Remote Desktop Connection

[bluewhaleCA]

I've been having an intermitent connection problem since installing W2K Server three years ago. I've seen similar posts, but never a solution which always works.

This involves connecting to W2K Servers using Terminal Services. There have been different versions of this software from Microsoft: this involves the versions which are not web based.

When trying to connect one gets a error stating
'Remote Desktop Disconnected'
The client could not connect to the remote comptuer.
Remote connections might not be enabled or the computer might be too busy to accespt new connections. It is also possible that network problems are preventing your connections.
Please try connecting later.


It happened again over the weekend: I was unable to use it from my Metaframe server ( I normally connect to the Metaframe server then use TS to work on the primary server ). However I was able to connect to two other DC's in this Domain from the Metaframe server using the same program.

( the program refereneced is in SYSTEMROOT\System32\mstsc.exe )

Once back in the office, I was able to get in from my XP Pro system ( same mstsc.exe program used ) however still could not do so from my Metaframe session. And at this time I was unable to get into ANY DC from my Metaframe session.

The conditions seem to change at random. The problem does not occur often, however when it does it usually lasts ( intermitently ) for weeks.

The Domain is an AD native domain with one remote DC in the domain. Two DC's in the local segment, plus the Metaframe server. The Metaframe and Primary DC are running SP3, I believe the other two are as well.

Has anyone had success identifying the cause of this occasional problem?


Thanks

Paul

 

[gk759]

Paul,

I am having the same error when I connect remotely. The TSVCS works from 2 remote workstations but doesnt work from 2 other. Whats intriguing is just last week all were working fine. No changes have been made but now two workstaions get the same error you mentioned.

'Remote Desktop Disconnected'
The client could not connect to the remote comptuer.
Remote connections might not be enabled or the computer might be too busy to accespt new connections. It is also possible that network problems are preventing your connections.
Please try connecting later.

I hope someone has the answer for this......


Gary

 

[bluewhaleCA]

Hi Gary:

Well, I'm back up. I find that rebooting the servers really helps, tho this time I had to do the DC twice. It looks like a licensing issue to me, something of MS's ran amuck. I recall there being a problem with TS Servers releasing licenses once connections ended... holding on to them for ever. They had a patch for it, but I don't recall that it helped with this specific problem.


Paul

 

[JCIZ]

If I understand your problem correctly, you will want to check the servers 'Terminal Services Manager'. Servers will hold a client connection to the server if the server has not been properly 'disconnected' from which will prevent any other clients from connecting until you either a)log in using the client holding a connection to the server and properly disconnect or, b)force a disconnect through the 'Terminal Services Manager' on the server.

 

[bluewhaleCA]

Hi JCIZ:

That makes sense save that in a number of instances I was unable to connect from one machine on the network but at the same time I could connect from another machine.. using the same AD account to try the login.
Still, I agree, it should be in TS licensing somewhere.


Thanks for the thought


Paul

 

[ahalecitrix]

Make sure you modify the Terminal Services Configuration to limit the allowed time for an idle session and also to log off a disconnected session after a period of time. I usually set the End disconnected session to 5 or 10 mintues and disconnected an idle session after 1 hour.

This is under Admin Tools\Terminal Services Configuration on the Sessions tab.

Also make sure you check the boxes that say Override User settings.

 

[bluewhaleCA]

If you go into the manager nobody is logged in. The lines show 'waiting'.
The problem I referred to was that Term Server would hold the license open/used as opposed to the session.
But thus far, a reboot or two is all it has taken to get past it.

Paul

 

[gk759]

Hi,


I tried the following solutions:

1)disconnecting and reconnecting the terminal services.

2)I check the sessions tab for the settings suggested

3)I also rebooted the server about 3 times now.

i stiil get this error.....

'Remote Desktop Disconnected'
The client could not connect to the remote comptuer.
Remote connections might not be enabled or the computer might be too busy to accespt new connections. It is also possible that network problems are preventing your connections.
Please try connecting later.

I get this error while connecting to Winodws 2000 server terminal services from the LAN and 2 external remote computers. Only one remote computer seems to be working perfectly.

The terminal services is in application server mode, and has been working perfectly for last 2 months. There is never more than one user logged in for the terminal services.

Hope someone has a solution for this,

Thanks,

Gary

 

[MTVilla]

Check in Terminal Services Manager and make sure that once you disconnect from your session, the session is also ended. Meaning "end session after disconected" is checked.

 

[danomac]

I just went through this exact same problem a month ago, however I *finally* got it resolved. What OS's are your clients using?

Here's some KB's to check out:
Q234319 - Client Registers a Second Terminal Services License After Clean Installation
Q271245 - Cannot Revoke Windows 2000 Terminal Services License from Client
Q187614 - Removing Terminal Server Licenses from an RDP Client

If your clients are W2k/XP Pro, licensing isn't the issue. If the client are anything else, it could be. There was an issue regarding client licenses being held on indefinetly, and there was a patch released for it. However, this patch apparently expires licenses after 90 days or so (which I think is too long.)

If you have a lot of non-W2K/XP Pro clients, check the TS Licensing server. You may find duplicate licenses for machines. Problem is, you can't remove the client license.

It seems if the computername is changed OR the computer is reformatted and the OS reinstalled the client would get another license (yet any ones it has before remains in the TS license server.) So, it used up more than 1 license. Some clients had 4 licenses (damn hardware failure! no luck with WD's hdd's so far). The solution: Microsoft reissued licenses at no cost.

That solved half my problem. The other half were W2K clients that were getting that message, sometimes it would work one day and not the next. As it turned out, the client software had gotten corrupted, reinstalled MS's msrdpcli.exe software and the problem went away completely. Been a month and it has not resurfaced.

Well hopefully this will help.

Daniel.

 

[danomac]

Oh, thought I'd mention I didn't need to restart the server at all. I had thought of it but didn't try it.

Daniel.