XP Remote Desktop problem

[netadmin]

I am able to run XP Professional Remote Desktop without any problems on over 30 PCs. However, one pc will not let me connect to it and says something about network problems preventing the connection. What is odd is that the computer can connect to the server and access the internet just fine.

Does anyone know of any solutions? It would be great if I could fix it remotely, because I am not at the campus right now, but ideas that have to be done locally would still be great.

[localzuk]

My first guess would be that you have a firewall running on that machine?

Poss Firewall if you can't connect to the pc, but the pc connects to the LAN. or maybe DNS issue. Tried connecting via IP address?

[netadmin]

The firewall has been disabled previously.
I tried to connect with the IP address, but it said the same message.

I was able to get the exact error message now:
"The connection was ended because of a network error. Please try connecting to the remote computer again."

I was able to successfully ping the computer.

[alonebfg]

i know i am being silly here but one thing i found when i first tried was that the allow remote desktop box was not ticked ( the easy ones are the first ones i miss) i know during one of the updates diabled the function again. prob not that but hay we have all missed the small things once

[netadmin]

i know i am being silly here but one thing i found when i first tried was that the allow remote desktop box was not ticked ( the easy ones are the first ones i miss) i know during one of the updates diabled the function again. prob not that but hay we have all missed the small things once

I have forgotten that box on a few pcs, but this one is enabled.
Good thought though.

[alonebfg]

the other thing to try is to disable windows firewall if it is enabled and then try to connect to it also what other firewalls does it have i know some issues with norton the other thing is what are you using to connect ie are you using name or ip try using ip address of the machine and see if that works i know some naming probs cause it.

[bishopsgarthstockton]

i know microsoft released an update recently for remote desktop. i havent heard of any problems with the update, but has the update been added and is it on the other 29 machines.

MS updates in the past have fixed one thing but hack up and another. i would check this.

sorry i dont know the ms update ref number.

is port 3389 def open?

check with cmd

netstat -an

[ajbritton]

Log on to the PC in question, run a CMD session and type in 'netstat -a'. There should be an entry in the list that looks like this...

TCP ajb-01:3389 ajb-01:0 LISTENING

If not, then it's either not listening for remote desktop or it's listening on the wrong port. It is certainly possible to change the default listening port on Windows Server, so I assume this is also possible on XP.

Assuming the entry is there, then try a port scan from another PC. I would use something like Angry IP Scanner. It's a simple download, then you need to tell it to scan specific ports (3389) and enter an IP address range which will include the problem PC.

[alonebfg]

if you cn turn off windows firewall totaly just to try and connect i have had a problem where i have opened the port open but rdp still dont work but when i swiched off windows firewall bingo it worked which ment it was tied down to windows firewall. also try to connect to pc via ip addy s sometimes for some reason it does not name resolve

[ajbritton]

This guy managed to fix a similar sounding problem by doing a 'repair' install.

[mattx]

Is this PC part of a domain ? If so may be worth clearing out some of the profiles if there are any. Sounds daft I know but I have had over the years weird problems which get resolved if I clear out profiles or just some of the related App Admin stuff which has to do with the problem software at hand...

I would install VNC and see if this works - [ I know it uses different ports etc ] but it would show you there is no problem in using a remote access in one form or another.

[bishopsgarthstockton]

@ mattx

yeh cleaning out the profiles is agood one if people cant log on to a domain. never understood why that works but its a usefull trick.

[ajbritton]

I suppose it's even remotely possible (forgive the pun), that the error message might be trying to tell you something. Try a different network patch lead and/or using a different network point.

[netadmin]

Thanks for all the help so far.

The firewall should be turned completely off.

I was able to install VNC and connect to the computer with that. In a few hours, when the employee will be done with the computer, I will VNC into it again and poke around the settings. I will check the netstat -a command, as ajbritton suggested.

Mattx, this computer is part of a domain. I will see about cleaning up profiles and other random junk on the computer and see if it helps.

I will post back later with an update.
Thanks for the help!