Microsoft Remote Desktop Mac Crashes

  1. Microsoft Remote Desktop Mac Crashes Today
  2. Microsoft Remote Desktop Mac Crashes Video

Dark mode, dynamic desktop, stacks, security enhancements, and more: macOS Mojave introduced many new features and improvements to macOS. But like any other operating system, Mojave isn’t without its glitches, bugs, and all kinds of compatibility paradoxes. In this article, we’ll cover common macOS Mojave problems and explain how to solve them.

Before September 2018, macOS Mojave was only available as a Beta via an Apple developer account. If you want to get early access to future OS updates, you might consider becoming an Apple Developer. This privileged club costs $99 per year to join, and in exchange, you'll be the first to lay your hands on Apple’s fresh releases.

Start a Remote Desktop connection Tap the remote desktop connection to start the remote desktop session. If you're asked to verify the certificate for the remote desktop, tap Accept. To accept by default, set Don't ask me again for connections to this computer to On. Connect Remotely to Mac via Setting Up Remote Login. To setup remote login in order to connect remotely to Mac, what you need to do is to Open Sharing preferences by going to the Apple menu (System Preferences Sharing). Next, what you should do is to select the Remote Login. By doing this, it enables the secure FTP service (sftp). This article describes the Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) 8.1 client update that lets you use the new Remote Desktop Services features. These features were introduced in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2, and they are now available for computers that are running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1). If you have set the resolution to 'full screen' in the.rdp connection document the connection will crash when using a high res monitor, like 2560 x 1440. Too bad the max. With the old versions Remote Desktop Connection is limited to 1400 x 1050 but this setting works on a high res monitor.

List of most common Mojave problems

You can still connect with the older Remote Desktop if the RDP server is set to lower security on the newer Windows systems.

Here is the list of most common Mojave issues that have been reported so far.

1. macOS Mojave install stuck

Is your Mac compatible with macOS Mojave?

One of the most reported macOS Mojave problems is a Mac getting stuck in the middle of the Mojave installation. A simple explanation — your Mac is just not technically fit to run Mojave. According to Apple, macOS 10.14 can be launched only on Macs not older than from 2012. If yours was released earlier — sorry, you’ll have to miss this update.
Below is the list of Mac models compatible with Mojave:

  • MacBook (Early 2015 or higher)
  • MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or higher)
  • MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or higher)
  • Mac Mini (Late 2012 or higher)
  • iMac (Late 2012 or higher)
  • iMac Pro (2017)
  • Mac Pro (Late 2013, mid-2010, mid-2012 models)

Try reinstalling macOS Mojave from scratch

Okay, let’s assume your Mac is fully compatible with macOS Mojave. But still, you get something like 'Installation of macOS could not continue' on your screen. What’s causing the installation trouble, then? If your Mojave update stuck or ends abruptly, you should go back to square one and do it properly this time. The recommended procedure requires backing your Mac up and cleaning your Mac from “old baggage” that may interfere with the macOS update.

Step 1. Clean up your Mac from system junk

As a general rule, a fresh macOS requires a fresh hard drive. There are tons of outdated caches, app leftovers, plugins, and system logs on any given Mac. Not only do they take a lot of space, but they may also be causing various kernel-level errors. To clear them away, use a dedicated Mac cleanup app — you’ll be able to delete hidden junk that you otherwise can’t access. Among many alternatives, the simpler solution is CleanMyMac X, which has proved quite effective in cleaning my MacBook Pro (15-inch, 512 GB).

  1. Download CleanMyMac for free from developer’s site.
  2. Click Smart Scan.
  3. Remove hidden junk from all the suggested folders.

Now your Mac is ready to install macOS Mojave on top of your current OS. What’s left is to prepare the data backup in case something goes wrong.

Step 2. Back up your Mac

  1. Connect the external drive and launch Time Machine.
  2. Switch Time Machine to “On” position.
  3. Choose the external drive as a backup path.
  4. Click “Backup Now.”

Step 3. Reinstall macOS Mojave

Now, delete the previously downloaded macOS Mojave installation (find it in your Downloads) and restart your computer. Next up, re-download the installation file from your Apple Developer Account or the Mac App Store.

What else you might try

You have downloaded the macOS Mojave and still cannot go past the “Preparing the installation…” window. Let’s admit, new macOS versions are often buggy and problematic, but here are a few more ideas to try.

  • Start your Mac in Recovery Mode. To enter Recovery Mode on Mojave, Click Apple logo > Restart. Right after that, hold down Command + R buttons while your Mac is restarting. While in Recovery Mode, you’ll be able to run Disk Utility to check your disk for consistency.

  • Disable your antivirus software if you have any installed. Sometimes such apps would block any new installation attempts — a classic case of overprotection.

2. Can’t install the Mojave on an external drive

Some folks have reported they have run into trouble trying to install macOS Mojave onto an external SSD drive. The installation would abort midway and eventually drop you back into High Sierra. As some bloggers have pointed out, the issue is caused by a USB-C adaptor connected to MacBook.
The solution suggested on Mac forums would be to connect the SSD via Thunderbolt 3 port. If you haven’t got a similar dock available, but your external drive has a Thunderbolt 1 or 2 port, try connecting it directly using a Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adaptor. Hopefully, this time it should work.
One more suggestion is to go the radical way and perform a clean install of macOS 10.13 High Sierra and then go one step up to macOS Mojave.

3. iCloud is not syncing properly

The first editions of macOS 10.14 Mojave seemed to be lacking some basic iCloud features, which will likely be added in the next updates. One of those missing bits is Back to My Mac functionality (remote access to files and screen sharing). But the most annoying setback is iCloud not syncing properly.

How to fix it? First, sign out from the iCloud account and sign in back again.

  1. Select Apple icon > System Preferences.
  2. Select iCloud > Sign Out.

Then, similarly, log in back to your account. If that doesn’t resolve the syncing issue, delete the iCloud-linked folder “Cloud Docs” in the Finder. This will cause your Mac to download iCloud drive files and re-establish the connection.

  1. Click on Finder > Go > Go to folder… (in the upper menu).
  2. Find the CloudDocs folder and delete it.

In addition to that, you’d want to stop a couple of iCloud-related processes in Activity Monitor. This will reboot iCloud syncing from the ground up.

  1. Go to LaunchPad > Activity Monitor.
  2. Type “cloud” in the search bar above.
  3. Click on the big [x] Quit button.

Repeat the same steps for the “bird” process.

Since iMessages syncing has been added to macOS Mojave (cool!), this may not work properly after the update. To fix it, you must apply the ancient “switch it off and on again” principle that works equally well for your home appliances. Simply disable and then re-enable iMessages syncing via iCloud to get it going as it should.

4. Bluetooth issues on macOS Mojave

Bluetooth connection not working on macOS 10.14 Mojave is a known issue too. The symptoms look like your Mac just wouldn’t connect to Bluetooth, or in some cases, refuse to turn itself off.

To address this injustice, it’s recommended to delete the Bluetooth plist file — don’t worry, it will recreate itself upon the next Bluetooth launch. But just in case, copy the file to some safe location.

  1. Click on Finder > Go to Folder…
  2. Type in /Library/Preferences.
  3. Find com.apple.Bluetooth.plist file and delete it.
  4. Restart your Mac.

5. macOS Mojave crashing at login

This macOS Mojave problem is quite typical. Unfortunately, not all the apps are updated to meet every macOS requirement, so it often happens that an app crashes on your Mac startup and makes the whole OS slow and unresponsive. This is what you can do about this:

Disable the unwanted Login Items

So how can you fix macOS Mojave crashing at login? Luckily, this issue is nicely tackled with the previously mentioned CleanMyMac X. It allows you to remove Login Items one by one so you can see which app was causing the macOS to crash. Disabling Login items with CleanMyMac at first may seem like an extra step, but it’s worth it.

  1. Download CleanMyMac tool — a free download from the developer’s site
  2. In the sidebar, find Optimization > Login items
  3. Disable potentially problematic Login Items

Using the same tool, you can also trim down the so-called Launch Agents or Daemons. These are small helper applications that run in the background and extend the main app's functionality, like Skype. Once again, your logic is to switch off one app at a time to see if it fixes the problem.

Delete specific plist files in Preferences

A user on the MacRumors forum suggested another possible solution. This annoying macOS Mojave problem can be fixed by removing the potentially corrupted property list (plist) files in Preferences. These files contain individual user settings for various parts of the macOS (Finder, Desktop, Applications). Resetting them may be just the solution you need. To proceed, you will need to start your Mac in Safe Mode.

To enter Safe Mode, hold down Shift when your Mac is booting up. Let go of the Shift key when you see the Apple logo appearing on the screen.

1. Click Finder > Go > Go to Folder…
2. Paste in: ~/Library/Preferences/
Note: copy this entire folder
3. Delete plist files for Finder or Desktop.
Restart your computer to see if that fixed the issue. If not, the optimal solution would be to revert to macOS High Sierra and wait for the next macOS Mojave updates from Apple. To go back to your previous macOS, install it from the Time Machine backup that we are sure you had meticulously prepared.

6. Mac running slow after Mojave update

So you’ve successfully installed macOS 10.14 Mojave to find out that your Mac’s performance got worse. This may not be a Mojave-specific issue, though. Normally, people judge the efficiency of their Mac by looking at the speed of their most-used apps. If your Mac hangs while you’re using Skype, for example, this may be due to Skype conflicting with the Mojave, thus a completely an app-related problem. But, anyway, it’s a good idea to do a basic health check of your system.

Fixes for slow performance on Mojave:

1. Clean up your Desktop

Remember, every desktop icon takes up RAM space. Fewer icons — the faster your Mac gets. When your Desktop is clean, restart your computer. Newly-introduced 'Desktop Stacks' feature on macOS Mojave lets you put those icons in order.

2. Update all your apps to their latest versions

What may seem like a problem with macOS Mojave can be an issue caused by your outdated software. Except for bug fixes, updates contain essential improvements to ensure the app can run smoothly on all versions of the OS. Keep your programs up-to-made to avoid vulnerabilities and slow performance.

3. Check your Activity Monitor

Go to Launchpad > Activity monitor. Quit apps and processes that take up an unfair amount of memory.

4. Remove system junk and app cache

Outdated cache files, redundant support files, and logs generated by all your apps can slow even a powerful Mac down to a crawl. Remember how fast and efficient your Mac was straight from the store? You can partially restore this original power by cleaning up your Mac from top to bottom, or from Finder to Library if you like. CleanMyMac X is a great app that can clean all sorts of junk and clutter from your hard drive.

Reinstall adobe application manager for mac cs6. Things that deserve being removed:

  • System junk
  • App caches
  • Unused apps
  • Old iOS updates
  • Extra localizations

You can download a free CleanMyMac version here. It cleans all the items described above.

7. Quit apps keep showing in the Dock

The latest update to macOS Mojave introduced a new feature that leaves many of us, Apple fans, disappointed. Now the default behavior of macOS Mojave is to show you the 3 most recently used applications in the Dock. So if you have just quit an app and it still shows up in the Dock, it’s not a bug but a feature. Luckily, an easy reversible one.

  1. Go to System Preferences > Dock.
  2. Untick “Show recent applications in Dock.”

After all, the Dock is a customizable corner of the macOS, and it should be left to the user to decide what to put in there.

8. Third-party apps not working on macOS Mojave

The main problem here is the 32-bit/62-bit distinction. Apple stated that macOS High Sierra is the last operating system to support 32-bit optimized applications. From then on, if an app isn’t updated for 64-bit architecture, you won’t be able to use it on Mojave. This is one of the reasons not to update and stay with the good old High Sierra on your Mac.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Mac Crashes Today

How to find apps that are not Mojave-compatible?

Before you upgrade to macOS Mojave, check for compatibility issues. Here's how to do that:

  1. Click on Apple logo > About this Mac.
  2. Click on System report > Applications.

Now, look for the last column 64- bit in the window that opens. “Yes” indicates that the app in question is ready to run on macOS Mojave. Sadly enough, even some of Apple’s native 32-bit apps will not be supported on macOS Mojave. This includes Aperture, an old version of iWork, and the old version of Final Cut Studio.

Other notable 32-bit apps are Microsoft Office’s Powerpoint 2011, Outlook 2011, Word 2011, Excel 2011. The adequate answer to that is to update these apps to newer versions. Or you could also:

  • Run macOS Mojave alongside macOS High Sierra, with Parallels
  • Not to update to macOS Mojave
  • Reach out to the app’s developer and ask them for advice
  • Consider transitioning to a different app

How to check 32-bit apps on macOS Mojave

However, if you've already upgraded to macOS Mojave and need to check the incompatible software, you have to follow different steps than mentioned above. In Mojave, 32-bit apps can be reviewed in System Information:

  1. Click on Apple logo > About This Mac.
  2. Click on System Report.
  3. Choose Software > Legacy Software.

That's how you can get an overview of 32-bit apps on your Mac if Mojave is installed on your Mac. Developers are highly encouraged to migrate to a 64-bit framework but it will take some time. So, if you need to remove the incompatible apps from your system, check a few tips below.

An app is 'not optimized for your Mac and needs to be updated'

When you see this rather discouraging message, you may simply want to uninstall the app — a radical solution to the problem. To make things easier, the Uninstaller tool in CleanMyMac has a special tab that will show you all 32-bit apps you have on your Mac. From there, you are one click away from deleting them all at once:

My app is 64-bit but still not working on Mojave

This happens too. In this case, you can download the app again and try to re-install it from scratch. There is a more elegant solution, though. CleanMyMac tool, mentioned in this article, has a tool to reset the apps to their original state, notably, without losing your user settings.

  1. Open CleanMyMac (Download it free here).
  2. Go to the Uninstaller section.
  3. Select the application that you wish to reset.
  4. Click Application Reset in the dropdown menu.

Using this method, I successfully fixed my Evernote app, failing to sync after the last update.

Since we're talking app versions, one more use of this versatile program is to update your applications to the latest versions. Instead of googling for the latest version of app X, Y, Z, you can update everything in one shot — just what the Updater tool in CleanMyMac X does.

9. Time machine is not working on Mojave

Many people report that after upgrading to macOS Mojave, Time Machine cannot complete a backup. Unfortunately, this problem isn’t fixed yet, so keep an eye on software updates in the Mac App Store.

Before that, if you don’t want to risk losing your important files, consider some alternative backup options. You can transfer files to an external drive, iCloud, etc. For more information, check out this article about different ways to back up your Mac.

10. macOS Mojave battery problems

Since installing macOS Mojave, the battery life of your MacBook has become shorter? Then it’s time to check what’s causing the battery drain on your Mac. Here’s how to do that:

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Go to Applications > Utilities.
  3. Choose Activity Monitor.
  4. Click Energy.

From there, you can see how much energy your programs are taking up. If it’s a lot, you may consider uninstalling some apps.

If you want to monitor your battery health and get alerts when something goes wrong, I recommend using CleanMyMac’s Menu. One click, and you know the most resource-consuming apps, health indicators of your battery, hard drive, and memory.

You can also check an article about increasing Mac battery life; it’s full of useful tips.

11. Wi-Fi not working after installing Mojave

If you’re having trouble connecting to the internet, try starting your Mac in Safe Mode and check the connection. If you’re not sure how to do that, here’s a detailed guide how to use Safe Mode.

If Wi-Fi works in Safe Mode on Mojave, then it means there’s an issue with an app or extension you installed. Make sure that all your apps are updated to the latest versions to avoid compatibility issues. To do that quickly, use the Updater tool in CleanMyMac X utility. With its help, you can easily get the latest and the most reliable versions of your applications.

Here’s how to use CleanMyMac’s Updater:

  1. Download the app (for free) and launch it.
  2. Choose the Updater tab.
  3. Check the app and click Update.

That’s it! Now you are up-to-date.

12. File thumbnails don’t show on the desktop

Some people reported that after installing Mojave, thumbnail previews of some files, such as photos and PDFs, don’t show up.

One thing you can try is removing the cache files by starting your Mac in Safe Mode, then shutting it down and restarting normally. But I recommend using CleanMyMac in this case. It helped me to get all my files previews back. After launching the app, go to System Junk to remove the caches, and then use Maintenance utility to Run Maintenance Scripts.

13. Zero-day bug

A zero-day vulnerability has been revealed by a security researcher Patrick Wardle just after the Mojave launch. This bug can allow an attacker to use a malicious app in order to steal your personal data, such as contact details from your Mac.

Patrick highlighted it on Twitter with a video that shows how he tries to access the address book on Mojave, and failing, before running a script simulating a malicious app which finally allows to access the address book and copying the data.

Apple later addressed and fixed this bug. Although the user data is safer in Mojave, there’re still situations where you can’t be fully protected. That’s why it’s important to update your software and OS as soon as updates are released.

With several drawbacks mentioned in this article, macOS 10.14 Mojave still looks and feels great. A new macOS Mojave 10.14.6 supplemental update fixed several issues and included the relaunch of Safari 14, which is promised to be running correctly now. So, if you’ve already updated your Mac to Mojave, welcome to the Dark Side Mode!

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This article helps you understand the most common settings that are used to establish a Remote Desktop session in an enterprise environment, and provides troubleshooting information for Remote desktop disconnected errors.

Original product version: Windows Server 2012 R2
Original KB number: 2477176

Note

This article is intended for use by support agents and IT professionals.

Remote Desktop Server

A Remote Desktop Session Host server is the server that hosts Windows-based programs or the full Windows desktop for Remote Desktop Services clients. Users can connect to an RD Session Host server to run programs, to save files, and to use network resources on that server. Users can access an RD Session Host server from within a corporate network or from the Internet.

Sound

Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) was formerly known as the Remote Desktop server role service, and Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) server was formerly known as Remote Desktop server.

Remote connections for administration

Remote Desktop supports two concurrent remote connections to the computer. You do not have to have Remote Desktop Services client access licenses (RDS CALs) for these connections.

To allow more than two administrative connections or multiple user connections, you must install the RD Session Host Role and have appropriate RDS CALs.

Symptom 1: Limited Remote Desktop session or Remote Desktop Services session connections

When you try to make a Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) to a remote computer or to a Remote Desktop server (Terminal Server) that is running Windows Server 2008 R2, you receive one of the following error messages:

Remote Desktop Disconnected.
This computer can't connect to the remote computer.
Try connecting again. If the problem continues, contact the owner of the remote computer or your network administrator.

Also, you are limited in the number of users who can connect simultaneously to a Remote Desktop session or Remote Desktop Services session. A limited number of RDP connections can be caused by misconfigured Group Policy or RDP-TCP properties in Remote Desktop Services Configuration. By default, the connection is configured to allow an unlimited number of sessions to connect to the server.

Symptom 2: Port assignment conflict

You experience a port assignment conflict. This problem might indicate that another application on the Remote Desktop server is using the same TCP port as the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The default port assigned to RDP is 3389.

Symptom 3: Incorrectly configured authentication and encryption settings

After a Remote Desktop server client loses the connection to a Remote Desktop server, you experience one of the following symptoms:

  • You cannot make a connection by using RDP.
  • The session on the Remote Desktop server does not transition to a disconnected state. Instead, it remains active even though the client is physically disconnected from the Remote Desktop server.

If the client logs back in to the same Remote Desktop server, a new session may be established, and the original session may remain active.

Also, you receive one of the following error messages:

  • Error message 1

    Because of a security error, the client could not connect to the Terminal server. After making sure that you are logged on to the network, try connecting to the server again.

  • Error message 2

    Remote desktop disconnected. Because of a security error, the client could not connect to the remote computer. Verify that you are logged onto the network and then try connecting again.

Symptom 4: License certificate corruption

Remote Desktop Services clients are repeatedly denied access to the Remote Desktop server. If you are using a Remote Desktop Services client to log on to the Remote Desktop server, you may receive one of the following error messages.

  • Error message 1

    Because of a security error, the client could not connect to the Terminal server. After making sure that you are logged on to the network, try connecting to the server again.

  • Error message 2

    Remote desktop disconnected. Because of a security error, the client could not connect to the remote computer. Verify that you are logged onto the network and then try connecting again.

  • Error message 3

    Because of a security error, the client could not connect to the Terminal server. After making sure that you are logged on to the network, try connecting to the server again.
    Remote desktop disconnected. Because of a security error, the client could not connect to the remote computer. Verify that you are logged onto the network and then try connecting again.

Additionally, the following event ID messages may be logged in Event Viewer on the Remote Desktop server.

  • Event message 1

    Event ID: 50
    Event Source: TermDD
    Event Description: The RDP protocol component X.224 detected an error in the protocol stream and has disconnected the client.

  • Event message 2

    Event ID: 1088Event Source: TermServiceEvent Description: The terminal services licensing grace period has expired and the service has not registered with a license server. A terminal services license server is required for continuous operation. A terminal server can operate without a license server for 90 days after initial start up.

  • Event message 3

    Event ID: 1004
    Event Source: TermService
    Event Description: The terminal server cannot issue a client license.

  • Event message 4

    Event ID: 1010
    Event Source: TermService
    Event Description: The terminal services could not locate a license server. Confirm that all license servers on the network are registered in WINS/DNS, accepting network requests, and the Terminal Services Licensing Service is running.

  • Event message 5

    Event ID: 28
    Event Source: TermServLicensing
    Event Description: Terminal Services Licensing can only be run on Domain Controllers or Server in a Workgroup. See Terminal Server Licensing help topic for more information.

Resolution for Symptom 1

To resolve this problem, use the following methods, as appropriate.

Verify Remote Desktop is enabled

  1. Open the System item in Control Panel. To start the System tool, click Start, click Control Panel, click System, and then click OK.

  2. Under Control Panel Home, click Remote settings.

  3. Click the Remote tab.

  4. Under Remote Desktop, select either of the available options, depending on your security requirements: /slayer-2-vst-plugin-download.html.

    • Allow connections from computers from computers running any version of Remote Desktop (less secure)

    • Allow connections from computers only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (more secure)

If you select Don't allow connections to this computer on the Remote tab, no users will be able to connect remotely to this computer, even if they are members of the Remote Desktop Users group.

Verify Remote Desktop Services Limit number of connections policy

  1. Start the Group Policy snap-in, and then open the Local Security Policy or the appropriate Group Policy.

  2. Locate the following command:

    Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Connections Limit number of connections

  3. Click Enabled.

  4. In the RD Maximum Connections allowed box, type the maximum number of connections that you want to allow, and then click OK.

Verify Remote Desktop Services RDP-TCP properties

Follow these steps, depending on your operating system version.

Setting via Remote Desktop Services Configuration

Configure the number of simultaneous remote connections allowed for a connection:

  1. On the RD Session Host server, open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration. To open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services.

  2. Under Connections, right-click the name of the connection, and then click Properties.

  3. On the Network Adapter tab, click Maximum connections, enter the number of simultaneous remote connections that you want to allow for the connection, and then click OK.

  4. If the Maximum connections option is selected and dimmed, the Limit number of connections Group Policy setting has been enabled and has been applied to the RD Session Host server.

Verify Remote Desktop Services Logon rights

Configure the Remote Desktop Users Group.

The Remote Desktop Users group on an RD Session Host server grants users and groups permission to remotely connect to an RD Session Host server. You can add users and groups to the Remote Desktop Users group by using the following tools:

  • Local Users and Groups snap-in
  • The Remote tab in the System Properties dialog box on an RD Session Host server
  • Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in, if the RD Session Host server is installed on a domain controller

You can use the following procedure to add users and groups to the Remote Desktop Users group by using the Remote tab in the System Properties dialog box on an RD Session Host server.

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, on the RD Session Host server that you plan to configure, is the minimum required to complete this procedure.

Add users and groups to the Remote Desktop Users group by using the Remote tab

  1. Start the System tool. To do this, click Start, click Control Panel, click the System icon, and then click OK.

  2. Under Control Panel Home, click Remote settings.

  3. On the Remote tab in the System Properties dialog box, click Select Users. Add the users or groups that have to connect to the RD Session Host server by using Remote Desktop.

Note

If you select the Don't allow connections to this computer option on the Remote tab, no users will be able to connect remotely to this computer, even if they are members of the Remote Desktop Users group.

Add users and groups to the Remote Desktop Users group by using Local Users and Groups snap-in

  1. Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
  2. In the console tree, click the Local Users and Groups node.
  3. In the details pane, double-click the Groups folder.
  4. Double-click Remote Desktop Users, and then click Add.
  5. In the Select Users dialog box, click Locations to specify the search location.
  6. Click Object Types to specify the types of objects that you want to search for.
  7. In the Enter the object names to select (examples) box, type the name you want to add.
  8. Click Check Names.
  9. When the name is located, click OK.

Note

  • You can't connect to a computer that's asleep or hibernating, so make sure the settings for sleep and hibernation on the remote computer are set to Never. (Hibernation isn't available on all computers.) For information about making those changes, see Change, create, or delete a power plan (scheme).
  • You can't use Remote Desktop Connection to connect to a computer using Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, or Windows 7 Home Premium.
  • Members of the local Administrators group can connect even if they are not listed.

Resolution for Symptom 2

Important

This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, seeHow to back up and restore the registry in Windows.

To resolve this problem, determine which application is using the same port as RDP. If the port assignment for that application cannot be changed, change the port assigned to RDP by changing the registry. After you change the registry, you must restart the Remote Desktop Services service. After you restart the Remote Desktop Services service, you should verify that the RDP port has been changed correctly.

Remote Desktop server listener availability

The listener component runs on the Remote Desktop server and is responsible for listening for and accepting new Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) client connections, thereby allowing users to establish new remote sessions on the Remote Desktop server. There is a listener for each Remote Desktop Services connection that exists on the Remote Desktop server. Connections can be created and configured by using the Remote Desktop Services Configuration tool.

To perform these tasks, refer to the following sections.

Determine which application is using the same port as RDP

You can run the netstat tool to determine whether port 3389 (or the assigned RDP port) is being used by another application on the Remote Desktop server:

  1. On the Remote Desktop server, click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
  2. At the command prompt, type netstat -a -o and then press Enter.
  3. Look for an entry for TCP port 3389 (or the assigned RDP port) with a status of Listening. This indicates another application is using this port. The PID (Process Identifier) of the process or service using that port appears under the PID column.

To determine which application is using port 3389 (or the assigned RDP port), use the tasklist command-line tool along with the PID information from the netstat tool:

  1. On the Remote Desktop server, click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
  2. Type tasklist /svc and then press Enter.
  3. Look for an entry for the PID number that is associated with the port (from the netstat output). The services or processes that are associated with that PID appear on the right.

Change the port assigned to RDP

You should determine whether this application can use a different port. If you cannot change the application's port, you must change the port that is assigned to RDP.

Important

We recommend that you do not change the port that is assigned to RDP.

If you have to change the port assigned to RDP, you must change the registry. To do this, you must be a member of the local Administrators group, or you must have been granted the appropriate permissions.

To change the port that is assigned to RDP, follow these steps:

  1. On the Remote Desktop server, open Registry Editor. To open Registry Editor, click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.

  2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, verify that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.

  3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlRemote Desktop serverWinStations

RDP-TCP is the default connection name. To change the port for a specific connection on the Remote Desktop server, select the connection under the WinStations key:

  1. In the details pane, double-click the PortNumber registry entry.
  2. Type the port number that you want to assign to RDP.
  3. Click OK to save the change, and then close Registry Editor.

Restart the Remote Desktop Services service

For the RDP port assignment change to take effect, stop and start the Remote Desktop Services service. To do this, you must be a member of the local Administrators group, or you must have been granted the appropriate permissions.

To stop and start the Remote Desktop Services service, follow these steps:

  1. On the Remote Desktop server, open the Services snap-in. To do this, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Services.

  2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, verify that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.

  3. In the Services pane, right-click Remote Desktop Services, and then click Restart.

  4. If you are prompted to restart other services, click Yes.

  5. Verify that the Status column for the Remote Desktop Services service displays a Started status.

Verify that the RDP port has changed

To verify that the RDP port assignment has been changed, use the netstat tool:

  1. On the Remote Desktop server, click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.

  2. At the command prompt, type netstat -a then press Enter.

  3. Look for an entry for the port number that you assigned to RDP. The port should appear in the list and have a status of Listening.

Important

Remote Desktop Connection and the Terminal server Web Client use port 3389, by default, to connect to a Remote Desktop server. If you change the RDP port on the Remote Desktop server, you will have to modify the port used by Remote Desktop Connection and the Remote Desktop server Web Client. For more information, see Change the listening port for Remote Desktop on your computer.

Verify that the listener on the Remote Desktop server is working

To verify that the listener on the Remote Desktop server is working correctly, use any of the following methods.

Note

RDP-TCP is the default connection name and 3389 is the default RDP port. Use the connection name and port number specific to your Remote Desktop server configuration.

  • Method 1

    Use an RDP client, such as Remote Desktop Connection, to establish a remote connection to the Remote Desktop server.

  • Method 2

    Use the qwinsta tool to view the listener status on the Remote Desktop server:

    1. On the Remote Desktop server, click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
    2. At the command prompt, type qwinsta, and then press Enter.
    3. The RDP-TCP session state should be Listen.

  • Method 3

    Use the netstat tool to view the listener status on the Remote Desktop server:

    1. On the Remote Desktop server, click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
    2. At the command prompt, type netstat -a then press Enter.
    3. The entry for TCP port 3389 should be Listening.

  • Method 4

    Use the telnet tool to connect to the RDP port on the Remote Desktop server: Free creative apps for mac.

    1. From another computer, click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
    2. At the command prompt, type telnet <servername> 3389 , where <servername> is the name of the Remote Desktop server, and then press Enter.

    If telnet is successful, you receive the telnet screen and a cursor.

    If telnet is not successful, you receive the following error message:

    Connecting To servername. Could not open connection to the host, on port 3389: Connect failed

    The qwinsta, netstat, and telnet tools are also included in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. You can also download and use other troubleshooting tools, such as Portqry.

Resolution for Symptom 3

To resolve the issue, configure authentication and encryption.

To configure authentication and encryption for a connection, follow these steps:

  1. On the RD Session Host server, open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration. To open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.

  2. Under Connections, right-click the name of the connection, and then click Properties.

  3. In the Properties dialog box for the connection, on the General tab, in Security layer, select a security method.

  4. In Encryption level, click the level that you want. You can select Low, Client Compatible, High, or FIPS Compliant. See Step 4 above for Windows Server 2003 for Security layer and Encryption level options.

Note

  • To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of the Domain Admins group might be able to perform this procedure. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure.
  • To open Remote Desktop Services Configuration, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Remote Desktop Services Configuration.
  • Any encryption level settings that you configure in Group Policy override the configuration that you set by using the Remote Desktop Services Configuration tool. Also, if you enable the System cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing Group Policy setting, this setting overrides the Set client connection encryption level Group Policy setting.
  • When you change the encryption level, the new encryption level takes effect the next time a user logs on. If you require multiple levels of encryption on one server, install multiple network adapters and configure each adapter separately.
  • To verify that certificate has a corresponding private key, in Remote Desktop Services Configuration, right-click the connection for which you want to view the certificate, click the General tab, click Edit, click the certificate that you want to view, and then click View Certificate. At the bottom of the General tab, the statement, You have a private key that corresponds to this certificate, should appear. You can also view this information by using the Certificates snap-in.
  • The FIPS compliant setting (the System cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing setting in Group Policy or the FIPS Compliant setting in Remote Desktop server Configuration) encrypts and decrypts data sent from the client to the server and from the server to the client, with the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-1 encryption algorithms, using Microsoft cryptographic modules. For more information, see Terminal Services in Windows Server 2003 Technical Reference.
  • The High setting encrypts data sent from the client to the server and from the server to the client by using strong 128-bit encryption.
  • The Client Compatible setting encrypts data sent between the client and the server at the maximum key strength supported by the client.
  • The Low setting encrypts data sent from the client to the server using 56-bit encryption.

Additional troubleshooting step: Enable CAPI2 event logs

To help troubleshoot this problem, enable CAPI2 event logs on both the client and server computers. This command is shown in the following screenshot.

Workaround for the issue (You cannot completely disconnect a Remote Desktop server connection) described in Symptom 3

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK.
  2. Expand Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand Windows Components, expand Remote Desktop Services, expand Remote Desktop Session Host, and then click Connections.
  3. In the right pane, double-click Configure keep-alive connection interval.
  4. Click Enabled, and then click OK.
  5. Close Group Policy Object Editor, click OK, and then quit Active Directory Users and Computers.

Resolution for Symptom 4

Important

Microsoft Remote Desktop Mac Crashes Video

This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, see 322756 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows.

To resolve this problem, back up and then remove the X509 Certificate registry keys, restart the computer, and then reactivate the Remote Desktop Services Licensing server. To do this, follow these steps.

Note

Perform the following procedure on each of the Remote Desktop servers.

  1. Make sure that the Remote Desktop server registry has been successfully backed up.

  2. Start Registry Editor.

  3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlTerminal ServerRCM

  4. On the Registry menu, click Export Registry File.

  5. Type exported- Certificate in the File name box, and then click *Save.

    Note

    If you have to restore this registry subkey in the future, double-click the Exported-parameters.reg file that you saved in this step.

  6. Right-click each of the following values, click Delete, and then click Yes to verify the deletion:

    • Certificate
    • X509 Certificate
    • X509 Certificate ID
    • X509 Certificate2

  7. Exit Registry Editor, and then restart the server.

References

For more information about Remote Desktop Gateway, see the following articles:

If this article does not help you resolve the problem, or if you experience symptoms that differ from those that are described in this article, visit the Microsoft Support for more information. To search your issue, in the Search support for help box, type the text of the error message that you received, or type a description of the problem.