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Connect to Console using Terminal Services Client

One of the features of the Windows 2003 Terminal Services implementation is the ability to connect to the console - the desktop of the actual server, rather than a terminal server session.

This is done by starting the Terminal Services client with the /console switch:

mstsc /console

However this isn't possible using the terminal services client that is supplied with Windows Mobile as you cannot adjust the settings of the connection.

With some settings changes on the server, it is possible to see the console session...

Setting up the Server

First, you need to make a group policy change. You may want to do this on a per machine level, so use the local group policy instead of making the change at the domain level.

1. On the server that you want to remote control, click Start, Run and enter gpedit.msc and press enter. It should start in "Local Computer Policy" - shown at the top of the left column.
2. Expand Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Terminal Services. Look for the option "Set rules for remote control of terminal server user sessions".
3. Bring up that option and change it to "Full Control without user's permission".
   
   
    
4. Apply/OK to close the option and close Group Policy Editor.
5. To get the change to take effect immediately, drop in to a command prompt and type:
   
   gpupdate
   
   and press enter.

Connecting to the Console Session

To connect to the terminal session, follow these steps.

1. Connect to the server using terminal services in the usual way.
2. Login as administrator and wait for the desktop to load. This will put you in to a regular terminal services session.
3. On the terminal session, bring up a command prompt and enter the following:
   
   shadow 0
    
4. You will get a prompt about the session being negotiated:
   "Your session may appear frozen while the remote control approval is being negotiated. Please wait... "
5. You will then be connected to the session.

Issues

Unlike the regular terminal services client, this process does not lock the console session. Therefore it will be open and anyone can see what you are doing on the server.

Related Articles

This is the Microsoft KB article on shadowing the console session:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=278845