Supporting Technology with Technology.: Enable 24 bit color in RDP for XP or 2003 Server

Supporting Technology with Technology.: Enable 24 bit color in RDP for XP or 2003 Server

Connect with true color 24 bit rdp.

A pre-defined default limit on XP or windows 2003 server limits the color depth of RDP connections to 16 bit maximum. How to configure the "server side" of remote desktop to accept connections at 24-bit true color. Vista, windows 7 and server 2008 already allow higher that 24 bit color by default.

Enable 24 bit color in RDP for XP or 2003 Server

Enable 24 bit color in RDP for XP or 2003 Server

Enable 24 bit color in RDP for XP or 2003 Server

The default color resolution for RDP sessions is limited to 16 bits. This color depth is set on the remote computer and not on the connecting computer. There is an easy fix for this that will enable 24 bit true color for RDP connections. Connect to the remote computer then:

• Go to Start -> Run.
• Type in gpedit.msc and click on OK to run the program.
• In the window that opens’ left panel, go to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Terminal Services.
• On the right-hand panel, find the setting that says Limit maximum color depth and double-click it.
• In the dialog box that pops up, select Enabled from the radio buttons as shown in the image.
• In the combo box, select “24 bit” or “Client compatable“.
• Click OK.

After you have completed these steps reconnect to the remote computer. These steps work on both XP and Windwos 2003 server. Windows 2003 server can also include Microsoft Terminal Server.

Microsoft Terminal Server

(Windows RDS - Remote Desktop Service on Windows 2008 R2)

On Windows server, RDP or RDS (Remote Desktop Services), also permits remote access connectivity by clinets running any version of the remote desktop connection client. The remote desktop connection client used to be called terminal services client and remote desktop protocol client. Older RDP client used to have a color limitation but the newer later RDC client (remote desktop connection) does not have that limitation but the color depth can be adjusted to the user's preference.

Run dsa.msc in 2008 windows server

Run dsa.msc in 2008 windows server

A simple but effective command used by hundreds of thousands domain administrators and other tech support and server management personal was to run the command dsa.msc from the command line or from the start run menu. This tool was taken out of the default installation for windows 20087 server. This is an interesting change and one that must have a logical cause behind it. The first of which is security.

That topic is not in the scope of this post. What is in the scope is how to get it back . To get the dsa.msc command back into member 2008 server is quite easy. The image in this post shows the options that should be selected to re-enable dsa.msc to run from a member server. The installation takes only minutes and doesn't require a reboot of the server.

How Some Companies Do Support.: VMWare - Virtualization Support

How Some Companies Do Support.: VMWare - Virtualization Support

The few instances where I needed to contact VMWare support for assistance on a project, they did a decent job. Although they, and all other vendors, tout having the best support and are committed to making their users happy, it always depends and varies depending on who you get when you call in and what is the current support queue length they are working off of.

A tired and understaffed support group no matter whose it is will always be less effective than a support department that is fresh and not over-worked (over baked), ready to break down or are disgruntled about their work conditions.

Then, there is the other factor of who you get. Although I'm not apposed to getting a new support person when I call in to a company for support, I do mind if they are not into the technology or interested in solving the issue at hand. I like and don;t mind if put on hold so they can consult with another person except times where time is more critical for the project and that added wait time can come back to hurt the project goals.

On the other side of the spectrum is the support staff members who have been at the company many years or doing the same job or technology for a long time and not only know a great deal but are grumpy about it. The experienced grumpy that thinks you should have already known much of the information they are providing and also they dispense a subtle talk down. This is the worst. Worse that the new support agent or support engineer. Although they know a lot of the product and technology, the more sadists ones will use that as a torture device. Not providing all the information, especially and particularly in the form of gotchas in design or implementation.

Remote Support

A simple process that could take an experienced person several minutes to maybe ten can turn into an hour with a person on the remote side that has no idea of how to perform the functions that you are requesting or have never even seen a command line or rarely use the right-click feature of their mouse.

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