Activate Concurrent Sessions on XP SP2

By Heathcliff
in Microsoft (Windows)

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Heathcliff

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These guidelines will show you how a Windows XP system with SP2 build 2055 can host two concurrent sessions. This Service pack can be found on the filesharing-networks. By creating a registry key you will be able to let Termsvr.dll on your system allow two concurrently active sessions, unlike all previous builds where only one active session was allowed. A previously leaked document from Microsoft hinted about a registrykey which would allow a smart-display to connect and create a new session on a Windows XP system without interrupting the console-user or affecting fast user switching on the console. Microsoft first confirmed this option, but later they explicitly denied it. Well, this new build of Windows XP SP2 contains everything the document suggested, only the registrykey was named differently.

Step 1: Activate the license for a second session

Click: Start - Run

And type: regedit

Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\Licensing Core

Right-mouse-click on the right pane and create a new DWORD: EnableConcurrentSessions

Double-click the value and type: 1

Confirm

Step 2: Create a policy for a second session using the Group Policy Editor

Click: Start - Run

And type: gpedit.msc

Go to: Local Computer Policy - Computer Configuration - Administrative Templates - Windows Components - Terminal Services

Double-click in the right pane on: Allow users to connect remotely using Terminal Services

Select: Enabled

Confirm

Step 3: Install Remote Desktop Client software on your client machine if you don't already have it

Download the package here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/dow.../rdclientdl.asp

GREAT! You can now use the Remote Desktop Client to connect from a client to this Windows XP SP2 Host. Poke around some more in the Policies and Security Setting to tweak your system some more. The explanations about the settings are not difficult to understand. Here are some tips.

Tip 1: Install this administration pack on the Windows XP host-system

Description: Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack

File: Adminpak.msi

Located on: Windows 2003 Server CD (find it on filesharing networks)

Or download it here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&displaylang=en

After installation these and other applications are available:

tsmmc.msc -> View the remote desktops on a system

tsadmin.exe -> Use in a remote session to get session-information of a system

Tip 2: Enable yourself to take over your home desktop from your office (or vice versa) using the Group Policy Editor

Click: Start - Run

And type: gpedit.msc

Go to: Local Computer Policy - Computer Configuration - Administrative Templates - Windows Components - Terminal Services

Doubleclick in the right pane on: Sets rules for remote control of Terminal Services user sessions

Select: Enabled

And select option: Full Control without user's permission

Confirm

Tip 3: Allow users, other than 'Administrator' to remote login too, using Local Security Settings

Click: Start - Run

And type: secpol.msc /s

Go To: Security Settings - Local Policies - User Rights Assignment

Doubleclick in the right pane on: Allow logon through Terminal Services

Click on: Add User or Group

Click on: Advanced

Click on: Find now

Hold CTRL and select the users you want to allow to connect directly to your computer

Confirm three times

Note: This is not necessary if you only want to remotely login as 'Administrator'. From that session you would be able to remote control another session. Users without a password can never login remotely. To remotely control active sessions of these users you should login to an account with a password. From within that session do this:

Click on: Start - Windows Security - Users

Rightclick on: The session you want to control

Select: Remote Control

Select and escapekey

Confirm

Tip 4: Edit users from within a remote session

Click: Start - Run

And Type: lusrmgr.msc <enter>

Goodluck and Enjoy!

Heathcliff.

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Grand Master

Dick Montage

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Dude, you mentioned leaked betas (warez) on file sharing networks. Thats not really 100% legit around here, seeing as it's your first post, you may not wanna get in trouble so quickly.

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j005u

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Dude, you mentioned leaked betas (warez) on file sharing networks.  Thats not really 100% legit around here, seeing as it's your first post, you may not wanna get in trouble so quickly.

good point.

but still awsome post man :) (Y)

welcome to neowin heahtcliff

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Heathcliff

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Hi all!

This was my first post indeed. I didn't know that leaked beta's were such a big deal here. I read about leaked beta's in the news articles here, so I didn't suspect it would be a problem. Anyway, I'd better suggest to the people who want to try this to sign up for beta-testing Windows XP SP2 at Betaplace.com with your Passport ID.

Greetz,

Heathcliff

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RazorSA

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Geezzz ... forster ... You are soo retarded dude ...

As I understand it, you can't share a link URL on Neowin.

What Heathcliff did was 100%

Well done ... That was a very good post ....

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briangw

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This isn't working for me, the way I think it should. I've followed all above, including on the remote PC, but it is still "switching me out on the remote PC when I take it over. Any ideas?

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Heathcliff

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This isn't working for me, the way I think it should. I've followed all above, including on the remote PC, but it is still "switching me out on the remote PC when I take it over. Any ideas?

Are you using the same account? If so, you will be disconnected on the first computer when you log in with the same useraccount on another computer. This is default behaviour of Windows XP. Try logging on with another useraccount. If you wish to be able to log on to a computer more than once with the same user account, then run gpedit.msc and go to Local Computer Policy/Computer configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Terminal Services and disable the setting 'Restrict Terminal Services Users to a single remote session'.

Greetz, Heathcliff.

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briangw

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Are you using the same account? If so, you will be disconnected on the first computer when you log in with the same useraccount on another computer. This is default behaviour of Windows XP. Try logging on with another useraccount. If you wish to be able to log on to a computer more than once with the same user account, then run gpedit.msc and go to Local Computer Policy/Computer configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Terminal Services and disable the setting 'Restrict Terminal Services Users to a single remote session'.

Greetz, Heathcliff.

OK, my laptop is set up with a "Guest" and a "Brian" account. My desktop is setup with "Sara," "weasel," and "Guest account. I'm logged onto both machines. Laptop as Brian and Desktop as weasel. I'm connecting, wirelessly with my laptop to the desktop. Everything you mentioned above and just now, I've done on both PCs. Still, when I try to connect to weasel from my laptop, it logs me out of my home PC. If I try to log back into the desktop, it kills my remote desktop connection on my laptop. I'm running SP2, v 2055

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Heathcliff

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OK, my laptop is set up with a "Guest" and a "Brian" account...

You must have both 'Fast User Switching' and the 'Welcome Screen' enabled. Log on as administrator, go to the Control Panel and open User Accounts. Then click 'Change the way users log on or off', enable both options and click 'Apply'. This does not work on systems running in a domain. If you are running a domain, none of these tweaks will work.

Greetz, Heathcliff.

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briangw

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You must have both 'Fast User Switching' and the 'Welcome Screen' enabled. Log on as administrator, go to the Control Panel and open User Accounts. Then click 'Change the way users log on or off', enable both options and click 'Apply'. This does not work on systems running in a domain. If you are running a domain, none of these tweaks will work.

Greetz, Heathcliff.

Yep, both are defaultly enabled on the laptop and the PC. And, since Brian and Weasel are admin accounts, I can toggle those choices on all accounts. And no, I'm not running a domain, yet that is.

Am I required to do the above instructions on both the laptop and the PC? I was wondering if I should keep the option enabled on one, but disable it on the other, or does it matter?

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I8PP

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Are you sure you spelled the registry key correctly? :rolleyes: I know i didn't when i first tried it... i spelt it EnableCocurrentSessions, not ..Concurrent... silly me; then it did this to me when i tried a secondary login: :pc: ;)

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briangw

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Are you sure you spelled the registry key correctly? :rolleyes:  I know i didn't when i first tried it... i spelt it EnableCocurrentSessions, not ..Concurrent...  silly me; then it did this to me when i tried a secondary login: :pc: ;)

I copied and pasted it from above. And, am I correct in that regedit when you get to the location where the key needs to be added, you select Edit\New\DWord Value? Maybe I need to type it out instead of copying and pasting.

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Oak

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Laptop as Brian and Desktop as weasel. .... when I try to connect to weasel from my laptop, it logs me out of my home PC

As said before, you cant log on with the same account twice. If you are logged on the desktop as weasel, you must connect remotely with a different account - try connecting remotely using 'Sara' when 'weasel' is connected locally, and vice versa.

I had troubles myself initially - summary of things to check on the SP2 machine:

- is Windows SP2 Beta 2055 installed ?

- is 'EnableCocurrentSessions' DWord regkey added and set to 1?

- is 'Welcome Screen' & 'Fast User Switching' enabled?

- do the accounts have passwords and admin rights (or added to 'Remote Desktop' user group)?

- are u connecting with 2 different accounts? (eg local loggon and remote loggon must be different users)

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briangw

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As said before, you cant log on with the same account twice. If you are logged on the desktop as weasel, you must connect remotely with a different account - try connecting remotely using 'Sara' when 'weasel' is connected locally, and vice versa.

I had troubles myself initially - summary of things to check on the SP2 machine:

- is Windows SP2 Beta 2055 installed ?

- is 'EnableCocurrentSessions' DWord regkey added and set to 1?

- is 'Welcome Screen' & 'Fast User Switching' enabled?

- do the accounts have passwords and admin rights (or added to 'Remote Desktop' user group)?

- are u connecting with 2 different accounts? (eg local loggon and remote loggon must be different users)

OK, now I'm getting confused and I'm probably expecting this do act like PC Anywhere, but I feel I'm about to be disappointed. Doesn't concurrent sessions mean that my laptop should connect to the desktop and I should be able too control the desktop without the desktop logging out? Meaning, if I put my laptop next to my desktop, everything I see on my laptop should be replicating exactly on th desktop, ala PC Anywhere? If not, what does Concurrent Sessions mean then?

As far as I'm concerned, Remote Desktop is doing the same thing as before I installed SP2.

Oh, and all of your tips were done both on the laptop and the desktop.

Edited by briangw
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DigitalFreedom

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OK, now I'm getting confused and I'm probably expecting this do act like PC Anywhere, but I feel I'm about to be disappointed. Doesn't concurrent sessions mean that my laptop should connect to the desktop and I should be able too control the desktop without the desktop logging out? Meaning, if I put my laptop next to my desktop, everything I see on my laptop should be replicating exactly on th desktop, ala PC Anywhere? If not, what does Concurrent Sessions mean then?

As far as I'm concerned, Remote Desktop is doing the same thing as before I installed SP2.

Oh, and all of your tips were done both on the laptop and the desktop.

yes that is right, BUT its a bit diffrent, if your logged on(weassl), and you logon as a diffrent user remotely(sara) it will not kick you off. BUT in SP1 nomatter who logged on (weassl) or (sara) it would always kick you off the comp and locxk you out till your finished uing your desktop remotely

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briangw

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yes that is right, BUT its a bit diffrent, if your logged on(weassl), and you logon as a diffrent user remotely(sara) it will not kick you off. BUT in SP1 nomatter who logged on (weassl) or (sara) it would always kick you off the comp and locxk you out till your finished uing your desktop remotely

OK, so what you're saying is that as long as "Sara" is not logged in, but "weasel" is, I can access Sara's session, and not affect weasel's from being logged out, provided that I'm not logged into my laptop as "weasel". correct?

hmmm. I'm thinking PC Anywhere or VNC might be something I would rather use if I want to see a session that's already logged in, without having Windows log me out of the remote PC.

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Leif

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question: i got it a working but... sometimes i need to disconnect or connect to the user currently logged on. but i get the message prompt "cannot interactivly lof on" what does that mean? i can log on to say john smith but i am unable to log on to jane doe and it gives me that prompt

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xerox

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Old post, I know, but in case someone is interested...

This is how I do it, only two steps, it seems much easier, and works like a charm:

XP SP2 lets you run two sessions (one local console and one remote desktop) concurrently. You must use a different user for each session.
To enable concurrent sessions, perform the following steps: 

Start a registry editor (e.g., regedit.exe). 
Navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\Licensing Core registry subkey. 
From the Edit menu, select New, DWORD Value. 
Enter the name " EnableConcurrentSessions " then press Enter. 
Double-click the new value, then set it to 1. 

Microsoft has removed this feature in builds later than 2055, so: 
You have to copy 2055's termsrv.dll over your current one in system32...
Use Replacer to overwrite the original termsrv.dll with the supplied one.
Just follow the instructions given by Replacer, and you won't even have to do it in Safe Mode.

Reboot and enjoy :)

SP2_Concurrent_sessions.zip

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