XP Remote Desktop problem; can't connect

[austinringding]

hi:
i am new to techspot, but thought that I would join and see if anyone had any good suggestions for me as i've tried everything to get this problem resolved and can't seem to figure it out.

Problem: Can't connect to XP Pro laptop that has Remote Desktop enabled in both the Control Panel and in Windows Firewall. I'm trying to connect from another machine in the Internal Company LAN on the same IP Subnet. I can connect to all other internal machines on the network except for this laptop.

I get the following message when the connection fails:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The client could not connect to the Remote computer.

Remote connections might not be enabled or the computer might to be too busy to accept new connections. It is also possible that network problems are preventing your connection.

Please try connecting again later. If the problem continues to occur, contact your administrator.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am the administrator for the company and cannot figure this one out.
Any and all suggestions greatly appreciated.

TB in Austin

 

[Blakhart]

Hi
Does the host system have the required user account settings? Can it rdp out to another box?

 

[austinringding]

what user account settings are you referring to? what exactly do I need to have set? also, I am off site/remote, so without being able to connect to the host machine, I can't test if I can RDT out.

 

[Blakhart]

Hi
Ok lets take this from the networking viewpoint. If there's a firewall or router between the host and client, that might be blocking the ports needed for rdp. You should check on this to be sure this isn't the case. While on the subject of networking, the system must be configured to accept rdp requests, and to open the rdp ports in the xp firewall if you run it.
Next you must have an account on the remote system, and that account must be passworded. Admins have rdp accounts automaticaly but still require a password and for the host to be configured to allow and accept rdp. Too, if there's anyone using that system under their own account when you try to connect, they'll get a popup wanting to know if they want to log off to allow you to connect. If they don't accept your connection by logging off, the connection is dropped. The best way to rdp is to have the host boot and not have anyone log on localy. Then you should be able to rdp into it barring firewall/networking/account/password problems.

 

[austinringding]

there is no firewall between the host and the client. only windows firewall. and I have added an allowance for RDP on the host machine. I have also checked the box in the control panel to "allow remote desktop connections".

I do have an account on the remote system as Domain Admin that is passworded, but can't even get the login/pw box to come up.

 

[Blakhart]

Hi
Hmmm. This is an odd one. Is there any way you can get someone on site to rdp the remote box? Have you verified that your local system does rdp ok? Try making another admin account on the host and try that account rdp? Is everything proper as far as security permissions goes on the remote box? Can you tell I'm now grasping at straws??
Keep at it!

 

[Watchtower]

Thread resurrection....

Hi all- In my googling I ended up here - cool place.

I have exactly the same problem - but I VNC'd into the XP3 box from my XP3 laptop, From that VNC connection I successfully RDP'd out of it to the XP2 machine from a laptop running XP3.

I still can't RPD into the new XP3 box.

Any suggestions?

 

[solver7]

I just had this problem and it turned out that i had to kill the Windows Firewall ICS service on the target machine before RDP would connect.