Can you RDP to a Windows 2000 Professional machine?

I have a small home network with 3 machines - a Windows 2000 machine, an XP machine, and a Vista machine. I'm using Remote Desktop to connect between them, which is working fine when connecting to the XP and Vista machines (even from the Win2K machine). However I haven't been able to figure out how to connect to the Win2K machine. Is this even possible with Windows 2000 Pro?

I know it's possible with Win2K Server (using Terminal Services), and I know there are non-Microsoft utilities out there (e.g. VNC) to accomplish this (which I'm not opposed to using if I have to). I just want to find out first if it's just a configuration issue, or just some component I need to install... something like that.

MTS

Posted 2010-09-13T18:46:58.650

Reputation: 41

Answers

JNK wrote That’s what’s in the MS link in my answer.

Unfortunately, the instructions in that MS link require using the W2K server CD, but the question was about RDP’ing to a W2K-Pro system.

There are no Windows components available for adding to a W2K Pro system that will let it provide RDP service that a remote client could connect to.

If you look at the Properties section of that page, you will see:

Article ID: 300847 - Last Review: November 1, 2006 - Revision: 2.4 APPLIES TO Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

Justin

Posted 2010-09-13T18:46:58.650

Reputation: 51

1Hey Justin. Thanks for your contribution to Superuser. Note that this is a Q&A site, not a discussion site. You might want to edit your answer so that it stands on its own, instead of being part of a conversation with another user. – Isaac Rabinovitch – 2012-10-27T03:00:38.703

XP is backwards compatible with Win2k hosts. You may need to configure the 2000 machine first, though. I don't think it was a default option in Win2k like it was in later builds.

JNK

Posted 2010-09-13T18:46:58.650

Reputation: 7 642

Yes, you can rdp to win2k pro. However, iirc you have to install the capability by going to the control panel, choosing Add/Remove Programs, and then Add Windows Components. It's not just there by default, like it is in later versions of Windows.

More than that, though, you should be aware that Windows 2000 reached end of life on July 13, 2010. No new updates or security patches have been released for some time now. Continuing to use this system is dangerous and irresponsible. It's time to retire or upgrade.

Joel Coehoorn

Posted 2010-09-13T18:46:58.650

Reputation: 26 787

1+1 - That's what's in the MS link in my answer. – JNK – 2010-09-13T18:57:56.737