For years I’ve not used Terminal Server on my Web Server for administration because of one thing that I thought I could not do: Access the active console desktop of the server. My server runs a number of applications that work easiest with a logged on user as they have UI that is nice to be able to monitor visually. So the server uses Auto-Logon to startup.

I’d been using pcAnywhere in the past to access the server for any remote admin emergencies or configuration steps like installing patches and service packs. pcAnywhere works, but it’s a clunky application and a hassle to keep updated with server versions etc.

Anyway I’d not considered Terminal Services because I though that you can’t access the running desktop which is a requirement for me. It turns out that you can with the following:

%windir%\system32\mstsc.exe /console

Duh!!!!

Life has just become much simpler. TS is loads faster than pcAnywhere and the whole experience of starting up and running is much smoother. I can actually work on the remote machine over my plain cable connection.

A client of mine, Chris Marsh is actually to thank for information. Chris mentioned something in passing to me a couple of weeks ago and I finally pressed him to try and remember what made this work. Thanks Chris.

FWIW, I had looked for this sort of thing for quite a while in the past and couldn’t find any documentation. Of course as soon as I did I ran into this article on MSDN:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;278845#XSLTH3121121122120121120120

When I posted a note the other day on the Message Board with this quite a few people apparently were in denial on this one like me <g>, so I'm posting it here again so it might help out a few more.

Please use restraint with your hands - your forehead can only take so much. <g>