Enable Concurrent Sessions in XP SP2 RC1

By y_notm
in Microsoft (Windows)

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y_notm

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OK, so I really wanted this feature on my computer but didn't want to be stuck on SP2 beta 1 until longhorn comes out (4051 has concurrent sessions enabled by default BTW), so I started snooping around the system32 folder in Windows XP. After finding the dlls controlling terminal services, I spent the last 2 days downloading the full xpsp2.exe beta 1. I grabbed the 2 files (that I found while searching) that were related to terminal services and started some testing.

My Results (and how to enable concurrent sessions)

1. First, open regedit and navigate to the key HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\Licensing Core

2. Create a new Registry DWORD called "EnableConcurrentSessions" and assign it a value of 1

3. Open a command prompt and delete termsrv.dll from %systemroot%\ServicePackFiles\i386\

4. Still in the command prompt, rename termsrv.dll in system32 to something else (like termsrv.old)

5. (key step) Copy termsrv.dll from SP2 beta 1 (build 2055) to system32

6. reboot

Multiple sessions should now be enabled on your machine. Note: you must have the welcome screen and fast user switching enabled for concurrent sessions to function properly.

a word of caution: this causes the termsrv.dll file to be outdated, and it won't include any of the fixes that the RC1 file has had since beta 1. I don't know of any security fixes or bugs that have been patched in Sp2 for terminal services, so its not a big deal for me. But for others this may not be so. It would be nice if someone would throw the two dlls in some kind of decompiler, find the differences between the two, and possibly create a fix for current versions of the dll.

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y_notm

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Hrrm - I wonder if that means users of those 'Smart Displays' will be able to use both at once :/. My reasoning is that when smart displays were released, it figured that they used remote desktop to work.

yes, that was what prompted the inclusion of concurrent sessions in SP2. But they took it out in later buidls and decided to add that functionality in a later smart display update

  • 2 weeks later...
Neowinian

aletheuo

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FYI - just upgraded from SP1 to SP2 RC1 (2096) and concurrent sessions was enabled and working with the instructions posted at the top of this thread... until I installed the Microsoft Updates for SP2 RC1 and then it didn't work anymore. (termsrv.dll was not replaced by the updates... still was 2055 one)

So, I began uninstalling the updates one at a time from the bottom of the list in "Add/Remove Programs - show updates" - after I uninstalled the 2nd one from the bottom (sorry, don't remember the exact name of it but it was a March Beta patch I think) I had concurrent users working again in SP2. Yes! Back in business.

It sure would be nice to know which file was replaced in that beta to break concurrent sessions. If someone knows please post here.

Neowinian

aafflyer

Posted
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Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried the termsvr.dll 2055 with XP Pro SP1 and the registry change to see if concurrent sessions automaticly come to life in SP1?

I'd really like to get remote access into a media server PC I built, but I don't want to royally screw it up if bad things happen. It's been countless hours and may tweaks to get the thing right, and while I'd love to log in from the laptop while I'm using the machine via the TV, I'm gun shy.

Any one up for trying?

Charlie

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