I found the registry secrets for this after quite a bit of searching, in the comments of one of the Remote Desktop articles, of all places. But, I did have to make some slight modifications.
First, I had to delete that Remote Desktop Users group that I had manually created (at the recommendation of another comment). (I created it with net localgroup "Remote Desktop Users" /add
; delete it with net localgroup "Remote Desktop Users" /delete
.)
Then, I imported a registry file as the SYSTEM account. I don't know everything this registry script does (I'll update if I gain more understanding as to what exactly it's doing), but it worked for me. Note the changes I made from the data in the source link: I changed the open-quote and close-quote characters to simple double-quote characters and added a slash and additional 0
character to each Aliases00###
entry (so ...\Aliases0000234
became ...\Aliases\00000234
).
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\00000243]
"C"=hex:43,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,00,00,00,02,00,01,00,b0,00,00,00,46,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,f8,00,00,00,e2,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,dc,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,01,00,14,80,90,00,00,00,a0,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,44,00,00,00,02,\
00,30,00,02,00,00,00,02,c0,14,00,13,00,05,01,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
00,00,02,c0,14,00,ff,ff,1f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,07,00,00,00,02,00,4c,\
00,03,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,0c,00,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,00,\
00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,24,02,00,00,01,02,\
00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,\
00,20,02,00,00,41,00,63,00,63,00,65,00,73,00,73,00,20,00,43,00,6f,00,6e,00,\
74,00,72,00,6f,00,6c,00,20,00,41,00,73,00,73,00,69,00,73,00,74,00,61,00,6e,\
00,63,00,65,00,20,00,4f,00,70,00,65,00,72,00,61,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,73,00,\
00,00,4d,00,65,00,6d,00,62,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,20,00,6f,00,66,00,20,00,74,\
00,68,00,69,00,73,00,20,00,67,00,72,00,6f,00,75,00,70,00,20,00,63,00,61,00,\
6e,00,20,00,72,00,65,00,6d,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,6c,00,79,00,20,00,71,00,75,\
00,65,00,72,00,79,00,20,00,61,00,75,00,74,00,68,00,6f,00,72,00,69,00,7a,00,\
61,00,74,00,69,00,6f,00,6e,00,20,00,61,00,74,00,74,00,72,00,69,00,62,00,75,\
00,74,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,61,00,6e,00,64,00,20,00,70,00,65,00,72,00,6d,00,\
69,00,73,00,73,00,69,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,20,00,66,00,6f,00,72,00,20,00,72,\
00,65,00,73,00,6f,00,75,00,72,00,63,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,6f,00,6e,00,20,00,\
74,00,68,00,69,00,73,00,20,00,63,00,6f,00,6d,00,70,00,75,00,74,00,65,00,72,\
00,2e,00,00,00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\00000227]
"C"=hex:27,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,00,00,00,02,00,01,00,b0,00,00,00,20,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,d0,00,00,00,d2,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,a4,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,01,00,14,80,90,00,00,00,a0,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,44,00,00,00,02,\
00,30,00,02,00,00,00,02,c0,14,00,13,00,05,01,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
00,00,02,c0,14,00,ff,ff,1f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,07,00,00,00,02,00,4c,\
00,03,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,0c,00,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,00,\
00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,24,02,00,00,01,02,\
00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,\
00,20,02,00,00,42,00,61,00,63,00,6b,00,75,00,70,00,20,00,4f,00,70,00,65,00,\
72,00,61,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,73,00,42,00,61,00,63,00,6b,00,75,00,70,00,20,\
00,4f,00,70,00,65,00,72,00,61,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,73,00,20,00,63,00,61,00,\
6e,00,20,00,6f,00,76,00,65,00,72,00,72,00,69,00,64,00,65,00,20,00,73,00,65,\
00,63,00,75,00,72,00,69,00,74,00,79,00,20,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,74,00,72,00,\
69,00,63,00,74,00,69,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,20,00,66,00,6f,00,72,00,20,00,74,\
00,68,00,65,00,20,00,73,00,6f,00,6c,00,65,00,20,00,70,00,75,00,72,00,70,00,\
6f,00,73,00,65,00,20,00,6f,00,66,00,20,00,62,00,61,00,63,00,6b,00,69,00,6e,\
00,67,00,20,00,75,00,70,00,20,00,6f,00,72,00,20,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,74,00,\
6f,00,72,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,20,00,66,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,00,00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\00000239]
"C"=hex:39,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,00,00,00,02,00,01,00,b0,00,00,00,2e,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,e0,00,00,00,76,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,58,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,01,00,14,80,90,00,00,00,a0,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,44,00,00,00,02,\
00,30,00,02,00,00,00,02,c0,14,00,13,00,05,01,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
00,00,02,c0,14,00,ff,ff,1f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,07,00,00,00,02,00,4c,\
00,03,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,0c,00,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,00,\
00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,24,02,00,00,01,02,\
00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,\
00,20,02,00,00,43,00,72,00,79,00,70,00,74,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,70,00,\
68,00,69,00,63,00,20,00,4f,00,70,00,65,00,72,00,61,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,73,\
00,00,00,4d,00,65,00,6d,00,62,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,20,00,61,00,72,00,65,00,\
20,00,61,00,75,00,74,00,68,00,6f,00,72,00,69,00,7a,00,65,00,64,00,20,00,74,\
00,6f,00,20,00,70,00,65,00,72,00,66,00,6f,00,72,00,6d,00,20,00,63,00,72,00,\
79,00,70,00,74,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,70,00,68,00,69,00,63,00,20,00,6f,\
00,70,00,65,00,72,00,61,00,74,00,69,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,2e,00,00,00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\00000242]
"C"=hex:42,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,00,00,00,02,00,01,00,b0,00,00,00,2c,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,dc,00,00,00,ae,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,8c,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,01,00,14,80,90,00,00,00,a0,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,44,00,00,00,02,\
00,30,00,02,00,00,00,02,c0,14,00,13,00,05,01,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
00,00,02,c0,14,00,ff,ff,1f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,07,00,00,00,02,00,4c,\
00,03,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,0c,00,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,00,\
00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,24,02,00,00,01,02,\
00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,\
00,20,02,00,00,48,00,79,00,70,00,65,00,72,00,2d,00,56,00,20,00,41,00,64,00,\
6d,00,69,00,6e,00,69,00,73,00,74,00,72,00,61,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,73,00,4d,\
00,65,00,6d,00,62,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,20,00,6f,00,66,00,20,00,74,00,68,00,\
69,00,73,00,20,00,67,00,72,00,6f,00,75,00,70,00,20,00,68,00,61,00,76,00,65,\
00,20,00,63,00,6f,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,65,00,74,00,65,00,20,00,61,00,6e,00,\
64,00,20,00,75,00,6e,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,74,00,72,00,69,00,63,00,74,00,65,\
00,64,00,20,00,61,00,63,00,63,00,65,00,73,00,73,00,20,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,\
61,00,6c,00,6c,00,20,00,66,00,65,00,61,00,74,00,75,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,20,\
00,6f,00,66,00,20,00,48,00,79,00,70,00,65,00,72,00,2d,00,56,00,2e,00,00,00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\0000022C]
"C"=hex:2c,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,00,00,00,02,00,01,00,b0,00,00,00,3e,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,f0,00,00,00,d8,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,c8,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,01,00,14,80,90,00,00,00,a0,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,44,00,00,00,02,\
00,30,00,02,00,00,00,02,c0,14,00,13,00,05,01,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
00,00,02,c0,14,00,ff,ff,1f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,07,00,00,00,02,00,4c,\
00,03,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,0c,00,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,00,\
00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,24,02,00,00,01,02,\
00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,\
00,20,02,00,00,4e,00,65,00,74,00,77,00,6f,00,72,00,6b,00,20,00,43,00,6f,00,\
6e,00,66,00,69,00,67,00,75,00,72,00,61,00,74,00,69,00,6f,00,6e,00,20,00,4f,\
00,70,00,65,00,72,00,61,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,73,00,00,00,4d,00,65,00,6d,00,\
62,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,20,00,69,00,6e,00,20,00,74,00,68,00,69,00,73,00,20,\
00,67,00,72,00,6f,00,75,00,70,00,20,00,63,00,61,00,6e,00,20,00,68,00,61,00,\
76,00,65,00,20,00,73,00,6f,00,6d,00,65,00,20,00,61,00,64,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,\
00,69,00,73,00,74,00,72,00,61,00,74,00,69,00,76,00,65,00,20,00,70,00,72,00,\
69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,6d,\
00,61,00,6e,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,20,00,63,00,6f,00,6e,00,66,00,69,00,67,00,\
75,00,72,00,61,00,74,00,69,00,6f,00,6e,00,20,00,6f,00,66,00,20,00,6e,00,65,\
00,74,00,77,00,6f,00,72,00,6b,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,20,00,66,00,65,00,61,00,\
74,00,75,00,72,00,65,00,73,00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\00000223]
"C"=hex:23,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,00,00,00,02,00,01,00,b0,00,00,00,16,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,c8,00,00,00,bc,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,01,00,14,80,90,00,00,00,a0,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,44,00,00,00,02,\
00,30,00,02,00,00,00,02,c0,14,00,13,00,05,01,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
00,00,02,c0,14,00,ff,ff,1f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,07,00,00,00,02,00,4c,\
00,03,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,0c,00,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,00,\
00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,24,02,00,00,01,02,\
00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,\
00,20,02,00,00,50,00,6f,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,20,00,55,00,73,00,65,00,72,00,\
73,00,00,00,50,00,6f,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,20,00,55,00,73,00,65,00,72,00,73,\
00,20,00,61,00,72,00,65,00,20,00,69,00,6e,00,63,00,6c,00,75,00,64,00,65,00,\
64,00,20,00,66,00,6f,00,72,00,20,00,62,00,61,00,63,00,6b,00,77,00,61,00,72,\
00,64,00,73,00,20,00,63,00,6f,00,6d,00,70,00,61,00,74,00,69,00,62,00,69,00,\
6c,00,69,00,74,00,79,00,20,00,61,00,6e,00,64,00,20,00,70,00,6f,00,73,00,73,\
00,65,00,73,00,73,00,20,00,6c,00,69,00,6d,00,69,00,74,00,65,00,64,00,20,00,\
61,00,64,00,6d,00,69,00,6e,00,69,00,73,00,74,00,72,00,61,00,74,00,69,00,76,\
00,65,00,20,00,70,00,6f,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,73,00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\0000022B]
"C"=hex:2b,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,00,00,00,02,00,01,00,b0,00,00,00,28,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,d8,00,00,00,7a,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,54,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,01,00,14,80,90,00,00,00,a0,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,44,00,00,00,02,\
00,30,00,02,00,00,00,02,c0,14,00,13,00,05,01,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
00,00,02,c0,14,00,ff,ff,1f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,07,00,00,00,02,00,4c,\
00,03,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,0c,00,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,00,\
00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,24,02,00,00,01,02,\
00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,\
00,20,02,00,00,52,00,65,00,6d,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,20,00,44,00,65,00,73,00,\
6b,00,74,00,6f,00,70,00,20,00,55,00,73,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,4d,00,65,00,6d,\
00,62,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,20,00,69,00,6e,00,20,00,74,00,68,00,69,00,73,00,\
20,00,67,00,72,00,6f,00,75,00,70,00,20,00,61,00,72,00,65,00,20,00,67,00,72,\
00,61,00,6e,00,74,00,65,00,64,00,20,00,74,00,68,00,65,00,20,00,72,00,69,00,\
67,00,68,00,74,00,20,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,6c,00,6f,00,67,00,6f,00,6e,00,20,\
00,72,00,65,00,6d,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,6c,00,79,00,00,00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\00000228]
"C"=hex:28,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,00,00,00,02,00,01,00,b0,00,00,00,14,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,c4,00,00,00,4a,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,10,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,01,00,14,80,90,00,00,00,a0,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,44,00,00,00,02,\
00,30,00,02,00,00,00,02,c0,14,00,13,00,05,01,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
00,00,02,c0,14,00,ff,ff,1f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,07,00,00,00,02,00,4c,\
00,03,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,0c,00,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,00,\
00,18,00,1f,00,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,24,02,00,00,01,02,\
00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,20,02,00,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,\
00,20,02,00,00,52,00,65,00,70,00,6c,00,69,00,63,00,61,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,\
53,00,75,00,70,00,70,00,6f,00,72,00,74,00,73,00,20,00,66,00,69,00,6c,00,65,\
00,20,00,72,00,65,00,70,00,6c,00,69,00,63,00,61,00,74,00,69,00,6f,00,6e,00,\
20,00,69,00,6e,00,20,00,61,00,20,00,64,00,6f,00,6d,00,61,00,69,00,6e,00,00,\
00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\Names\Access Control Assistance Operators]
@=hex(243):
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\Names\Backup Operators]
@=hex(227):
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\Names\Cryptographic Operators]
@=hex(239):
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\Names\Hyper-V Administrators]
@=hex(242):
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\Names\Network Configuration Operators]
@=hex(22c):
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\Names\Power Users]
@=hex(223):
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\Names\Remote Desktop Users]
@=hex(22b):
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\Names\Replicator]
@=hex(228):
To import the registry file under the SYSTEM account, I used the PsExec.exe tool, from the Microsoft TechNet "Process Utilities" PsTools package. It's a ZIP package, so you don't need to install anything. After unzipping the PsExec.exe file, I ran it as an administrator with the following command: PsExec.exe -s -i regedit.exe
. From the Registry Editor window, I selected File > Import
, and navigated the location of the registry file.
To import the registry file successfully, you don't have to use PsExec, but you do need to have permission to write to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases\
keys of the Registry, which you can gain by replicating permissions from the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM
key to its children (sub-keys).
After importing the registry file, I added users to the Remote Desktop Users group (net localgroup "Remote Desktop Users" [username] /add
), and with those users I could then access my Windows 7 Home Premium PC with Remote Desktop.
This worked. I also had to add my non-admin user to the group with
net localgroup "Remote Desktop Users" [username] /add
.Also, I had previously created a group with
net localgroup "Remote Desktop Users" /add
, and I was unable to login before deleting that local group. – Daniel – 2016-10-03T00:15:19.807This approach works with 2 tricks from the answer below: 1) run the registry editor with SYSTEM privileges (use
– AntonK – 2019-01-11T19:33:35.567PsExec.exe -s -i regedit.exe
or tweak the permissions); 2) add the users to "Remote Desktop Users", which becomes available after you import the registry fragment.tested on Windows 10 home 32 bits in a Atom Z3735F@1.33Ghz with ony 2GB of memory (Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17763.914])... works like a charm! THX!!! – ZEE – 2020-01-07T20:10:49.780
My 2cts are... if you have already a "Remote Desktop Users" group then remove it... only then apply the above fixes... and then check if a new "Remote Desktop Users" group is created... don't forget to add the non-admin user to this group! – ZEE – 2020-01-07T20:12:52.380