RDP/Terminal Server hangs

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Hi All,

This has been driving me and Google mad for the last dew days....

I normally use RDP from an XP Pro box to connect to any of the mail servers at work, which are running Windows 2000 Advanced Server with Terminal Services in Remote Admin mode. This works wonderfully, meaning I can remote them all from work or even home over the weekend (sad, I know !!!)

Anyway, this week I put another 3 servers online, exact same config as the existing ones, but two of them, when I try to remote in, it connects, but hangs on authentication, until ultimately the connection is lost. (User and pass are correct, trust me !) Thing is, if I fully restart the server, I can remote in first time straight away.

All of the existing servers, plus one of the new ones work absolutely perfectly, and ALL have same service packs, updates, etc from images.

I've found a few things on Google, mostly from MS, referring to reg keys, but when I've checked the registry, all is as it should be.

Anyone experienced anything similar ??? Thanks in advance

 

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yes,
i have experianced the same problem, both at my previous work
and at home, with my XP pro box

i would either VPN from home to my XP box at work

or connect from my Gentoo laptop to my XP workstation

occasionaly, it wont authenticate and will hang
and I will NOT be able to get it to work until i reboot the XP box

I also loose the background on the XP box (as i have it set to not display BG image over RDP)

its bloody annoying as hell, especially when im in the US trying to troubleshoot probs at work and need to have someone reset my box every day

perhaps we can share findings, or if anyone else has ANY info regarding this it would be most appreciated

PS: the problem has prooved evident across SP0 SP1 and SP2
nothing has fixed it yet

 

Yeah, even MS ackowledge it is a known issue. Thing is, the actual mail servers are continuing to run fine, as I can still telnet them, and when I DO get in, the logs are uninterrupted.


Nothing even shows up as abnormal in the Event logs either.

I agree, Ryan - this looks like a joint case together. Will keep you posted if I hear anything.

Anyone else, Guys ?...........


EDIT: Thinking on this more. If I use TS manager locally on the server, it sees the sessions just fine, and can disconnect them as normal.
Also, Both my home PC and work PC experience the same thing, so it's neither PC in particular - possibly a problem with MS's implementation of RDP within TCP/IP. But then, you'd think they would have fixed that by SP2, eh ?

Also, I've removed and re-installed TS on the server twice, and same damn problem.....

 

I may be missing something as I don't have to do this type of thing myself, but would it be worth installing another vnc server on the mail servers or does this have security implications over the MS offerings?

More of a work around than a solution I know but it's all I could come up with!

 

I suppose it's an idea, Shauny, but you'll know yourself - when you run into a problem like this, you'd far rather solve it than work around it. Especially when you hear of someone else with the exact same situation.


Thanks for taking the time, all the same

 

VNC is utter shite
it lags over a LAN, let alone a WAN/VPN, its riddled with security holes, and it really just a pile of poo!

forgive my ubrupt comments, its the bane of my existence! lol

trying to troubleshoot over VNC is like trying to get a one armed monkey to play a symphany (no offence to one armed monkeys)

there is the NX server (and FreeNX) and then there is Citrix, but i dont think they are supposed be used for admin purposes, more for heavy terminal server usage (as the price indicates)

I havnt used NX or FreeNX much, perhaps this has admin functionality (its supposed to be as fast as RDP if not faster, and is cross platform)

 

*bump*

Ok, guys - your all at work now - any more ideas here ...?

 

I'va had a look around and asked some guys but no news I'm afraid.

When you telnet in are you able to restart the rdp or whatever service TS runs as, save doing a reboot? Its only a work-around but it may allow you to start a connection without having to reboot.

Sorry not to be more help, looks like its a stinker.

 

unfortunatly the RDP service cannot be restarted, which is half the problem :/

 

It definitely looks like its an unclean disconnection at the end of the session, which explains why after a reboot, you get in just fine, but from then on, nada !

Still no further forward tho

 

what happens if you try a different account after you log in the 1st time Gav?

 

Looking to try this right now, Phil, and as I was creating a new admin account, I started to get some odd RPC errors (not like Blaster tho - no shutdowns) which meant I couldn't create the account properly

I'm looking into this closer tomight, and will report my findings ....

 

Logging on with a different account seems to work, Phil, but I dont want to have to use a different account for every session.


Just noticed, when I log back off, and try to go back on with the original account, it still hangs. So in theory (ie I'm trying it right now) logging on with the second account will at least let me restart the server, and in turn log back in with the original account.

Interestingly, when I go to shut down from the second account, it detects that the orginial one is still connected. :hhhmmm

That give you any more thoughts Guys ?

 

Sounds like you are leaving a session active that the server can't access again. Make sure that you select the option to end (or is it reset) a disconnected session in the Terminal services tab of the account you use to connect to the TS.

HTH

 

Thanks Luton, I'd already tried that, but no improvement.


But, with very quiet hesitation, I can announce, that following Phil's advice, I've now found that logging on with a separate account from Administrator (although still a member of admins), I can get on seemingly every time.

Bit too early to party just yet, but I'll keep an eye on this and update you all later.

Hey Ryan, does it make any difference for you ?


EDIT: I do declare it looks pretty stable, but I'll keep an eye on things and let you know...THANKS PHIL