RDP not listening

[bugskumar]

This is an XP SP2 machine.

RDP stopped working this morning.

I do a "netstat -an", and I don't see port 3389 listening.

* The Terminal Services service is started.

* No errors in the event viewer

* The two Remote Access checkboxes are checked in
the Remote Tab of the System Control Panel

* RDP-Tcp "Port Number" in the registry is set to 3389

Please help me solve the problem.

 

[linney]

Have you tried System Restore and gone back a day or two?

Are you trying to connect to this machine or connect to some other machine from this one?

What about trying Safe Mode With Networking, any luck there?

Have you tried another user in Normal Mode?

Have a look at this too.

WinXP Connectivity Issues
Lost Connectivity after Registry or Malware Cleanup
faq779-4625



Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Select both boxes.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/5/14.asp

If they don't work you could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

Once when I lost Remote Desktop, the only way I got it back was after a clean install, I hope you have better luck.

 

[Spasticus]

I have exactly the same problem and setup as bugskumar.

I have tried all of linney's suggestions and the usual ones except a system restore, because I don't know when the problem first occurred. I suspect Remote Desktop has never worked on this machine. Remote desktop has worked on other machines in my network, though. It can connect to them but they cannot connect to it through Remote Desktop. I can ping it from them as well.

It's just not listening on port 3389. I've tried all of the usual remedies posted elsewhere. I changed it to listen on 3390 but it doesn't work on that either.

What can I do now, apart from a complete re-installation or repair of XP, neither of which I want to do?

 

[linney]

Are you using any Firewall other than the Windows SP2 Firewall?

It is also not unusual to find hidden firewalling components in some Antivirus software nowadays.

 

[Spasticus]

linney,

Thanks for your reply.

I have NoAdware, Mc.Afee anti-virus Enterprise Edition, AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition, and Norton Ghost installed on the machine. Besides these, I cannot think of anything else.

I disabled the anti-virus/adware software but it made no difference. I could not disable Norton Ghost. I know this is a backup program but also know it connects to a security centre via an updater.

I have AVG on a machine that is running Remote Desktop, so it couldn't be that.

How would I know if something's blocking that port deliberately? I have quite a lot of applications besides these. UVNC works on the same machine, so why isn't that being blocked as well?

I don't think it's UVNC interfering with it either, because UVNC is running on another machine on which Remote Desktop is working and closing it makes no difference anyway.

Terminal Services is reported as running. I have reinstalled RDP 6 but it's still the same.

Thanks for your help. This has been the most informative of all the posts I've come across in the many days I've trawled though the web without finding anything new. I'll have another think about it in the light of your answer, but would appreciate it if you had any other ideas.

 

[linney]

Are AVG and McAfee running any realtime scanners at the same time? It is not advisable to run two scanners simultaneously as they may cause conflicts.

AVG free does not have any hidden firewalling, I don't know about McAfee anti-virus Enterprise Edition.

Did you try with "Safe Mode With Networking"?

If you want to delve further along the lines of third party interference you can use MsConfig.

310560 - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310560&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

I leave you with my own experience which I also mentioned earlier. "Once when I lost Remote Desktop, the only way I got it back was after a clean install".

If you want to try an alternate approach, just for testing purposes of your hardware, you could, if you have room, set up a parallel install of XP (no need to activate it, or install software , updates, etc.) and see how that goes?

"To install Windows XP to a new folder (to perform a parallel installation):"

How to install or upgrade to Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316941&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[Spasticus]

linney,

Yes, they are. But I've put all this stuff on another computer and they're not interfering with Remote Desktop on there.

I've tried Safe Mode with Networking. No difference. I also tried the msconfig diagnostic mode of startup. No difference.

I don't have room for a parallel install of XP.

I remember deleting some registry keys some time ago that the event log was having a problem with opening or finding. These were mostly WAN Miniport keys. Maybe that could be it. But I don't remember what they were. I would have thought reinstalling RDP would have sorted it out, but it hasn't and why is terminal services running but not listening? It's got me puzzled.

I suppose I'll just have to put up with it, but thanks for your help.

 

[linney]

You could try checking for updated Network Card drivers. Some Nvidia Adapters or Chipsets, have hidden firewalling built in too.

Got Network issues and nForce Chipset...
thread1583-1437402

Disabling (not uninstalling) any unused Network Adapters.

Have you tried the usual SP2 Winsock Fix described in this thread?

WinXP Connectivity Issues
faq779-4625

SP3 is just around the corner (April 29th?), who knows, that might fix it, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[Spasticus]

linney,

Yes, I've tried disabling the network adaptors and restarting, but it's still not listening. I've also tried the Winsock fix as well. No luck.