Terminal Service: Connect and/or Shadow to a Console Session...

(注：似乎要Win2K以后的系统才支持)

crosspost from http://blogs.msdn.com/rextang

Seems some of my friends still didn't know how to use Microsoft Terminal Service Client to connect to the console session of a windows pc (server or client OS) so here is a memo for it also during the search I found the other interesting thing that can let Terminal Service to function like a VNC server (2 users share the same session, called "shadow session" here).

By reading this KB, to connect to the console session, just using the "-console" parameter on command line:

mstsc -v:servername -console

sometimes it's not that convenient to open a cmd window and type the command, my way is to duplicate the Remote Desktop Connection shortcut and on the target command input to plus the "-console" argument.

also there is a way to share the same session by using the shadow ability of terminal service connection. document here for further reference. (for full setup guide refer to the KB pointed above)

1.Open the Group Policy snap-in (Gpedit.msc).

2.In the left pane, under the Computer Configuration branch, expand the Administrative Templates branch.

3.Expand the Windows Components branch.

4.Click the Terminal Services folder.

5.In the right pane, double-click Sets rules for remote control of Terminal Services user sessions.

6.On the Setting tab, click Enabled.

7.In the Options box, click Full Control with users' permission, and then click OK.

8. (added!) open a cmd window and use command "gpupdate /force" to force a group policy update of the local machine.

by doing so to set up the permission of using shadow function.

now, open a non-console terminal service session to the same machine and using a cmd window to type "shadow 0" to shadow to the console window. to exit the shadow on this session just press "Ctrl + * " (the * seems have to use the * key at the number pad, which is not there if using most of notebook keyboard. wondering if there are settings to change the key map.)

Now terminal service connection can perform console manipulation also be used like a VNC viewer.

Check Terminal Service Team Blog for more further information.

FYI.