RDP Thinclient setup

[mirojr]

Hiya

 

Have decided to look at a basic setup of about 10-15 PCs that will use thinclient to RDP setup

 

I am wondering if there are any useful guides, as other than using an RDP for admin, this is all new to me.

 

Thanks.

[atamakosi]

not to toot my own horn but i put my notes on here for this reason. I tried quite a few different ways to get a thin client to rdp in to a terminal server and this was easiest and works great. thin client boots in 15-20 seconds to the login screen and then the user gets access to all the apps and printers on the TS, etc.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/thin-client-virtual-machines/91361-how-setup-ubuntu-virtual-server-thin-clients-use-rdesktop-into-windows.html

[Axel]

It all depends on the thin-clients you use.....

 

If all you want of the thin client is to launch "RDP" to connect to a W2008r2 server and give the users their own independant session, the video below shows a popular and easy way to acheive this

 

Thin client setup and booting

 

There are all kind of alternatives, involving embedded Linux/Windows, pxe booting across network, VDI etc etc but none simpler or quicker !

 

(The same device can be re-configured for XenApp, XenDesktop, VMware Viewer, RemoteApp etc)

 

I'd be happy to answer any questions or introduce you to a school near you to have a chat with.....

[mirojr]

Thanks

 

Am currently looking into the configuration of desktops, sound, security, apps etc

 

Any good guides on these areas.

 

I am gonna have a search but if there are any ones that people use would be appreciated

[mirojr]

not to toot my own horn but i put my notes on here for this reason. I tried quite a few different ways to get a thin client to rdp in to a terminal server and this was easiest and works great. thin client boots in 15-20 seconds to the login screen and then the user gets access to all the apps and printers on the TS, etc.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/thin-client-virtual-machines/91361-how-setup-ubuntu-virtual-server-thin-clients-use-rdesktop-into-windows.html

 

Hiya,

 

So is this a PXE boot server?

[atamakosi]

sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

 

Yes, I've set up the virtual server to be a pxe boot server for my thin clients. Like I said, it takes about 15-20 seconds to boot from the NIC pxe until at a login screen for the terminal server.

[1steelhead]

Hiya

 

Have decided to look at a basic setup of about 10-15 PCs that will use thinclient to RDP setup

 

I am wondering if there are any useful guides, as other than using an RDP for admin, this is all new to me.

 

Thanks.

 

I have used setup Windows7 and XP machines to use a script as the replacement shell for explorer.

It Opens and RDP file that connect to the RDS Pool ...waites for MTSC to End then logs the user off. Thus returning to the login screen.

Fairly easy setup..(even though it took me a while to accomplish it.

 

Let me know if you want more info. Works great for a school setup. Login ...get your session ..exit seesion ....back to login screen.

 

D

[pritchardavid]

Other option you got is Microsoft Multipoint Server 2011. We will be getting this soon

[mirojr]

Yes this would be great.

 

More info please.

 

Silverdale looks like a beautiful part of the US

[1steelhead]

Couple things.

My "want" was to use old desktop computer as client computers that boot, run Remote desktop client, attach to a MS RDS pool and when the session terminated, retrun the student to a login screen. I have not quite got the Signal Sign on working yet, but in progress.

 

Three files:

1.RDP file that points to the Pool. This can be found on the connection broker Server once you have configured a Pool. In c:\windows\remotepackages\RemoteDesktops

 

2. A powershell script that launches MTSC with the Pool file Named it Startup.ps1

 

Start-Process c:\windows\system32\MSTSC.exe c:\temp\pool.rdp

Wait-Process MSTSC

Start-Process logoff.exe

 

3. A VB script (I named it RDPShell.vbs) that calls the Powershell script (Startup.ps1) All you need to do is replace the path for "strPath" to the location and file name that you need.

 

 

Dim objShell,objFSO,objFile

 

Set objShell=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

Set objFSO=CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

 

'enter the path for your PowerShell Script

strPath="C:\temp\Startup.ps1"

 

'verify file exists

If objFSO.FileExists(strPath) Then

'return short path name

set objFile=objFSO.GetFile(strPath)

strCMD="powershell -nologo -command " & Chr(34) & "&{" &_

objFile.ShortPath & "}" & Chr(34)

'Uncomment next line for debugging

'WScript.Echo strCMD

 

'use 0 to hide window

objShell.Run strCMD,0

 

Else

 

'Display error message

WScript.Echo "Failed to find " & strPath

WScript.Quit

 

End If

 

4. Replace the Explorer.exe shell using regedit.exe (HKey_LM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell)

with wscript.exe c:\temp\RDPShell.vbs

 

Once you have modified the registry for the PC, when a user logs in it runs the series of files. Login leads to RDS login, session starts.

When the users logs out of the session, it returns to the script and logs out the user. Leaving the machine at a login screen.

 

** You will need to install/apply the following in order for XP machines to understand the Pooling process of the RDP file. find it here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/951608

 

 

***Once you have modified the regisrty ..the only way to get back in and change it is to load the registry from another machine and edit it from there. Regedit > File> Connect Network Registry (Connect/Disconnect)

 

Hope this helps. Next (now) I'm trying to figure out the SSO part. wish me luck.

You can also modify the Pool.RDP to meet your needs. The only thing that I have yet to figure out is ..that the RDP file requires a password instead of passing the current credentials.

 

Good luck,

 

d

Edited March 27, 2012 by 1steelhead

[asonuga]

Very Good Posts ! Thanks

[atamakosi]

@1steelhead: part of the reason I went with a linux solution was being unable to find a workable system for single sign-on. The solutions I tried never fully satisfied the requirements I wanted out of a thin client setup. Having to pre-install the thin clients with some operating system also made them dependent on the slow speeds of the machines hardware (these are at least 7 years old now that I'm working with.) Where as the PXE boot let them load in 15-20 seconds and ready for login a single time straight to the terminal server.

 

But I tried using vbscripts to replace the explorer shell with mstsc or rdp+ but they all presented themselves with extra challenges. (configuring the rdp default file or setting the rdp+ to be deployed to all the thin client stations, having to do reg hacks, yada yada yada.)

 

I've been where you are and found it a headache, only trying to save you the trouble too.

[TheScarfedOne]

Ive posted a load of stuff on Windows ThinPC and RDP on my blog - from my new setup last summer. The start of it is here Windows Thin PC - Blogs - EduGeek.net. Im also using true SSO - just haven't finished the post on that, so will do that later and link it here.

[1steelhead]

ScarfedOne:

Looking forward to your post on SSO.

Atamakosi:

Thanks for your input. May save me some time.