home Premium?

jluce50 — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:37:17 -0800

Help me decide if I need to fork over the dough for Windows 7 Professional or not. I've been on XP Pro since '02 and I've decided I'm ready for something new. Windows 7 Home Premium is more than enough for me with one huge caveat. I regularly use Remote Desktop on my home network. I can't use VNC because I have multiple user accounts with Fast User Switching on my family PC.

I can't seem to find if Windows 7 has an equivalent to Fast User Switching such that VNC will not work. If VNC does not work then I have no choice but to get Win7 Pro.

So will VNC work in my situation? Is there another option I haven't considered?

I'd be forever grateful if someone could set me straight on all this...

Mac/Windows file copying through RDC: FAIL

curagea — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:07:08 -0800

Copy-pasting isn't working between my Mac and a remote Windows machine through RDC. Help? So I have RDC on my Mac Leopard, connecting to a remote Windows XP Pro machine. I've followed the instructions here to enable copy-pasting files from my Mac to the Windows machine, choosing my Documents folder.

All said and done, I connected to the Windows machine, and.... I don't see my Documents folder. Not anywhere in Windows Explorer.

Am I missing something? Google is returning results on how to enable file sharing, which is NOT what I'm looking for. Supposedly RDC can do copy-pasting of files without going through the whole file-sharing setup

User account dissapeared from login screen in win XP where'd it go george?

TomMelee — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:19:02 -0800

Started using SSH and remote desktop, all is well. Now the local user can't login to the primary account! Help!? Long story short, had 1 account for an XP system. I added a user when I was fiddling around with SSH, but I never used it. Now when the system that I am logging INTO is restarted/turned off or whatever, the primary account is NOT an option to log into the system with.

I can still log in via SSH and force the login with the actual account name and password, and of course that leaves it logged in for her, but she can't do it by clicking the name anymore because it's not on the list.

I know you can switch to default override with ctrl+alt+del at the login screen, but this is my generally non-savvy girlfriend we're talking about.

So, how do I make the user name reappear at the login screen? And, just as importantly, how the HELL do I delete the user account that I have no intention of using?

I'm sure it's a simple setting I'm not seeing, but being 1000 miles away does make it more difficult.

Thanks.

For the record, SSH'ing into the system and using remote desktop is working tres bien.

Remote desktop through LAN?

NekulturnY — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:53:55 -0800

(I know you're not my helpdesk, but...) I'm trying to get some kind of "remote desktop" going between my laptop and my desktop. So I have a laptop running XP SP 2 or something, and a desktop running Vista (home or premium, but not the really really expensive one that does everything you need). I want to use the laptop as a workstation, and the desktop as the server.

People tell me this is possible through something called 'Remote Desktop' in XP. Problem: there seems to be some incompatibility between XP and Vista.

Important: the connection HAS to be made using the LAN and not via Logmein or teamviewer via the internet, as I want to use it for playing games. Also, PCAnywhere is a bit expensive at nearly 300 $.

Keep your explanations really basic please, because I get confused easily. Thanks.

eeepc as a vista remote control?

meowN — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:27:24 -0800

Trying to control the screen of my windows vista desktop from my linux laptop. details inside. So what I'm looking for is a live desktop remote control (over a LAN) for my desktop running Vista Ultimate x64 from my Eee pc running Ubuntu 8.04.

My ultimate goal would be to have my PC's screen mirrored on my laptop, so, for example; I could switch between different video files or control dvd functions across my room from the couch. I remember being able to do this years ago when both my systems were linux and I could just use the terminal to ssh in my desktop, but I'm really unsure about the inner workings of vista.

I've seen my friend do this on his nintendo DS with the R4 chip, but I tried googling and don't even know where to begin looking for this solution.

Thanks in advance if you can guide me in the right direction.

I know I'm an IT guy... why can't I figure this out?

fvox13 — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:14:14 -0800

Any suggestions for remote-controlling a computer when it's behind a NAT/firewall that I can't open a port on? Alternatively, how can I make Gmail work for this client? One of the clients we do a website for is really struggling with getting Gmail Apps for Domains working. I have confirmed that it works for POP access because I can do it from *our* office, but whenever she (their secretary) tries to input the correct settings, she's unable to make it work on their end (she gets timeout errors and a few others...). I have spent 3 hours on the phone with her today, and I'd like to be able to call her back tomorrow and spend about 15 minutes and make it work!

This particular client is using Outlook 2002 on Windows XP. We already applied the latest Microsoft Office service pack. Still no go. They refuse to just use the gmail web interface.

I'm thinking that if I can just remote desktop or vnc over to their computers, I'd be able to double check things, but they're behind some kind of a router, and the people who work there know NOTHING about it, so I can't just have them do a remote assistance invitation, because it comes through with a 192.168.x.x address.

Any suggestions on how I can make VNC / Remote Desktop work through their router? I would just go over there, but they're nowhere close to us...

Barring that, any ideas on why Gmail won't work? We tried the Gmail Pop Troubleshooter thingy and it didn't find any problems.

Mom, meet Mac! You'll LOVE it, it's SO simple...

dpcoffin — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:12:40 -0800

Mom's FINALLY decided she'll get a computer. I'm gonna help, so it'll be a MacBook. I know there's been a lot already here on this topic, but... ...since this means I'll be upgrading to 10.5 myself as well, I'm looking for ideas specific to this spiffy new world. I'm of course also combing the net for articles on this and buying some Leopard manuals, so I'm here mainly for links, tips and anecdotes from anybody who's recently been over this exact ground.

Details:
She's a vigorous, sharp, but distinctly OLD-world 84, still running her own Montessori preschool, and for years now has been very vocal in her disapproval of computers for all manner of reasons. 5 recent minutes with PhotoBooth and Mail on a shiny new iMac miraculously changed her mind, at least for keeping in touch and penning her memoirs...

She's on one coast; I'm on the other. I'm shipping the MacBook to her after I set it up. We'll both have .Mac accounts and broadband, so I'm interested in video Chats and remotely controlling her desktop when showing her stuff/fixing things. And I've never done either before...

She says she just wants to write and do email, and is scared of the mouse. I have no idea how, or IF, she'll take to actually learning to use and customize the Finder, etc., so I'm planning to record some how-to videos and put 'em on her desktop. I'm also streamlining her Mac with preset Spaces for auto-launched Mail, Pages, Safari, creating a few Pages templates, and maybe adding in LaunchBar for easy keyboard automation (without explaining to her what it is...), and...wondering what else I might do. Got any cool thoughts on how I can maybe use Automator and/or some other keystroke-creation utility to automate basic texty/searchy/sendy things she'll want to do? Should I maybe make myself the Adminstrator? I want to keep everything DIRT-simple and totally stumble-proof, at least initially.

She's VERY suspicious of the Internet, both culturally and ethically, but I'm sure she'll learn to love it eventually as a great big replacement for her 1911 Britannica and her Home Book of Verse. But I'm DREADING her first brush with porn spam or pictures... Might some kind of "parental" controls or other filters prove useful? Never used these either...

Many thanks in advance for all comments!

How do I use my mac to remote desktop to a XP Home computer

Scientifik — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:19:56 -0800

What is a free solution to do remote desktop to an XP Home computer from a Mac? This is basically for remote tech support for family members

Help Desk Remote Support Software Experiences

enfa — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:56:15 -0800

Experiences with remote desktop software for help desk troubleshooting? I've used a few variations of VNC, and Remote Desktop, but our organization that supports a 20k+ users base running every networkable OS is looking for something with a little more ooomph. The nice wikipedia comparison chart has been helpful. I'm looking into NTRGlobal at the moment - care to share your experiences with this or related software? Ideally, the perfect software would:

Work on XP and Vista - OS X would be a nice bonus

Have built in encryption that wouldn't require a separate firewall

Be crazy simple to install on the client end (and be easy to uninstall, too)

Allow the client to see what is going on while the tech is working

Allow the client to easily disconnect the session at any time

Require the client to initiate or at least confirm the connection is OK before the technician can connect

Log the technician's session for later playback

Be nimble enough to work through assorted firewalls

Make it very difficult for anyone other than the intended technician to connect to the client's machine

Keep our security department from yelling at us

Thoughts? What has worked for you?

How to track a computer's changing IP address when away?

Auden — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:08:13 -0800

How can I remotely track my home computer's IP (which lacks a static IP address) when away? My home DSL connection lacks a static IP, and the address tends to change from time to time. When away, I'd like to access my Windows XP computer via FTP, Remote Desktop, and some other applications.

Are there any utilities which can "announce" IP changes on my home computer so I can alter IP settings when trying to access it remotely? (I'm imagining something which shoots out a terse message to an email account periodically with the current IP address.)

But there are probably more elegant solutions... how do people resolve this problem without paying extra for the static account?

Why won't my Remote Desktop server forward sound?

cmyers — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:52:45 -0800

I recently reinstalled Windows XP Professional on a "headless" machine—that is, one that I access only via Remote Desktop. Each time I've previously set this machine up, Remote Desktop has properly forwarded sound to the client computer; this time, however, sound doesn't work with Remote Desktop sessions. The hardware's the same as it's always been, and I'm using the same drivers and software. What's wrong? I've checked that the client software (one program on Linux, two on Mac OS) is configured to play sound from the server. I've reinstalled the drivers for the server's sound devices (a SoundMAX chip on the motherboard and a SoundBlaster card). I've followed a prescription found via Google. Nothing's worked, but I'm not doing anything different than what I've done in the past.

How to map the network drive across the internets?

TomMelee — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:48:55 -0800

Terminal services? Do what with the who now? Help me set up a terminal services server on an XP Pro box. Hi...I googled the heck out of this and couldn't come up with anything that really helped. I apologize for my ignorance.

I've got an XP Pro SP2 machine here with a database that lives on it. (It's an access database) I need other people NOT on the local network to have access to that database, so that their local installs can connect to it.

I am NOT looking for a VNC type thing---I want people to be able to map the drive to their install elsewhere in the world. I do NOT want the user to take over the screen of this computer---merely to pull data from the database.

Recap: Master install here, single location of true data file on this computer. Other, client installs exist elsewhere that need to connect to this master file.

I don't even know if terminal services is (are?) the answer. Help! Thanks.

Dual monitors and remote access. Not what you think.

wile e — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:39:14 -0800

Dual monitor/remote access/I'm a moronFILTER: Accessing a desktop machine that used to have a dual monitor setup but now has none. My desktop machine (Win XP sp2) has a NVIDIA graphics card with dual monitor support. I had it running for a few years with two monitors and it worked wonderfully. Now I have the desktop sitting by itself, with no mouse, keyboard, or monitors hooked up and am only accessing it remotely via logmein.com pro.

Here's my problem: I didn't disable the dual monitor setup while they were still attached. I assumed that it would still output in a dual monitor display (remotely) even with the displays removed. I was incorrect. It defaulted to a single monitor display. But now, when I open certain programs that used to run exclusively on the 2nd monitor, they are 'off-screen'. I can force some of them onto my default display by right clicking the item on the task bar and hitting maximize. But if the program has a sub-window pop up, its gone forever. I have tried every option (I think) in the nView desktop manager that comes with the NVIDIA video card. I've even attempted to disable the nView controls. I cannot get it to work.

I know the obvious answer is to hook up the two monitors for a minute and properly switch over to a single monitor setup, but as I am lacking the monitors at the moment thats not the best solution right now.

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If anybody knows how I can force my desktop machine to think its still outputting to two monitors, that would be awesome. I would love to get the added real estate on my remote connection without having to use a virtual desktop.

If I have confused anybody, please ask and I will attempt to make my situation more understandable.

Thanks!

Am I monitored through VPN?

jules1651 — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:47:07 -0800

This may be a dumb question, but when I am connected to my work's vpn from home (I use a vpn/remote desktop combo), is all of my traffic, even the stuff outside of the server, going through my work? In other words, can they see everything or only what I do through remote desktop?

How to run a single computer from two desks?

boreddusty — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 06:52:40 -0800

What is the best way to allow a user to access a computer from two different locations in one office? One of my users is getting a new desk for customer consultation, but their computer will stay at their current desk. What is the best way to allow the user to have the same setup, use the same programs, etc (basically run the same machine from two different locations >50ft apart). The computer is a Windows 2000 box on a Server 2003 domain.

How can I tell if someone is remote desktopped to my PC?

mikeanegus — Fri, 12 May 2006 07:05:30 -0800

Is there any way of telling whether someone is connected to my computer via remote desktop? I swear i'm not being paranoid but every now and again my optical mouse moves large distances across the screen without me having moved it quite that far. I could swear that someone has remote-desktopped to my PC but i'm not sure how to monitor that kind of thing. Are there any utilities out there that can be used to display an alarm when someone has connected?

I'm inside a corporate firewall so it would most probably be coming from some one inside the company. The only piece of software I have found that might be useful is TCPView from Sysinternals. Anyone have any experience with this?

Lastly, I don't have any admin rights although I know a kind admin that could install stuff for me...

Broke my Moniter, need to access my tower... Any thoughts?

TrueVox — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 12:10:10 -0800

Any way to gain access to a win XP box through a forced remote desktop (or another method?). Or even a network install (though that'd be hard, I don't dare lose anything on the HDD) of Linux? Oh, and I don't have a monitor (that's the root of the problem) I don't have a (working) cd rom drive, and there's 3 hdd's on the unit with valuable data (some loseable, some not, but the not loseable is spread accross all the drives). It's got USB ports, but I don't know if it's set up to boot from USB. It has a component out (and the cord even reaches the TV! :D), but for some reason it's not enabled (anyway to force that?). I have little Linux knowlege, but I have BASIC terminal use (navigation, deletion, directory creation, etc.). Is there anyway to force it to accept a Telnet request? Or anything like that? Oh, and yes the drives are shared, but I don't have the space to back them up to do a wipe, so sadly that's out. Thanks in advance!

Multiple Monitors, Remote Desktop

anomie — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 14:40:27 -0800

I use two monitors at work, and remote desktop in at home. Some applications, which persistently remember the window location will be hidden on startup because they're off the screen. Is there a utility out there to move all windows on the screen?

Remote desktop users print from home?

meta87 — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 19:22:06 -0800

A client of mine wants their employees to be able to print out documents at their house while connected to the office server through remote desktop. Is this possible? The office is run on a Windows 2003 Small business server pdc. I tried searching on google, but don't really know what to search for. Thanks everyone!

Remote Desktop Filter

prostyle — Thu, 23 Jun 2005 10:44:58 -0800

Remote Desktop is great, but I need a little more flexibility... What I need to do is be able to connect to a machine that is concurrently running applications so I can monitor their status and possibly make changes. Basically, I want to 'log in' to the current machine state rather than a fresh account view.

I realize I can probably do this with PC-Anywhere or a *VNC app, but I want to avoid that. The only thing I've come across in my searching has been instructions on 'disconnecting' rather than 'logging off' a remote-desktop session so you can return to it where you left off.

The machine that runs the applications is on SBS2003, the connecting machines run Win2K. It has 3 applications running at all times that need to be checked and modified once at the end of the day. Running these applications initially in a remote-desktop session and using the 'disconnect' option seems like a possibility - assuming it does indeed work and reconnecting will pull up the same state (as well as leaving the applications active rather than putting the whole session in network-limbo). It just seems like a real pain in the rear as a workaround. Any other ideas?

How to Set Up XP Remote Destop to Log Previous User Back In?

gd779 — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 07:36:14 -0800

Remote Desktop for XP: When I log into a remote computer using RD, it logs out the current user. When I end my remote session, the remote user is logged out but the original user (the only other user on the remote machine) is not logged back in. How can I set up XP or Remote Desktop so that, when a Remote Desktop session ends, the remote computer logs a specific user back in?

I am looking for a substitute for the Windows Desktop (explorer.exe) for a Terminal Server machine, with a few special requirements.

seanyboy — Mon, 29 Dec 2003 02:59:28 -0800

I am looking for a substitute for the Windows Desktop (explorer.exe) for a Terminal Server machine. I need an optional taskbar, the ability to log off, and a set of icons which are allocated to users on a user by user basis. I do not want Right Clicking, drag and dropping, access to the control panel or anything other than what I've mentioned above. I understand that I could use profiles to do this, but wish to use a slimline explorer substitute. Google offers no help. Can anybody help?