RDC Console connection locks up server

[flouie]

I'm having a very strange issue with Remote Desktop on one server in which if
I RDC with the /console switch it always locks up the server and I have to do
a hard reset, but RDC works find when used w/o the /console switch. Anyone
else encounter this problem and how to fix it? Thanks.

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

I understand that you run 2003, but are you running SP1 on the
server?
Does this happen only when there is an active console session
(someone is logged into the physical console, and you try to take
over the console session remotely), or also when there is no console
session at all?
Are you using the Administrator account? With the right to logon
locally?

What *exactly* do you mean with "locks up"?
Is the session protected by a password protected screen saver?
Do the keyboard and mouse work in the session?
If not, can you logon to the physical console of the server?
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

Post by flouie
I'm having a very strange issue with Remote Desktop on one
server in which if I RDC with the /console switch it always
locks up the server and I have to do a hard reset, but RDC works
find when used w/o the /console switch. Anyone else encounter
this problem and how to fix it? Thanks.

[flouie]

Yes it is on 2003 server SP1.
It happens even right after a reboot and nobody has even logged in yet via
direct or RDC. When you RDC with the /console switch it prompts for login
info (tried using both a domain admin account and the local administrator
account) after supplying the login info you press enter and it just locks up
or hangs meaning you can now no longer login to the server via direct console
or via another RDC session without the /console switch. RDC will work
indefinitely if you don't use the /console switch and you can login directly
from the console indefinitely until someone tries to RDC with the /console
switch and then the server just become unresponsive and had to do a hard
reboot.

Post by Vera Noest [MVP]
I understand that you run 2003, but are you running SP1 on the
server?
Does this happen only when there is an active console session
(someone is logged into the physical console, and you try to take
over the console session remotely), or also when there is no console
session at all?
Are you using the Administrator account? With the right to logon
locally?
What *exactly* do you mean with "locks up"?
Is the session protected by a password protected screen saver?
Do the keyboard and mouse work in the session?
If not, can you logon to the physical console of the server?
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

Post by flouie
I'm having a very strange issue with Remote Desktop on one
server in which if I RDC with the /console switch it always
locks up the server and I have to do a hard reset, but RDC works
find when used w/o the /console switch. Anyone else encounter
this problem and how to fix it? Thanks.

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

That's weird! And nothing in the EventLog, I assume, besides the
"the previous shutdown was unexpected" Event?
You might enable verbose logging of userenv, maybe that shows you
some more information:

221833 - How to enable user environment debug logging in retail
builds of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=221833

Does this happen from all clients? With the latest version of the
rdp client installed? (the one that comes with 2003 SP1).

If it's not a client issue, I would call Microsoft Support. I
cannot remember having heard of a similar issue before.
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
*----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

Post by flouie
Yes it is on 2003 server SP1.
It happens even right after a reboot and nobody has even logged
in yet via direct or RDC. When you RDC with the /console switch
it prompts for login info (tried using both a domain admin
account and the local administrator account) after supplying the
login info you press enter and it just locks up or hangs meaning
you can now no longer login to the server via direct console or
via another RDC session without the /console switch. RDC will
work indefinitely if you don't use the /console switch and you
can login directly from the console indefinitely until someone
tries to RDC with the /console switch and then the server just
become unresponsive and had to do a hard reboot.

Post by Vera Noest [MVP]
I understand that you run 2003, but are you running SP1 on the
server?
Does this happen only when there is an active console session
(someone is logged into the physical console, and you try to
take over the console session remotely), or also when there is
no console session at all?
Are you using the Administrator account? With the right to
logon locally?
What *exactly* do you mean with "locks up"?
Is the session protected by a password protected screen saver?
Do the keyboard and mouse work in the session?
If not, can you logon to the physical console of the server?
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

Post by flouie
I'm having a very strange issue with Remote Desktop on one
server in which if I RDC with the /console switch it always
locks up the server and I have to do a hard reset, but RDC
works find when used w/o the /console switch. Anyone else
encounter this problem and how to fix it? Thanks.

[flouie]

Yeah, nothing shows up in the eventlogs even with the debugging turned on
which I've already tried.

I happens on all client versions. Microsoft's answer was to reinstall the
OS which is not a viable solution.

Post by Vera Noest [MVP]
That's weird! And nothing in the EventLog, I assume, besides the
"the previous shutdown was unexpected" Event?
You might enable verbose logging of userenv, maybe that shows you
221833 - How to enable user environment debug logging in retail
builds of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=221833
Does this happen from all clients? With the latest version of the
rdp client installed? (the one that comes with 2003 SP1).
If it's not a client issue, I would call Microsoft Support. I
cannot remember having heard of a similar issue before.
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
*----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

Post by flouie
Yes it is on 2003 server SP1.
It happens even right after a reboot and nobody has even logged
in yet via direct or RDC. When you RDC with the /console switch
it prompts for login info (tried using both a domain admin
account and the local administrator account) after supplying the
login info you press enter and it just locks up or hangs meaning
you can now no longer login to the server via direct console or
via another RDC session without the /console switch. RDC will
work indefinitely if you don't use the /console switch and you
can login directly from the console indefinitely until someone
tries to RDC with the /console switch and then the server just
become unresponsive and had to do a hard reboot.

Post by Vera Noest [MVP]
I understand that you run 2003, but are you running SP1 on the
server?
Does this happen only when there is an active console session
(someone is logged into the physical console, and you try to
take over the console session remotely), or also when there is
no console session at all?
Are you using the Administrator account? With the right to
logon locally?
What *exactly* do you mean with "locks up"?
Is the session protected by a password protected screen saver?
Do the keyboard and mouse work in the session?
If not, can you logon to the physical console of the server?
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

Post by flouie
I'm having a very strange issue with Remote Desktop on one
server in which if I RDC with the /console switch it always
locks up the server and I have to do a hard reset, but RDC
works find when used w/o the /console switch. Anyone else
encounter this problem and how to fix it? Thanks.

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

OK, seems you have already tried most troubleshooting options.
I understand that a reinstall can be a major problem, but it could
well be the only way to get rid of this, since it's not a known bug
with a known solutions, as far as I know.

Only work-around would be to stop using the console switch
alltogether and install VNC.
But then you have to live with the thought: "what else can be wrong
with this server?"
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

Post by flouie
Yeah, nothing shows up in the eventlogs even with the debugging
turned on which I've already tried.
I happens on all client versions. Microsoft's answer was to
reinstall the OS which is not a viable solution.

Post by Vera Noest [MVP]
That's weird! And nothing in the EventLog, I assume, besides
the "the previous shutdown was unexpected" Event?
You might enable verbose logging of userenv, maybe that shows
221833 - How to enable user environment debug logging in retail
builds of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=221833
Does this happen from all clients? With the latest version of
the rdp client installed? (the one that comes with 2003 SP1).
If it's not a client issue, I would call Microsoft Support. I
cannot remember having heard of a similar issue before.
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
*----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

Post by flouie
Yes it is on 2003 server SP1.
It happens even right after a reboot and nobody has even
logged in yet via direct or RDC. When you RDC with the
/console switch it prompts for login info (tried using both a
domain admin account and the local administrator account)
after supplying the login info you press enter and it just
locks up or hangs meaning you can now no longer login to the
server via direct console or via another RDC session without
the /console switch. RDC will work indefinitely if you don't
use the /console switch and you can login directly from the
console indefinitely until someone tries to RDC with the
/console switch and then the server just become unresponsive
and had to do a hard reboot.

Post by Vera Noest [MVP]
I understand that you run 2003, but are you running SP1 on
the server?
Does this happen only when there is an active console
session (someone is logged into the physical console, and
you try to take over the console session remotely), or also
when there is no console session at all?
Are you using the Administrator account? With the right to
logon locally?
What *exactly* do you mean with "locks up"?
Is the session protected by a password protected screen
saver? Do the keyboard and mouse work in the session?
If not, can you logon to the physical console of the server?
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___
wrote on 08 aug 2006 in

Post by flouie
I'm having a very strange issue with Remote Desktop on one
server in which if I RDC with the /console switch it
always locks up the server and I have to do a hard reset,
but RDC works find when used w/o the /console switch.
Anyone else encounter this problem and how to fix it?
Thanks.

[TP]

Hi, I have some suggestions just in case you haven't tried them
already:

- Run SFC /scannow
- Run chkdsk c: /r
- Update video driver
- Update server firmware
- Run a repair install
- Run tstst.exe utility and examine output for anything strange. You
need to download this utility from Microsoft, it is part of the Platform
Support Reporting utilities, specifically Directory Services. By default
it is installed in C:\WINDOWS\MPSReports\DirSvc\Bin. Sample
output of tstst is included at the end of this message.
- Examine TS registry keys/values against a known good 2003 SP1
server. I would start with HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server

Please let me know if you have any questions.

-TP

Post by flouie

Sample tstst.exe output, yours will differ some due to different configurations

Machine Name...............................TS86
Domain Name................................CONTOSO
Site Name..................................Default-First-Site-Name
IP Address.................................207.46.130.
System Dir.................................C:\WINDOWS\system32
ProductType................................VER_NT_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER
ProductSuite...............................VER_SUITE_TERMINAL
TS Version.................................5.2
Is this a server machine?..................Its a Server
Is tsoc.log Present?.......................Passed
Did TsOC get CompleteInstallationMessage...Passed
Does ProductSuite Contain TS?..............Passed
Did OCM Install TSEnable...................Skipped Test
Is TSEnabled registry alright?.............Passed
Is Kernel TSEnabled?.......................Passed
Is Terminal Server Registry Ok?............Passed
GetWinstationList..........................Console, RDP-Tcp(3389)
Is TermServ Start Bit Ok?..................AutoStart
Is TermServ service running?...............Passed
Termsrv Service Command....................%SystemRoot%\System32\svchost.exe -k termsvcs
Is Listner session Present ?...............Passed
Is TermSrv in System Context?..............Passed
AreEffectiveConnectionAllowed..............Allowed
Are Connections Allowed?...................Yes
Are Remote Logons allowed by winlogon?.....Passed
Is RdpDr Installed Properly?...............Passed
Is RdpNP in NetProviders?..................Passed
Are Multipal Connections Allowed...........Yes
Are Video keys setup right?................Passed
What mode is Terminal Server set in?.......Application Server
What is permission Mode set to?............Its W2k Compatible
Check termdd signature.....................Passed
Check tdpipe signature.....................Passed
Check tdtcp signature......................Passed
Check rdpwd signature......................Passed
Check rdpdd signature......................Passed
Check rdpwsx signature.....................Passed
Is this a Beta System?.....................Its RTM

Unknown OS. Assume no grace period
Has Licence GracePeriod Expired............Its Not expired
Audio test.................................Passed
Details:Running in a session
Audio is not redirected
------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Licensing Servers (May take some time)........Passed, Found Some!
Extracting Related Events from Event Log...

Post by flouie

End Sample

Yeah, nothing shows up in the eventlogs even with the debugging
turned on which I've already tried.
I happens on all client versions. Microsoft's answer was to
reinstall the OS which is not a viable solution.