win2k3 RDP console connection

Ever wanted to connect to the console session of a Win2k3 box via RDP? With XP, this is the default behavior, because only one interactive user can be logged in at a time. But 2k3 allows multiple ineractive users (and even the same user multiple times), so connecting via RDP and logging in as the console user just creates a new session and leaves the console alone.

Here’s a trick to let you remotely connect to the console session:

1. Start mstsc.exe and enter the settings for the computer you want to connect to
2. Save this connection to a file like “foo.rdp”
3. Open this file in Notepad (it’s just a text file anyhow)
4. Add a line to the file that says “connect to console:i:1” (no quotes)
5. Save the changes

Presto! When you launch the foo.rdp file and login to the remote system, you’ll connect to the console session. Have fun.

[Update] John provides this information in the comments: “‘mstsc /v:machine-name /console’ I think it picks up the other settings from Default.rdp.”

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