Windows 7 - Using Remote Desktop instead of Remote Assistance for remote helpdesk?

Hi

I know there are other products out there, like vnc, ultravnc, teamviewer etc etc, but really nothing beats the sheer speed of remote desktop, it's like sitting in front of the actual computer. I also know about Remote Assistance built into Windows 7.

I would like to use remote desktop to do the following if possible.

1. I would like to know if there is a way, to not lock the host machine that you are connected to?, so the user can see what you are doing?.

2. Is there a way that Remote desktop can be used without logging off the logged in account?, or just use the logged in account?

I would like to use Remote Desktop for a remote helpdesk solution if possible. If anyone knows how to do this things I am asking it would be the people on this board.

Might be possible to do it. I think you need some sort of security.

I know it's not actual Remote Desktop but I use Team Viewer 10 times a day to do this and it is free!
fmg

I'd like to use RD if possible not team viewer

this is not possible. period. remote desktop was not designed to do this. the reason the PC locks is a license issue. your PC is only allowed to have one active session at a time. there many be more than one user logged in, but only one session can be active at a time.

yes, the only way that remote desktop can be used without logging off the logged in account is to log in as the currently logged in account. however, it will ALWAYS LOCK THE CONSOLE USER OUT. and if you log in as someone else, the currently logged in account will be logged off. this is by design.

there is a hack in windows xp that will allow you to have multiple logged on users without logging off the local user. i mention this only to illustrate the license issue at play. server editions of windows allow you to have 3 (more with additional licenses) people with active sessions on one workstation. this hack basically steals that default behavior from a server edition and replaces it in xp. but still, even with this hack, no two people would ever see the same desktop. RDP is fundamentally different than RA.

as far as windows functionality is concerned, only remote assistance will give you this feature. unfortunately, remote assistance requires the user to send you (the helpdesk) an assistance invitation first.

as suggested above, other 3rd party software lets you control a remote computer without all the invitation hassle.

here's a remote assistance hack, but i imagine it was written for XP and possibly doesn't work in 7: http://www.combobulate.com/node/51

I also use TeamViewer daily

I like that the remote connection can see what I am doing on their screen, or if it is the other way, I can watch what they are doing on mine so I Learn something new!





TeamViewer

We have all the features you ask about but we run all our users on Windows Terminal Services. Not your solution but could be helpful for others.

I can dip in and out of all sessions using the Terminal Services Manager and the users can see me move the mouse. I can also peer into their sessions.

Yes, it is possible. I use a concurrent sessions hack to allow me to remote into my HTPC while it's being used. It does not lock the current user at all, nor does it log out the current user.

http://www.missingremote.com/index.p...692&Itemid=232

my friend, if you had bothered to read my entire post, you would see that i was aware of the terminal services hack (for xp - the Windows 7 one is the exact same premise simply using 2008 technology).

i was answering the question exactly based on what the OP was asking; he was saying can i use RD to login to a client WITHOUT booting them AND with them seeing it?

i said no. RD is not designed to do that. not possible.