Terminal Server problem: "...composited theme is not in use"

[jamescpp]

I'm hoping someone has seen this before. We're starting to move to Windows 2008 R2. Right now we're trying to get our server image created. The problem we are having is with terminal services. We have a license server for RDS cals with RDS cals available. We can start a remote desktop session as administrator with a desktop fine, but when we try to start a single application, like notepad, through remote desktop connection, the session starts then immediately logs off. In the event log we get the following error:

Event ID: 9003
The Desktop Window Manager was unable to start because a composited theme is not in use

Just to see what would happen, we also installed the desktop extension and we still get the same error whether the themes service is on or off.

We've been searching for a solution for three days now and haven't found one for 2008 R2. Has anyone experience this before or know how to fix this?

Hope is appreciated.

Thanks,
James

 

[jamescpp]

<bump>

Anyone seen this before?

Thanks,
James

 

[kmcferrin]

When you say:

we also installed the desktop extension

You mean that you enabled desktop composition on the terminal server? If so, are your clients running Vista or Windows 7?

It sounds like the error is related to the Aero Glass interface and it not being enabled on either the client or the server (basically that they aren't matched).

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Windows 7
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCTS:Windows Server 2008 R2, Server Virtualization
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[jamescpp]

I don't remember the exact verbiage, but there was a question about disabling aero when we enabled terminal server, which we did.

I'm actually trying to connect using Windows XP.

Thanks,
James

 

[jamescpp]

One more bump...