Remote Desktop

When Windows XP came out, we were introduced to the new and improved remote desktop. It's Great! Believe me, I use it regularly.

Well, when you use it to connect to XP workstations you get to connect to the console session. However, when trying to connect to a Server 2000 or Server 2003 machine you get connected to a "Remote Desktop" not ever to the console. Well, this really kind of bugged me but not enough to worry about. Until now. Now, I use a couple of programs that run as a service but only interact with the console session. So, when you log in remotely it trys to start another instance of the program causing errors. Well, I finally got off my butt and found a way to connect to the console session using Remote Desktop.

Most everybody probably already knows this but I'm going to post this information anyway so that the challenged Googlererererers like myself can have a reference.

The trick to this is to add the " /console argument " to the command line. First let's make a Remote Desktop Icon Shortcut on the Desktop, go to: Start->Programs->Accessories->Communications->Remote Desktop Connection Right Click on the Icon Click Copy Right Click on the Desktop Click Paste or just right click on the Icon Drag and Drop Select create shortcut

Now on your new Icon just right click, select properties and edit the command line with the new argument:

That's it! Now when you use that shortcut, you will be able to connect to your server via the console session! Oh, and by the by, you must be an administrator on the server to which you are connecting to create a remote console connection.

As an FYI, Here are some other Command line arguments you can use with Remote Desktop:

• mstsc.exe {ConnectionFile | /v:ServerName[:Port]} [/console] [/f] [/w:Width /h:Height]
• mstsc.exe /edit"ConnectionFile"
• mstsc.exe /migrate
  Parameters
• ConnectionFile
  Specifies the name of an .rdp file for the connection.
• /v:ServerName[:Port]
  Specifies the remote computer and, optionally, the port number to which you want to connect.
• /console
  Connects to the console session of the specified Windows Server 2003 family operating system.
• /f
  Starts Remote Desktop connection in full-screen mode.
• /w:Width /h:Height
  Specifies the dimensions of the Remote Desktop screen.
• /edit"ConnectionFile"
  Opens the specified .rdp file for editing.
• /migrate
  Migrates legacy connection files that were created with Client Connection Manager to new .rdp connection files.