Remote Administration for Windows

[dhruv17singhal]

Hi,

I have Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit running on one desktop, Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit on a laptop, and Windows XP Professional on another desktop. I have installed PerfectDisk defragmenter and Kaspersky Internet Security on all, and IIS on the XP machine. All the computers are on LAN.

What I want to be able to do is to access the desktops from the laptop and conveniently manage setting for anti-virus, defragmenter and IIS as well as do more administration work like scanning disk for errors, changing virtual memory size, and whatever is possible through control panel. All this I want to do remotely.

Is there any way, either built-in or through third-party software, to do this? In Linux and UNIX-like system, webmin is available. Is something similar available for windows? (I know that webmin is available for Windows also but I have never tried it)

 

[WindowsStar]

TeamViewer (web) www.teamviewer.com
RDP (built-in)
Dameware (3rd party) www.dameware.com

 

[dhruv17singhal]

Regarding RDP and TeamViewer

Hi WindowsStar,

Is there any way to change settings, install programs, etc. without bothering the person working on the computer? Of course RDP is excellent, but I suppose in Windows only one user can legally connect to the computer at a given time. Or is there a non-EULA violating workaround for this?

 

[mckillwashere]

There is a great registry modification that allows more than one session to be active. I do not know why they have that restriction since computer now days can handle it, and you can still use administrtive tools such as WMI to remotely manage Pcs's while another user is on. Not to mention user switching.

 

[dhruv17singhal]

There is a great registry modification that allows more than one session to be active. I do not know why they have that restriction since computer now days can handle it, and you can still use administrtive tools such as WMI to remotely manage Pcs's while another user is on. Not to mention user switching.

But I've also heard that it violate the EULA.

 

[mckillwashere]

That it does. Because it modifies a system file. Which is why I brought up WMI.

Look at this.
Download details: Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7

You can manage most things except for non Microsoft products such as anti virus programs from inside this.
And that way does not modify the EULA

 

[dhruv17singhal]

From Download details: Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7

Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows® 7 enables IT administrators to manage roles and features that are installed on computers that are running Windows Server® 2008 R2, Windows Server® 2008, or Windows Server® 2003, from a remote computer that is running Windows 7.

It says that Windows 7 can be used to control but does not say it can be controlled.

Hence, it is not for controlling Windows XP or Windows 7.

 

[WindowsStar]

Hi WindowsStar,

Is there any way to change settings, install programs, etc. without bothering the person working on the computer? Of course RDP is excellent, but I suppose in Windows only one user can legally connect to the computer at a given time. Or is there a non-EULA violating workaround for this?

As long as you have Admin Rights on all the remote machines. Then DameWare will work perfectly for you. One of the reasons I like it so much is that you can install the client part remotely. Another part I like is that it connects to console 0, so it acts just like as if you were sitting at the desk in front of the computer, unlike RDP.

 

[mckillwashere]

From Download details: Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7

Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows® 7 enables IT administrators to manage roles and features that are installed on computers that are running Windows Server® 2008 R2, Windows Server® 2008, or Windows Server® 2003, from a remote computer that is running Windows 7.

It says that Windows 7 can be used to control but does not say it can be controlled.

Hence, it is not for controlling Windows XP or Windows 7.

Um you put that on one machine and you can "Control" other machines that have the winrm service enabled.

 

[dhruv17singhal]

Is there some Freeware/Open Source alternative to DameWare? I only have to use it for home.

 

[mckillwashere]

Dhruv from what I have seen about dameware try what i suggested...They do very close to the same things....

 

[mckillwashere]

From Download details: Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7

Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows® 7 enables IT administrators to manage roles and features that are installed on computers that are running Windows Server® 2008 R2, Windows Server® 2008, or Windows Server® 2003, from a remote computer that is running Windows 7.

It says that Windows 7 can be used to control but does not say it can be controlled.

Hence, it is not for controlling Windows XP or Windows 7.

The Winrm protocol between the server work and the consumer world is very close.... Alot of the tools are the same I have literally 1.2 servers for every PC in my apartment... and I have more than one pc per a person and four people live with me... Granted I have not tested the majority of the tools on a win 7 machine but part of that is because they do not use that service... The tools I think you would find most beneficial is the RDP manager, and the Local policy setting managers.

 

[WindowsStar]

Is there some Freeware/Open Source alternative to DameWare? I only have to use it for home.

Sure but you will have to setup the software BEFORE you can use it on each computer.

Ultra VNC : Remote Support Software, Remote Support tool, Remote Desktop Control, Remote Access Software, PC Remote Control

 

[dhruv17singhal]

Dear mckillwashere,

I read Clint Boessen's Blog: What is WinRM? and found that it works for Windows XP and Windows 7. Sorry, for missing this point and thank you for your help.



Dear WindowsStar,

UltraVNC also seems good and I'll see how I can use it. Thanks.

 

[mckillwashere]

No problem. Normally when I am on here I am between calls at work and I do not always have time to find proper explanations of everything I post up