Edit: I have now made a patch zip file for Vista SP1 32bit available here: http://www.unet.fi/fransblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/termsrv_sp1.zip (hope it works for you, it did ok for my Home Premium SP1. However, note that I am not the original author of this hack, and can not offer any detailed technical help if something goes wrong; use only on your own responsibility, etc. Note that this does NOT work for the 64bit Vista.) — Note: commenting currently disabled (the thread is getting too long…)
There are many nice, but also quite many really irritating aspects to Windows Vista. Some are due to Microsoft intentionally crippling their own products. One of the most tiresome has been the disabling of Remote Desktop Connection. If you have to run down the stairs every time to check whether a particular process has ended or not, it gets old really quick, and double so when you realise that Vista Home Premium actually includes fully-featured Remote Desktop service, it is just broken by design. Here are the instructions to turn it back on — thanks a lot, guys!
Steps to Add Remote Desktop to Vista Home Premium:
1. Download termsrv.zip here
2. Extract Termsrv.zip to a temp directory
3. Start “Command Prompt” in Administrator mode (Run As Administrator)
4. Run the corresponding batch file for your Vista edition
5. Allow TCP Port 3389 on Windows Firewall or any other firewall product.
6. Done
See: TonyChan.Org Blogs – Remote Desktop on your Windows Vista Home Premium.
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Seem to be hogging the blog, not intentional. Found problem with Zone Alarm on computer B. Uninstalled it and Computer A can now VNC to B, but still same error running Remote Desktop A to B…
I was able to run everything without an error. And I am able to get into my vista machine from XP.
However, when I open remote desktop and type in the name of my 2nd computer I get an error. I need some help. The only other details about my computer is that its on my school network but that didnt effect XP. It reads:
The computer can’t connect to the remote computer.
Remote Desktop cannot find the remote computer. Type the computer name or IP address again, and then try connecting. If problem continues, contact the owner of the remote computer or network.
Please help!
I have finally solved the problem of the Vista Home Premium box not Remote Destoping to the XP Pro box. I was getting the message : “This computer can’t connect to the remote computer. Try connecting again If this promblem continues please contact……. ”
I mentioned in a previous post that the Vista box also has XP Pro on it and the XP side couldn’t connect to box B either! Yes, it was a problem with box B! Terminal Services was not running on box B! Duh…
I don’t know if I turned it off, or it was off by default, but setting Terminal Services to automatic, and starting it fixed the problem.
BBR, check the box you are trying to connect to. Bet TS is off on it, too!
Thanks again to the folks that developed the fix for Vista Home Premium.
I just check the TS on the system I’m trying to connect to. It was running. I then made sure that remote desktop wasn’t blocked by any firewalls.
Still no progress.
When I view remote properties on the system menu in Vista…I still only have the top box for remote assistance. Does this need to change?
And do I need to change anything on my xp machine so that I can enter it from vista?
BBR: The only other thing I can think of is I did copy the termsrv.dll from the patch kit to windows/system32 folder of the box before I found the Terminal Services wasn’t running.
Hi Everyone,
I found a work-around for my issue above. If you, like me, are unable to connect to your remote desktop session a second time after a dropped session, you can reboot your home PC via Telnet using the following process:
1) Install the Telnet server (and, to test, the Telnet client) on your home Vista machine. See the following website for more details:
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/81b6d4b7-905e-4d70-8379-7934913fedb01033.mspx
2) Create an account (for me, this was another Admin account) on your home Vista machine that is identical to your remote machine. Same user id, same password. I connect to my home Vista machine from my work XP machine.
Part II to follow…
This worked amazingly well, even on SP2. Great find!
thanks Fran, it worked like charm on home Home Premium. i read some part of replies and seems some have problem with permission. you may need to try this; unzip the file, right click on batch file you need and there is a option to run it as administrator. i rebooted my desktop to be sure. i modified RDP listener but his was my need.
good luck
How safe is this? This didn’t just open up my connection to the whole world via remote desktop did it?
Why isn’t the comment system working?
Kenshin,
Go into the Windows Firewall and restrict Port 3389 to certain IP addresses. That will keep your computer safe!
Regards,
Don
I installed with admin privileges, but I get a “host process for windows services” error every time I start terminal services, with the registry patch, or if I start manually. Any ideas? using Vista SP2 home premium
install patch ok, but terminal services always closes with “host process for windows services”. Restart no help. Vista home premium SP2. Any thoughts?
installed patch ok, but terminal services always closes with “host process for windows services”. Restart no help. Vista home premium SP2. Any thoughts?
Did you run with admin privilages?
I use vista with sp2 and have had no problems.
Also, not that anyone would ever want to undo this miracle? But if i wanted to go about setting everything back how would i do that? sorry if that is a really dumb question.
When installing this, is the service supposed to be listening? am i missing something? I dont see the option for remote desktop in my options.
Pausing 5 seconds to give service time to start listening
Checking if Service is listening on port 3389
Service is not listening
Done
Press any key to continue . . .
1060 error while stopping/starting Terminal services:
The service is not installed.
How can I solve this issue? I suppose, the command “net start ‘Terminal Services’” should work at any OS disregarding the OS language (I’m using the russian version). What am I doing wrong?
I am a complete newbie(Im told to say that so i can get easier directions). i just got a new laptop and want to transfer files from my old desktop. I know I can use other methods, but Im curious on how to use the remote connection.
I have it on both computers, but Im not sure what to type in for the computer name. I tried the ip, the computer name, and the workgroup. It said I need a domain or something but I cant find it anywhere. And no its not in sys properties under change domain.
Ive looked up help and found something on the Microsoft site that said you cant connect To a Vista Home Premium, which I have on both computers, but other help pages mention nothing about it. HELP!
Run command in admin mode. Installs OK but when I go into the registry, I dont see the registry patches applied. Even manually dbl click the .reg file – still does not import the registry values.
OK. So registry imported fine in safe mode. Now, when I try to connect to this vista SP2 x86 host, i even see a login dialog box but it still cant connect. I dont see an error on either side – event log is clean. I dont know what is going on.
since upgrading to sp2 on vista home premium desktop i can remote TO my laptop with xp but cant remote from laptop xp to desktop vista. Used to work fine. any help? I did not change any settings on either computer.
which termsrv zip file do i use for vista sp2? please disregard the last post as i wasn’t looking at the dates of the posts and didnt read far enough back
I love things that just work!
Great work!
Jason
@Poof, I read on Microsoft’s website that remote desktop connection does not work on Windows Vista Home Premium, meaning that you can connect to another Vista version like Business or to XP but you cannot connect to your Home Premium.
@24 100below
It doesn’t work because Microsoft disabled it to make people buy Business or Ultimate so they can make more money.
This is a hack for those who don’t want to pay and reinstall their OS for one feature they need and a bunch they don’t…
Today I’m unsubscribing from the blog. It had been a really good time being here and helping some people. But now, I’ve found the better way, it has been a year since I stopped using Windows and I’m happier than ever to run Linux, where there are no restrictions, no boundaries. But anyway, this is a really really good article from frans .. dude you rock :)
Btw, if anyone seems interested in trying out Linux please try out the most popular one – Ubuntu. It rocks, and has better Remote Desktop than Windows. Remember, in Linux, there are no walls, no boundaries, so no need of Windows, or Gates :)
Thanks again frans.
Due to technical reasons (server no longer responding correctly to such a long list of comments), commenting on this thread is unfortunately now closed — my apologies. Hopefully the information above in all the existing comments is still useful for some.
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