KB: A memory leak in the WmiPrvSe.exe process occurs when you use the RDS WMI provider in Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

A new KB article (2876748) regarding a possible memory leak when using the RDS WMI provider in Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1.

“…When you use the Remote Desktop Services (RDS) Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider in Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1), you notice a memory leak in the WmiPrvSe.exe process. This may cause the WmiPrvSe.exe process to stop…”

Source & download: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2876748/en-us?sd=rss

KB: The "New" option in the shortcut menu is missing for the root folder of a redirected drive in Windows Server 2008 R2 (2796764)

A new hotfix has been released (2796764) to fix the issue where the “new” option is missing in the context menu on a redirected drive using a Remote Desktop Session. Have been running into this issue too, glad that it’s fixed.

Root of a redirected drive:

Subfolder:

“…Consider the following scenario:

• On a client computer, you open Remote Desktop Connection and enable drive redirection.
• You create a Remote Desktop session to a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2.
• You browse to the root folder of the redirected drive in the Remote Desktop session.
• You right-click an active region to display the shortcut menu.

In this scenario, the New option is missing on the shortcut menu…”

Source and download: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2796764/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14134

KB2798286: RemoteApp disconnects from a client running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2

A new KB article (KB2798286) was released today related to Remote Apps being disconnected with a protocol error when the Remote App supports Remote Applications Integrated Locally (RAIL). It seems like a similar update as KB2696020 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2696020/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14134. Only this time the fix is also applicable for Windows 7.

“…Consider the following scenario:

• You install the Remote Desktop Session Host role service on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2.
• You publish a RemoteApp application that supports the Remote Applications Integrated Locally (RAIL) feature on the computer.
• You use the Remote Desktop Web Access (RD Web Access) service on a client computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 to access the RemoteApp application.
• You open the RemoteApp application and perform several operations.

In this scenario, the Remote Desktop session disconnects. Additionally, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

Because of a protocol error, this session will be disconnected. Please try connecting to the remote computer again..”

Source and download: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2798286/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14134

Password change option also available in RD Web Access on Windows Server 2008 R2

A while back I posted about one of the new features on RD Web Access in Windows Server 2012: an option to change your password by using RD Web Access.
http://microsoftplatform.blogspot.nl/2012/03/rds-in-win8-feature-highlight-no_12.html

It seems that this option can also be made available on RD Web Access based on Windows Server 2008 R2.The option is not there by default but can be enabled by running a patch on your RD Web Access server.

Remember that the password change feature can be accessed by opening the password.aspx page, so for example https://<ServerName>/RDWeb/Pages/en-US/password.aspx. On a RD Web Access server running Windows Server 2008 R2 this file is not there be default.

The patch that creates the necessary files is:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2648402

Note that the KB Article does not really mention the fact that the password change option is also added. It’s actually related to fix a different, although somewhat related, issue.

The KB Article does however mention the passwords.aspx file.

After installing the patch (and a reboot that is required) the password.aspx file is created.

To enable the option we need to set a variable in IIS (the same as with RD Web Access Windows Server 2012).

After that, we’re able to browse to the password.aspx file and successfully change a password.

Thanks goes out to Alexey Astashin for pointing this out to me and updating the TechNet Wiki.http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/10755.enabling-the-rd-webaccess-expired-password-reset-option-in-windows-server-2012.aspx

Home folder is not mapped to a client computer when multiple users are logged on to a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2

A new hotfix was released today regarding an issue when configuring folder redirection of the the home drive for multiple users on a DFS share in conjunction with Slow Configure slow-link mode being enabled. Apparently, the second user that logs on does not get the mapped drive

“…Consider the following scenario:

• You have a client computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 in an Active Directory domain.
• You set up home folders for domain user accounts on a Distributed File System (DFS) share.
• You redirect the home folders to the DFS root by configuring the Folder Redirection Group Policy setting on the server.
  
  Note You can use the %HOMEDRIVE% variable to map to the DFS root.
• You use the slow-link mode for redirected folders. To do this, you enable the following Group Policy setting:
  Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files\Configure slow-link mode
• A domain user logs on to the client computer, and then the home folder is mapped to the client computer.
• The mapped home folder is configured to use slow-link mode.
• A second domain user who shares the same DFS root with the previous domain user logs on to the same client computer.

In this scenario, folder redirection fails. More specifically, the home folder of the second user is not mapped to the client computer…”

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2715922/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14134

Poor performance occurs when you shadow a Remote Desktop session in Windows Server 2008 R2 or in Windows 7

Today a new KB article and hotfix have been released for RDS on Windows Server 2008 R2 related to performance issues when shadowing a session. I actually experienced this myself recently. Good to see there's a fix!

UPDATE: After have been taken offline the 10th of may, the KB has been republished on the 25th of may.

Article ID: 2685909 - Last Review: May 9, 2012 - Revision: 1.0
Poor performance occurs when you shadow a Remote Desktop session in Windows Server 2008 R2 or in Windows 7
"...Consider the following scenario:

• You start a Remote Desktop session to a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2 and that has the Remote Desktop Services role installed.
• You remotely control (or "shadow") a different Remote Desktop session by using the Remote Desktop Services Manager Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in.

In this scenario, the CPU usage for the Remote Desktop Services Manager MMC snap-in increases to 100 percent.

Note This issue can also occur on a computer that is running Windows 7 and that has the Remote Server Administration Tools feature installed. When the issue occurs, the CPU usage for the Server Manager MMC snap-in increases to 100 percent.

This issue occurs because there are messages in the message queue to be processed by the UI thread when the Remotecontrol option is clicked. However, the message queue is shared across threads, and other threads cannot process the messages..."

Source and download: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2685909/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14134

A Remote Desktop Services session stops responding during the logoff process in Windows Server 2008 R2

A new KB article (2571388) was released yesterday regarding the logoff process on a Windows Server 2008 R2 machine running the RD Session Host role. The cause is a deadlock situation in the Csrss.exe process. To apply the hotfix you must be running Service Pack 1.

Article ID: 2571388 - Last Review: March 14, 2012 - Revision: 1.0
A Remote Desktop Services session stops responding during the logoff process in Windows Server 2008 R2.

"...Consider the following scenario. You install the Remote Desktop Session Host role service on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2. You try to log off a Remote Desktop Services session on the computer. In this scenario, the Remote Desktop Services session stops responding. After some time, the computer stops accepting incoming Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) connections.

You must turn off and then restart the computer to recover from this issue..."

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2571388/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14134#appliesto

"The system cannot find the file specified" error message when you print a document on a Windows Server 2008 R2-based terminal server

A new KB Article (with hotfix) was released regarding print issue when performing a printjob to a network printer from an application that hosts Internet Explorer 9 and that is compiled with the /TSAWARE:NO option on the terminal server.

 Article ID: 2646168 - Last Review: February 16, 2012 - Revision: 1.0
"The system cannot find the file specified" error message when you print a document on a Windows Server 2008 R2-based terminal server

"...Consider the following scenario:

• You establish a Remote Desktop Services session to a Windows Server 2008 R2-based terminal server that has Windows Internet Explorer 9 installed.
• You do not redirect a printer to the Remote Desktop Services session.
• You run an application that hosts Internet Explorer 9 and that is compiled with the /TSAWARE:NO option on the terminal server.
• You try to print a document to a network printer by using this application.

In this scenario, the printer does not print the document. Additionally, you receive an error message that resembles the following: The system cannot find the file specified..."

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2646168/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14134

"Input Capture Window" shows on local desktop when you start Windows Remote Assistance as a RemoteApp

A new ("FAST PUBLISH") KB article was released by Microsoft today regarding running Windows Remote Assistance (msra.exe) as a RemoteApp hosted on a Windows Server 2008 R2. The article states that using applications like Windows Remote Assistance as RemoteApp is not a supported scenario in Windows Server 2008 R2.

Article ID: 2674002 - Last Review: February 15, 2012 - Revision: 1.0
"Input Capture Window" shows on local desktop when you start Windows Remote Assistance as a RemoteApp

"...When you start Windows Remote Assistance (msra.exe) as a RemoteApp hosted on a Windows Server 2008 R2, you may see an extra window showing up on the Taskbar with the title "Input Capture Window" on your workstation. Also the desktop is not redrawn correctly.

Using applications like Windows Remote Assistance as RemoteApp is not a supported scenario in Windows Server 2008 R2..."
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2674002/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14134