How can I Remote Desktop to a Windows 8 PC while another user is connected?

I, UserA, would like to remote desktop (RDP) to a Windows 8 Machine while UserB is working on that same machine. Is this possible?

JSK NS

Posted 2014-03-04T15:09:38.740

Reputation: 150

Answers

I found a way to do this without making use of a 3rd party executable:

In C:\Windows\System32 open termsrv.dll and search/replace:

this:
8B 81 38 06 00 00 39 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 1B 70 00 00

with:
B8 00 01 00 00 89 81 38 06 00 00 90 90 90 90 90 90 90

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Edit the following regitry keys:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\

fDenyTSConnections (DWORD) = 0

fSingleSessionPerUser (DWORD) = 0

Source: https://gist.github.com/diego898/6871478

Though two other answer's technically answer my question, both point to a 3rd party executable (.exe) that could give cause for additional security concern.

JSK NS

Posted 2014-03-04T15:09:38.740

Reputation: 150

2And making changes to a system dll with no idea about why/what you're actually changing could also give cause for a 'security concern'. The fact is, you are doing things that you shouldn't be doing on that version of the OS so there is an inevitable amount of 'sketchiness' as you put it. – arpz – 2014-03-07T12:35:26.810

It's not officially possible - you would need a server edition of Windows to achieve that.

However, if you follow the advice at http://rumyittips.com/how-to-enable-concurrent-remote-desktop-sessions-in-windows-8/ then you should be able to do what you're trying to do, but you will be breaking the terms of the license as far as I know.

arpz

Posted 2014-03-04T15:09:38.740

Reputation: 664

This involved downloading and running a 3rd party executable. Sounds pretty sketchy to me. – JSK NS – 2014-03-04T16:52:25.863

It is pretty sketchy. It's not something that you're supposed to be doing - It's unsupported and against the terms of the EULA – arpz – 2014-03-04T16:58:16.673

Whilst you can't have multiple RDP sessions, you could have one RDP session and a VNC session.

If you install a VNC server and configure it with authentication (more for security than anything else), then you should be able to VNC in at the same time as an RDP user.

Tom O'Connor

Posted 2014-03-04T15:09:38.740

Reputation: 434

It is possible

Just download the patch from MDL Apply and reboot before trying another connection

Windows RDP patch in MDL up to Windows 8

I've been using it with Windows NT5/6 (2000, XP, Vista, Win7, Win8)

Good luck...

PS: here is a recent article about this: Enable RDP Concurrency in Win8

ZEE

Posted 2014-03-04T15:09:38.740

Reputation: 571

I’ve patched the Anniversary Update (version 1607 / build 14393): https://ufile.io/cb5ee

Sean C

Posted 2014-03-04T15:09:38.740

Reputation: 101