Windows 7 / Getting Started

Enabling Remote Control via Group Policy

You can configure Remote Control settings with either a user Group Policy (to affect certain groups of users) or a computer Group Policy (to affect all users who log on to a server or server farm). These settings are located at:

  • Computer Configuration | Policies | Administrative Templates | Windows Components | Remote Desktop Services | RD Session Host | Connections | Set Rules For Remote Control Of Remote Desktop Services User Sessions
  • User Configuration | Policies | Administrative Templates | Windows Components | Remote Desktop Services | RD Session Host | Connections | Set Rules For Remote Control Of Remote Desktop Services User Sessions
NOTE: If both of these Group Policy settings are enabled and there is a conflict, the computer policy settings will take precedence.

Enable the GPO setting and then specify whether user permission is required for interaction with the user session and what level of control will be allowed. Do this by choosing the appropriate option from the Options drop-down menu. The options available are the following.

  • Full Control With User's Permission: With the user's permission, you can take action in the session just as if you were the user.
  • Full Control Without User's Permission: Without the user's permission and without the user receiving any notification beforehand, you can take action in the session just as if you were the user.
  • View Session With User's Permission: With the user's permission, you can view the session but cannot interact with it in any way.
  • View Session Without User's Permission: Without the user's permission and without the user receiving any notification, you can view the session but cannot interact with it in any way.

If these Group Policy settings are set to Not Configured, then Remote Control settings are controlled by RD Session Host Configuration. Enabling either of these Group Policy settings overrides Remote Control from the RD Session Host Configuration, and the setting options there will be disabled.

To disable remote control of user sessions, choose the No Remote Control Allowed option from the Options drop-down menu.

NOTE: Disabling the Set Rules For Remote Control Of Remote Desktop Services policy has the same effect as not configuring it.
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In this tutorial:

  1. Managing Remote Desktop Session
  2. Introducing RD Session Host Management Tools
  3. Command-Line Tools
  4. Connecting Remotely to Servers for Administrative Purposes
  5. Managing RD Session Host Servers from Windows 7
  6. Organizing Servers and VMs in the Remote Desktop Services Manager
  7. Monitoring and Terminating Processes
  8. Terminating Applications
  9. Monitoring and Ending User Sessions
  10. Closing Orphaned Sessions
  11. Disconnecting Sessions
  12. Providing Help with Remote Control
  13. Enabling Remote Control via Group Policy
  14. Enabling Remote Control via RD Session Host Configuration
  15. Shadowing a User Session
  16. Troubleshooting Session Shadowing
  17. Preparing for Server Maintenance
  18. Sending Messages to Users
  19. Shutting Down and Restarting RD Session Host Servers
  20. Applying RDS Management Tools
  21. Get the Server Names
  22. List Processes on the RD Session Host Servers
  23. Auditing User Logons
  24. Closing Unresponsive Applications