Remote Desktop/Remote Assistance

[rraehal]

I am using 2 Windows XP Pro SP2 Machines. I have been experimenting with Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance.

I can connect from Machine 2 to Machine 1 without problems using either RD or RA.

Machine 1 will not connect to Machine 2 using RD or RA. Machine 2 does not have a third party firewall and the windows firewall is shut off. (The firewall is in a cisco router before the internet - both these machine are on the LAN)

If I am on Machine 1 I can ping machine 2, use pcAnywhere, connect via the \\MACHINE2\C$ share and access \\MACHINE2\DRIVEF$. I can send and receive e-mail between the two machines and both allow Sametime Instant Messages either way.

Anyone have a suggestion on what I should check?

The "Remote Desktop Session Manager" service is started when I enable remote desktop. I receive the Remote Assistance Invitation and can open it. I simply can't connect.

[jflan]

I'm actually not very well versed in Remote Assistance. But..

Try this: type sevices.msc in the Run box > OK

open the Extended tab and pay close attention to the services starting with the words, Remote and Networking.

I would compare the settings in the two machines and make sure that they are the same. You can set to auto, manual or disable in that envirnment.

[rraehal]

The services on both machines are identical. It still is not clear why the connection works from PC2 to PC1 but not the other way around.

[jflan]

Few more thoughts:

Try a different port(s) on your router ?

Logged on as Administrator?

Is it possible that #1 has a security app running ?

[rraehal]

We are not using a router. This is a business network. The PC's are connected via a Cisco switch. I am a domain administrator and have full access to the PC. I did add myself to the remote desktop group just in case I needed to be there but my understanding is administrators already have access. The first system has a security agent installed but it should only activate when our VPN dialer is activated. I will try and kill the integrity agent process to see if it is the culprit.

[rraehal]

I mixed up the two machines. I can connect to the machine with the firewall. The machine can not connect to my system with no firewall.

This is just werid. Maybe its the reason our company standarized on pcAnywhere.

[rraehal]

I figured out what our problem was. On the PC that was refusing connections, Terminal Services was set to use a Manual Startup. Terminal Services must be running for Remote Desktop or Remote Assistance to function.