Discussion:
Advanced display options
(too old to reply)
Scott Russell
2006-01-19 16:29:05 UTC
Permalink
I have users on a Windows 2000 terminal server that want to change the
Windows resolution DPI value of their desktops. The problem is that the
advanced tab in their display properties window is greyed out. I thought
that maybe it was a group policy in effect, but it doesn't appear so.

Is this an option that can be changed in TS?
Patrick Rouse
2006-01-19 23:16:03 UTC
Permalink
This is probably controlled by the client setting, as it's also greyed out
when logged in as an administrator.
--
Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://www.sessioncomputing.com
Post by Scott Russell
I have users on a Windows 2000 terminal server that want to change the
Windows resolution DPI value of their desktops. The problem is that the
advanced tab in their display properties window is greyed out. I thought
that maybe it was a group policy in effect, but it doesn't appear so.
Is this an option that can be changed in TS?
Ram Reddy
2006-01-19 23:30:02 UTC
Permalink
The Advanced Tab will be grayed out by default when you make a RDP session in
to the server.

Also 256 Colors (8 bit) is the maximum color Depth supported with
Windows-2000 TS server. You can go up to 24 Bit Color Depth in Windows-2003.
--
Ram Reddy
MCSE
Post by Scott Russell
I have users on a Windows 2000 terminal server that want to change the
Windows resolution DPI value of their desktops. The problem is that the
advanced tab in their display properties window is greyed out. I thought
that maybe it was a group policy in effect, but it doesn't appear so.
Is this an option that can be changed in TS?
Patrick Rouse
2006-01-19 23:58:01 UTC
Permalink
But can you confirm that the DPI setting is changeable somehow, i.e. does the
session inherit the client setting? I don't know, but haven't really loojed
either, since no one has ever asked me this, and I've never even changed this
setting on anyone's workstation.
--
Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://www.sessioncomputing.com
Post by Ram Reddy
The Advanced Tab will be grayed out by default when you make a RDP session in
to the server.
Also 256 Colors (8 bit) is the maximum color Depth supported with
Windows-2000 TS server. You can go up to 24 Bit Color Depth in Windows-2003.
--
Ram Reddy
MCSE
Post by Scott Russell
I have users on a Windows 2000 terminal server that want to change the
Windows resolution DPI value of their desktops. The problem is that the
advanced tab in their display properties window is greyed out. I thought
that maybe it was a group policy in effect, but it doesn't appear so.
Is this an option that can be changed in TS?
Ram Reddy
2006-01-20 00:26:01 UTC
Permalink
Yes. It actually gets from the Client .
I tested this on a Windows-2003 TS. On the server, from Terminal Server
Configuration ->Client Settings -> Check the value for 'Limit maximum Color
Depth' . With this setting you can allow up to 24 Bit.

From the Client TS Client, Set the resolution, RDP Client ->Options
->Display->Colors. You can't override server setting from the client. Eg. If
the server setting is restricted to 8 Bit then you will get only 8 bit
session, even if the client setting is set to 24 Bit.

The Advanced TAB will be grayed out even with a Console Session on
Windows-2003 server.
The Advanced TAB is to configure Graphic Controller card.

I have faced this issue with Windows-2000 TS. The Color is restricted to Max
of 256 Colors and by default every RDP session gets this setting.
--
Ram Reddy
MCSE
Post by Patrick Rouse
But can you confirm that the DPI setting is changeable somehow, i.e. does the
session inherit the client setting? I don't know, but haven't really loojed
either, since no one has ever asked me this, and I've never even changed this
setting on anyone's workstation.
--
Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://www.sessioncomputing.com
Post by Ram Reddy
The Advanced Tab will be grayed out by default when you make a RDP session in
to the server.
Also 256 Colors (8 bit) is the maximum color Depth supported with
Windows-2000 TS server. You can go up to 24 Bit Color Depth in Windows-2003.
--
Ram Reddy
MCSE
Post by Scott Russell
I have users on a Windows 2000 terminal server that want to change the
Windows resolution DPI value of their desktops. The problem is that the
advanced tab in their display properties window is greyed out. I thought
that maybe it was a group policy in effect, but it doesn't appear so.
Is this an option that can be changed in TS?
Patrick Rouse
2006-01-20 06:26:02 UTC
Permalink
The problem is that Scott is NOT referring to the color depth, but rather the
DPI. I changed the DPI setting on my XP Pro client, then logged onto a 2003
Terminal Server Session and the settings were not transferred to the session.

You might want to check if changing this setting on the server's console
affects all sessions. If it doesn't, you could check where this setting is
recorded in the registry and apply this to the user's that need this setting.
--
Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://www.sessioncomputing.com
Post by Ram Reddy
Yes. It actually gets from the Client .
I tested this on a Windows-2003 TS. On the server, from Terminal Server
Configuration ->Client Settings -> Check the value for 'Limit maximum Color
Depth' . With this setting you can allow up to 24 Bit.
From the Client TS Client, Set the resolution, RDP Client ->Options
->Display->Colors. You can't override server setting from the client. Eg. If
the server setting is restricted to 8 Bit then you will get only 8 bit
session, even if the client setting is set to 24 Bit.
The Advanced TAB will be grayed out even with a Console Session on
Windows-2003 server.
The Advanced TAB is to configure Graphic Controller card.
I have faced this issue with Windows-2000 TS. The Color is restricted to Max
of 256 Colors and by default every RDP session gets this setting.
--
Ram Reddy
MCSE
Post by Patrick Rouse
But can you confirm that the DPI setting is changeable somehow, i.e. does the
session inherit the client setting? I don't know, but haven't really loojed
either, since no one has ever asked me this, and I've never even changed this
setting on anyone's workstation.
--
Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://www.sessioncomputing.com
Post by Ram Reddy
The Advanced Tab will be grayed out by default when you make a RDP session in
to the server.
Also 256 Colors (8 bit) is the maximum color Depth supported with
Windows-2000 TS server. You can go up to 24 Bit Color Depth in Windows-2003.
--
Ram Reddy
MCSE
Post by Scott Russell
I have users on a Windows 2000 terminal server that want to change the
Windows resolution DPI value of their desktops. The problem is that the
advanced tab in their display properties window is greyed out. I thought
that maybe it was a group policy in effect, but it doesn't appear so.
Is this an option that can be changed in TS?
Vera Noest [MVP]
2006-01-20 20:42:37 UTC
Permalink
Haven't tested it, but this article seems to imply that the DPI
setting in the sessions is taken from the settings on the server.

891315 - You cannot see all the screen element text if you use the
large size (120 DPI) display DPI setting on a Windows Server 2003
Terminal Server
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=891315

_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
SQL troubleshooting: http://sql.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

"=?Utf-8?B?UGF0cmljayBSb3VzZQ==?="
Post by Patrick Rouse
The problem is that Scott is NOT referring to the color depth,
but rather the DPI. I changed the DPI setting on my XP Pro
client, then logged onto a 2003 Terminal Server Session and the
settings were not transferred to the session.
You might want to check if changing this setting on the server's
console affects all sessions. If it doesn't, you could check
where this setting is recorded in the registry and apply this to
the user's that need this setting.
zzzzzz
2006-02-24 17:44:27 UTC
Permalink
In Win2003 the Terminal Services Group Policy snap-in has a setting called
LimitColorDepth which creates a registry setting in keys under:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Terminal Server

If this key were added to Win2k server, would the RDP client not recognize
it and allow more than 256 colors?

Thanks for the help.

brendan
Post by Ram Reddy
Also 256 Colors (8 bit) is the maximum color Depth supported with
Windows-2000 TS server. You can go up to 24 Bit Color Depth in Windows-2003.
--
Ram Reddy
MCSE
Vera Noest [MVP]
2006-02-24 21:45:40 UTC
Permalink
Why don't you try it yourself?
Note that the limitation is in the server, not the client.
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
SQL troubleshooting: http://sql.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___
Post by zzzzzz
In Win2003 the Terminal Services Group Policy snap-in has a
setting called LimitColorDepth which creates a registry setting
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Terminal
Server
If this key were added to Win2k server, would the RDP client not
recognize it and allow more than 256 colors?
Thanks for the help.
brendan
Post by Ram Reddy
Also 256 Colors (8 bit) is the maximum color Depth supported
with Windows-2000 TS server. You can go up to 24 Bit Color
Depth in Windows-2003. --
Ram Reddy
MCSE
TP
2006-02-24 23:51:52 UTC
Permalink
I like your answer.

Who knows, maybe he will find the hidden method
that makes RDP 5.0 support high-color. If so I
think I will hire him to find the secret registry entry
that enables drive redirection and seamless windows
as well.

Cheers.

-TP
Post by Vera Noest [MVP]
Why don't you try it yourself?
Note that the limitation is in the server, not the client.
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
SQL troubleshooting: http://sql.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___
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