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Fast User Switching on Windows XP with VNC?
A not-so Anonymous Coward asks: "I have searched the web for links on how to make VNC work with Windows XP fast user switching, and all I have seen is people saying that they cannot get it to work. I would now like to ask the Slashdot community to give it their shot, and see if they cannot find a way to make your standard VNC utilities cooperate with Windows XP fast user switching. For those who don't know what the problem is; when using fast user switching, if you switch users (without logging out) from the first user to log on then VNC comes up with a blank screen. Hopefully someone can come up with a fix for this." It sounds like (and I might be way off base here)Windows isn't necessarily running multiple desktops for its fast user switching, and once the switch occurs from the user running the VNC process, that VNC then somehow loses rights to the desktop. It would be interesting to note if VNC sessions will work once the desktop is switched back. Has anyone else tried getting this to work? Have you run into the same problems, or were you able to find a solution?
a networking app not working in Windows... stop the presses this is a first
Me, as a matter of fact.
Makes me wonder if I can load VNC on PocketPC yet... cause if I can, I would be able to use WinXP wirelessly from:
Windows in your hands
I was having the same problem on one of my WindowsXP machines. Upgrading to the latest realvnc seemed to fix it up just fine though.
/. about it..
Maybe you should upgrade your software before you whine to
Could it be because the overlay is already occupied by the other user that's logged in, would explain the blank screen. Of course I'm just assuming since some remote desktop access apps have an issue when you're using them while using another app with overlay (TV Player, DVD, etc)
couldn't this be done via a service? In NT you could configure VNC server as a service and you could even login via VNC.
Thanks for the notice, mcfly.
In XP Pro, Remote Desktop is built in--which is a lot faster and smoother than VNC, plus it just works good.
And if you're using VNC because you want to access the XP machine from linux, then just emulate the Windows98 Remote Desktop software M$ offers for free with WINE or Crossover Office (which I have had great success with in general).
you still get access to a physical desktop
unlike the X version where you get a fresh display
VNS shares the same display as the monitor, when you change user the VNC connection refuses to display anything but a black screen.
There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
I think you need to pay more attention to /.
VNC appears to violate XP's EULA
Link to Slashdot article
Using VNC - or any other non-MS approved remote desktop control/sharing program - with Windows XP is a breach of your EULA.
I currently use Cisco Systems VPN Client Version 3.5.2 for connecting to the office. During installation, the client explicitly disables user switching. I asked the same question about user switching in XP of the VPN guys and had it explained this way:
Three people share the XP system, each with their own user profile. I logon and connect to the office. With fast switching enabled, the kids come along and decide to do some nasty things on the corporate network (maybe by accident, maybe not). If I was willing to personally accept all responsiblity (in other words, pay the bills for any fallout) for all the other users of the system, they would provide a patched version of the client to allow fast switching.
As much as I hate bureaucracy, I have to side with the VPN guys on this one.
If VISTA is the answer, you didn't understand the question
It's also illegal in most states to buy something through mail-order without sending your use tax in to the government. In many states it's illegal to live with your girlfriend until the two of you get married. Until just a few weeks ago it was illegal to get oral sex in many states. The law isn't really a law unless it's enforced.
When you click on switch user and go back to the screen where you select a user to switch to, you have actually switched to another desktop. VNC is running in the context of the "user" desktop, which is why it won't work.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
Hell with any of that! What about rdesktop?
I was able to switch to Linux on my desktop at work about three months ago, because I use rdesktop to terminal into a server to run Exchange (the only think holding me back from switching before). At this point in time, 4 other employees have followed and are now running Linux full-time, and using a terminal service to run exchange. rdesktop is honestly a BAD ASS project. I cannot name a single problem I've had with it.
Sig.i>
One interesting thing to note that side-steps this issue a bit is that the VPN client that comes with Windows XP automatically disconnects when you switch users. (i.e. user1 logs in, connects to vpn. When user2 comes along and attempts to do a fast user switch, user1's VPN is disconnected.)
NT/2000 had the same problem if you started VNC as a User Process while logged in, then had to hit Alt+Ctrl+Del to do something or you logged out. Starting VNC as a SERVICE made it start BEFORE any users were logged in, meaning yes, exactly, it displays exactly what you see on the monitor. Which is what the author of the story wants. If he wanted a fresh desktop, he'd simply use terminal services. Now, starting it as a service still MAY NOT WORK but flaming the guy saying he has no clue what he's talking about and then making it seem in your article that YOU don't know what you're talking about has me a bit perturbed.
Maxim: People cannot follow directions.
Increases in truth directly with the length of time spent explaining them
sharp zaurus has a vncviewer!
What I'd really like to be able to do is use switching inside a domain. You're only able to do it on a standalone system. Obviously showing all of the domain users on the XP welcome screen isn't an option, but there's no reason why it shouldn't be able to show the users that are logged in, and a simple fill in form to allow users to log in to a new session. Or just use the Win2k style login box and have it reconnect to existing sessions like terminal services does. But of course MS doesn't think home users run domains... so why support cool features like that?
Are you running VNC as a service or in App mode? We run VNC on servers at work and if we have it set up as a service I can login to the box using VNC as soon as the box reboots...If I have VNC running as APP mode I can only login when the box is logged in as a user then I get kicked out if I log out.
Try running it as a service there is a Administrative tool in the VNC Programs folder that will install it for you.
HTH
loses, not looses.
For god's sake.
IIRC you can keep fast user switching with the Cisco VPN client. The reason it has to disable fast user switching is that it installs a chains a non-fast user switching GINA.dll thingy. This is used for the 'Make VPN connection before Windows starts' functionality. If you search the Cisco site (maybe look in bug tracker) you can find a work around to allow fast user switching with the VPN client installed. I think you might even be able to enable the spawn before windows capability as well as fast user switching. I don't remember the specifics because I don't use the user switching stuff, but one of our users did, and we gave him the work around and it worked for them.
The newer (4.x) versions of the Cisco VPN client allow fast user switching, no special version or anything.
Basically, don't stay logged into the VPN if you're not physically on the box, then it doesn't really matter.
Any OS should be open to questions here. I use freebsd and Windows and I believe they both have their places. My guess is that you are a RH person. Why bash the question? It's a valid question and there is obviously interest in it.
Red Hat is for people who hate Windows, FreeBSD is for people who love Unix.
www.putertech.net
There is a GPLed freshmeat listed project for a *nix version of the Microsoft Terminal Services Client. You can cross compile and run that on your Zaurus ;) The URL is http://freshmeat.net/projects/rdesktop/?topic_id=1 50
I haven't posted in so long, my sig is out of date.
I have created a workaround for this problem that only has one flaw which I could use some help with. The bath files work great at restarting the service in the background, I just dont know how to detect a fast user switch. you can find the files here, here and here. Just dump the files into your root and run winvnc.bat. it runs in the background. I know that it continues to run, I have been unable to get the Exit command to work but it does not continue to eat up resources, each time you use it the old instance simply is replaced by a new one. If you figure out a way to get it to run every time fast user switching is used please post it here.
Red Hat is for people who hate Windows, FreeBSD is for people who love Unix.
www.putertech.net
Screen sizes can also give problems - if you are VNC'd in and someone changes the screen resolution at the console, you are booted out. check the desktop has the same resolution as the logon session for the users desktop you are connecting to.
"I love deadlines. I love the wooshing sound they make as they fly past" Douglas N Adams
Just curious... what makes you think he is a RedHat person?
We all go a little mad sometimes.... haven't you?
because in my experience RH users tend to bash windows more than anyone else.
Red Hat is for people who hate Windows, FreeBSD is for people who love Unix.
www.putertech.net
Well, while everyone is overgeneralizing.....
My experience is that The more geek-oriented distros atract more (here's the shocker!) geeks. Geeks tend to bash Microsoft because they don't respect them (another shocker!). RedHat is much less geek-oriented than say Debian, Slackware, or Gentoo. So I find it shocking that you consider RedHat users the worst of us. I say us because I am a proud Microsoft basher and Debian user.
We all go a little mad sometimes.... haven't you?
The fast user switching is a trimmed back version of terminal services. If you load VNC as a service, it runs fine and displays the welcome screen. I have not tried to fast user switch (it's disabled on my machines).
I would assume that those who get black screens are running the VNC server as a user process instead of a service. From my experience, when you fast user switch, Windows simply creates a new user session similar to terminal services, but unlike TS, it stops rendering the old session, as only one session can be run at a time (or one session and one logon screen using remote desktop) and this saves memory and processor power. VNC keeps trying to grab frames from the old session, which is not being rendered anymore, thus the black screen.
I used to get high on life, but I developed a tolerance. Now I need something stronger.
It's not exactly what you're looking for but it does work. And it's a monthly subscription. The benefits are that it works from anywhere.. behind proxies, firewalls, etc. Fast user switching does work too. But it's $8.95/month if you pay for the year.