Fallback Printer Drivers in RDP and Terminal Server Sessions

Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection provides the ability for users to use the printers installed on their local computer within a Terminal Server session. This behavior is enabled by default, and can be changed in MSTSC (the Remote Desktop Connection client) in Options, Local Resources tab, Printers.

In order for this to work, a printer driver must be installed on the Terminal Server that matches the driver installed on the local computer. This is problematic, since you can't always be sure which printer is installed on connecting computers. If there is no matching printer driver on the server, the user will be unable to print to that printer within the RDP session. You will also see an error in the System Event Log similar to the following when the user
logs into the Terminal Server:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: TermServDevices
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1111
Date: 7/8/2008
Time: 12:51:15 PM
User: N/A
Computer: HOFS01
Description:
Driver HP LaserJet 4250 PCL 5e required for printer !!SERVER1! NetPrinter2 is unknown. Contact the administrator to install the driver before you log in again.

To handle this issue without having to install tons of drivers on your server, you can tell the server to use a "fallback printer driver." If the exact driver is not installed, the server will offer a fallback PCL or PS driver (or both) to use instead. This is configured in Group Policy as shown below. Note that this requires Windows Server 2003 SP1 or later.

For Windows Server 2003, open Group Policy and navigate to Computer Settings, Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Terminal Services, Client/Server data redirection, and configure the Configure Terminal Server Fallback Printer Driver Behavior option.

For Windows Server 2008, open Group Policy and navigate to Computer Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Terminal Services, Terminal Server, Printer Redirection and configure the Specify Terminal Server Fallback Printer Driver Behavior option.

Configure the Terminal Server Fallback Printer Driver Behavior to Enabled, Show both PCL and PS if one is not found, as shown below.

When a client logs into the Terminal Server, you will now see the following event in the System Event Log and the client will be able to use their printer.

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How to Enable RDP Remotely on XP Computers

In a previous article I explained how to enable Remote Desktop access on a remote computer.

I've noticed that these steps do not work on Windows XP computers. It turns out that you need to set two registry keys:

• HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\fDenyTSConnections should be changed from 1 to 0 (zero)
• HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\fDenyTSConnections should be changed from 1 to 0 (zero)

The first setting enables the RDP protocol on the computer to listen on TCP port 3389. The second setting allows users to login via Remote Desktop. Both settings go into effect immediately and do not require a restart.

Note: If the second setting is not changed to 0 you will get a logon message saying, "Unable to log you on because of an account restriction." You will also get this same logon message if you attempt to logon via RDP with an account that has a blank password. The account you use must have a password to logon using Remote Desktop.

I wrote a batch file that will easily enable or disable Remote Desktop on a remote machine. The syntax is: RDP [computername] [ON | OFF]. Copy the code below and save it as RDP.BAT somewhere in your system path (I use C:\Windows).

---Begin Code---

@echo off
SET RemoteComputer=%1
SET RemoteComputer=%RemoteComputer:\=%
if /i "%2"=="on" goto EnableRDP
if /i "%2"=="off" goto DisableRDP
goto Syntax

:EnableRDP
REG ADD "\\%RemoteComputer%\HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v fDenyTSConnections /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
if ERRORLEVEL==1 goto Error
REG ADD "\\%RemoteComputer%\HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server" /v fDenyTSConnections /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
echo.
echo Remote Desktop has been enabled on %RemoteComputer%
goto End

:DisableRDPREG ADD "\\%RemoteComputer%\HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v fDenyTSConnections /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
if ERRORLEVEL==1 goto Error
REG ADD "\\%RemoteComputer%\HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server" /v fDenyTSConnections /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
echo.
echo Remote Desktop has been disabled on %RemoteComputer%
goto End

:Error
echo.
echo ======================================================================
echo Make sure the remote computer is online and you have sufficient rights
echo to modify its registry.
echo ======================================================================
echo.

:Syntax
echo.
echo RDP enables or disables Remote Desktop on a remote computer
echo Visit http://www.expta.com for details
echo.
echo RDP [computername] [ON ^| OFF]
echo.
echo ON - Disable RDP on the remote computer
echo OFF - Enable RDP on the remote computer
echo.

:End
SET RemoteComputer=

---End Code---

Note that if Group Policy is configured to disable Remote Desktop (Computer Configuration Administrative Templates Windows Components Terminal Services Allow users to connect remotel using Terminal Services) the HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\fDenyTSConnections setting will revert back to 1 after a Group Policy refresh.

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Ease up on Silverlight already!

It seems you can't use any Microsoft website anymore without being nagged to install Silverlight.

While I love "the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web" as much as the next guy, I don't know what value it's going to bring to sites like TechNet, MSDN, etc. My chief complaint is the slow performance of Silverlight on RDP sessions. Most administrators perform their work using RDP and the abysmal performance of Silverlight enabled websites (or any website that uses transition effects) prevents administrators from getting their job done.

It might be nice if there were an option in the RDP client to allow Silverlight, just like there is one to allow menu and window animation. Just thinking out loud here...

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How to Enable Remote Desktop from a Remote Machine

[Note: Also see my other article that explains how to enable Remote Desktop for Windows XP computers]

Have you ever tried to connect to a server or workstation via RDP, but can’t because Remote Desktop isn’t enabled? Here’s how you can enable Remote Desktop remotely.

The following procedures assume that you have administrator rights on the target machine.

1. Run Regedit
   
2. Select File Connect Network Registry
   
3. Enter the name of the remote computer and click OK
   
4. At the bottom of the registry tree you will see two hives appear for the remote machine: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_USERS
   
5. Navigate to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server
   
6. Double-click fDenyTSConnections in the right-hand pane and change the value from 1 to 0

Another way to accomplish the same task is by using WMIC, the WMI command line utility in Windows 2000, XP, Vista and 2003 Server. Here’s the one line command:

wmic /node:TargetComputer PATH Win32_TerminalServiceSetting WHERE AllowTSConnections=0 CALL SetAllowTSConnections 1

The command above is not case sensitive, by the way.

Note that neither of these methods require a restart of the remote machine, however I have seen it sometimes take a minute to take affect. Remember, patience is a virtue. :)

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Can't connect to connect to multi-homed server using RDP

The problem: You are trying to connect to a server using the Remote Desktop Connection client (RDP) and you get the following error:

Remote Desktop Disconnected
----------------------------------------------
The client could not connect to the remote computer.

Remote connections might not be enabled or the computer might be too busy to accept new connections. It is also possible that network problems are preventing your connection.

Please try connecting again later. If the problem continues to occur, contact your administrator.

If you are using the new Remote Desktop Connection 6.0 Client, the error you get is:

Remote Desktop Disconnected
----------------------------------------------
This computer can't connect to the remote computer.

Try connecting again. If the problem continues, contact the owner of the remote computer or your network administrator.

You checked that Remote Desktop is enabled and you have rights to connect, but it fails every time. What the #$% is going on???

Well, you may have a binding problem with the RDP-Tcp connector. This typically happens with servers with two or more NICs (as is usual with an ISA server). To fix the problem follow these steps:

1. Logon to the server locally


2. Click Start, Run, type "tscc.msc /s" (without quotation marks) and click OK


3. In the Terminal Services Configuration snap-in double-click Connections, then RDP-Tcp in the right pane


4. Click the Network Adapter tab, select the correct network adapter and click OK


5. Make sure that you can establish an RDP connection to the server

The change takes effect immediately. No need for a restart.

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