Extreme Instability using Remote Desktop

lightsout

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Messages
1,211
I have used Remote Desktop literally for years and basically everyday to connect to my headless media server.

Today when connecting to it I am having all sorts of issues.

I am either losing the signal to my monitor, which I thought was the cable or a loose port.
Or the system will freeze, the mouse still moves, but its locked up. Ctrl alt del or alt tab does nothing.

It is for sure RDP thats doing it. The system is fine until I log in to the other PC. It may happen instantly it make take 5 minutes, but its happened about 10 times today.

My main PC is updated, both running win 10, the server has updates disabled.

Any ideas. I did something I found through google with gpedit.msc, didn't work.
 
Yes I have. It's at the point now that instantly when I last connected the system froze. But really odd as the mouse still moves.

I don't at the moment have a second PC. I will tomorrow when my ram comes back from RMA. Will try from another machine.
 
Does the server have a GPU? What RDP version is being used for the connection (might have to check event viewer for that)? Have you tried with RDP hardware acceleration turned off? What specific group policy changes did you make that didn't work?

The reason the mouse moves is because it's rendered on the guest side, not on the host.

Just to be clear, you mean that the guest machine freezes, not the host that you're connecting to, correct?
 
Does the server have a GPU? What RDP version is being used for the connection (might have to check event viewer for that)? Have you tried with RDP hardware acceleration turned off? What specific group policy changes did you make that didn't work?

The reason the mouse moves is because it's rendered on the guest side, not on the host.

Just to be clear, you mean that the guest machine freezes, not the host that you're connecting to, correct?
Does the server have a GPU? Yes 1050ti
What RDP version is being used for the connection (might have to check event viewer for that)? No idea would have to figure out how to check.
Have you tried with RDP hardware acceleration turned off? Didn't know that was a thing. Don't see it in the standard RDP options.
What specific group policy changes did you make that didn't work? This but it was probably irrelevant?
https://social.technet.microsoft.co...ection-is-established?forum=win10itprogeneral

Thanks for your help man, really pulling my hair out on this one.
 
When connected, right click in the RDC client title bar and select Help -> About, it should show you the RDP version being used.

Since I'm still not sure if the guest or the host is freezing, try updating your GPU drivers (on whichever is freezing). Additionally, watch the clock of the machine and see if it keeps ticking. If not, try Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Win key+B (resets the display adapter).

Alternately, disable hardware acceleration via GPO: Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Remote Desktop Services -> Remote Desktop Connection Client -> "Do not allow hardware accelerate decoding" = Enabled

I'll have more suggestions once you let us know which machine freezes.
 
If you haven't updated the server but updated the client, chances are you run incompatible OS versions. Microsoft made changes to RDP not too long ago that may have broken backwards compatibility. RDP is not very safe to use anyway, you should at minimum block it from wan side in your router.
 
If you haven't updated the server but updated the client, chances are you run incompatible OS versions. Microsoft made changes to RDP not too long ago that may have broken backwards compatibility. RDP is not very safe to use anyway, you should at minimum block it from wan side in your router.

You should 100% block all RDP ports open to WAN, open RDP ports are the equivalent of bending over for the soap in prison.
 
Well that sucks about the open ports because I use it when away from home. Is there a more secure way to do that?

And it is the client machine that is freezing. Server not being affected.
 
Well that sucks about the open ports because I use it when away from home. Is there a more secure way to do that?

And it is the client machine that is freezing. Server not being affected.

Never open RDP ports to the interwebz. Use AnyDesk, it's free and it's great - Or set up a VPN and log into your RDP desktop from there.

If you monitored that port for hits you'll see it getting smashed while hackers try to brute force it - I've seen it so many times.
 
So I disabled RDP ports and installed anydesk. Seems like the software is pretty hit and miss. Most the time I get stuck at the "loading image" screen. This is over a gigabit network that I don't have any other problems with. Finally uninstalled it because I was getting annoyed at it not working.
 
So I disabled RDP ports and installed anydesk. Seems like the software is pretty hit and miss. Most the time I get stuck at the "loading image" screen. This is over a gigabit network that I don't have any other problems with. Finally uninstalled it because I was getting annoyed at it not working.

Really? I use it for everything under Windows, MacOS and Linux as a PC tech and never have a problem with it.
 
Really? I use it for everything under Windows, MacOS and Linux as a PC tech and never have a problem with it.
Yeah it was weird, maybe I need to try it again. I think it may be having an issue, that when I logout of RDP, there isn't a user logged in, and sometimes that throws it off.

On a side note I used my laptop to log in and had no issues. Think I need to update the server but I used some program to kill windows updates and can't find it to reverse them lol.
 
Really? I use it for everything under Windows, MacOS and Linux as a PC tech and never have a problem with it.
When I login with anydesk while I am connected via RDP, it kills the RDP session, and then I see the windows login screen, when I push the little icon on the bottom right it starts to login and then sits there.
When I login withouth being connected via rdp I just hang at "conected, waiting for image".

I think the problem is that there is no user logged in at this point, but shouldn't it still be able to log in?

EDIT## Apparently it doesn't like a machine with no monitor but there is a workaround.

Send "ctrl alt del", hit cancel, select "auto adapt screen resolution", and you should be in.
 
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When I login with anydesk while I am connected via RDP, it kills the RDP session, and then I see the windows login screen, when I push the little icon on the bottom right it starts to login and then sits there.
When I login withouth being connected via rdp I just hang at "conected, waiting for image".

I think the problem is that there is no user logged in at this point, but shouldn't it still be able to log in?

EDIT## Apparently it doesn't like a machine with no monitor but there is a workaround.

Send "ctrl alt del", hit cancel, select "auto adapt screen resolution", and you should be in.

Hang on...

You don't use AnyDesk 'with' RDP, you use AnyDesk in place of RDP. You install AnyDesk on the server and note the 'AnyDesk Address' and you install AnyDesk on the client and connect to the Remote Address using the AnyDesk Address.

You don't need to forward any ports and things are vastly more secure than RDP open to the world.
 
Hang on...

You don't use AnyDesk 'with' RDP, you use AnyDesk in place of RDP. You install AnyDesk on the server and note the 'AnyDesk Address' and you install AnyDesk on the client and connect to the Remote Address using the AnyDesk Address.

You don't need to forward any ports and things are vastly more secure than RDP open to the world.
Sorry that sounded weird. I understand you don't. I just had to RDP to get anydesk installed. And was using it to get back into the server while I was having issues. So I was trying a variety of things.

Looks like I have it able too work now. As stated in the above edit.
 
When I login with anydesk while I am connected via RDP, it kills the RDP session, and then I see the windows login screen, when I push the little icon on the bottom right it starts to login and then sits there.
When I login withouth being connected via rdp I just hang at "conected, waiting for image".

I think the problem is that there is no user logged in at this point, but shouldn't it still be able to log in?

EDIT## Apparently it doesn't like a machine with no monitor but there is a workaround.

Send "ctrl alt del", hit cancel, select "auto adapt screen resolution", and you should be in.
Hey, I'm interested in setting up a machine with no monitor. Tell me more. Wiill anydesk run on Win XP?
 
Having xp connected to anything internet facing is a bad idea anyways.

Oh yes. RDP open to the interwebz and Windows XP could be something worse than bending over for the soap in prison... If there is anything worse than that?

XP > Concrete bunker > Faraday cage > No internet = 50% secure.
 
Note that Teamviewer is also free for personal use and you can set up an unattended access via a password. I use it to administer my father in laws linux desktop 3000km away.
 
Note that Teamviewer is also free for personal use and you can set up an unattended access via a password. I use it to administer my father in laws linux desktop 3000km away.

Yeah, but their licensing sucks and they're obviously spying on sessions in order to work out if people are using their product for personal use or not - And their software under Linux is a 100% fail with fractional scaling, the only software that looks like a total mess with 1.5 scaling @ 4k.

Screw 'em. AnyDesk all the way!
 
Yeah, but their licensing sucks and they're obviously spying on sessions in order to work out if people are using their product for personal use or not - And their software under Linux is a 100% fail with fractional scaling, the only software that looks like a total mess with 1.5 scaling @ 4k.

Screw 'em. AnyDesk all the way!
I doubt they are spying on sessions, at max monitoring the frequency of your connections and triggering alarms if it starts to look like a job not a hobby. If they would get caught spying they would lose all their corporate customers instantly.
 
I doubt they are spying on sessions, at max monitoring the frequency of your connections and triggering alarms if it starts to look like a job not a hobby. If they would get caught spying they would lose all their corporate customers instantly.

I don't know B00nie. The only way you can really tell if someone is using the product for personal or business use when you're logged into an ordinary users machine is to spy on sessions - There's no server OS involved, no business related software, nothing to raise a flag that their software is being used in a way that isn't approved.

I'd pay for a license, but the cost is unrealistic.
 
From my quick testing team viewer has the same problem. Doesn't like a computer that doesn't have a monitor.
 
Ive been a big fan of Chrome Remote Desktop. It has a browser client and works just as well as Teamviewer for me.
 
From my quick testing team viewer has the same problem. Doesn't like a computer that doesn't have a monitor.

Install the monitor driver under advanced options. You would also want to enable allow windows logon in security.
 
Ive been a big fan of Chrome Remote Desktop. It has a browser client and works just as well as Teamviewer for me.

I evaluated Chrome Remote Desktop when I dumped Teamviewer, but there was something stopping me from using it, I can't remember what it was? Perhaps the inability to remotely reboot and log back in?
 
From my quick testing team viewer has the same problem. Doesn't like a computer that doesn't have a monitor.
For me the best way to remote connect a desktop is set vnc with -nolisten tcp flag and SSH in. That way you don't even need to set up a full desktop environment.
 
I don't know B00nie. The only way you can really tell if someone is using the product for personal or business use when you're logged into an ordinary users machine is to spy on sessions - There's no server OS involved, no business related software, nothing to raise a flag that their software is being used in a way that isn't approved.

I'd pay for a license, but the cost is unrealistic.
I'm not an advocate of Teamviewer in any way. I use Gotomeeting for all my remote sessions. It's only limitation is that you can't do file transfers but that's not a problem for me. I can access all the assets I need online.
 
Never open RDP ports to the interwebz. Use AnyDesk, it's free and it's great - Or set up a VPN and log into your RDP desktop from there.

If you monitored that port for hits you'll see it getting smashed while hackers try to brute force it - I've seen it so many times.
Thanks for the anydesk recommendation. I am getting 4 different PC's hooked up with it. Pretty nice just in case I need to jump on my work PC or mess with the HTPC from my office.

Much better since it doesn't mess with the logged on user like RDP.
 
But...Why XP? Surely there's options other than XP?
Long story short, I have this very old system that has the extended PCI slots and I have an adapter card that needs these slots. I need to read some very old backup tapes. The system runs Win XP. It's a short-term thing. Once the tapes are all read, I get rid of this system, unless someone wants the motherboard.

See the bottom of this thread. https://hardforum.com/threads/looking-for-project-dual-cpu-sli-motherboard.1990627/
 
Long story short, I have this very old system that has the extended PCI slots and I have an adapter card that needs these slots. I need to read some very old backup tapes. The system runs Win XP. It's a short-term thing. Once the tapes are all read, I get rid of this system, unless someone wants the motherboard.

See the bottom of this thread. https://hardforum.com/threads/looking-for-project-dual-cpu-sli-motherboard.1990627/

I've got a DAT backup tape that I need to recover with pictures of my late Father after the HDD the pics were on failed - I totally understand.

I really need to rig up something like this.
 
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