Hello,

I don't recall the exact name for it nor how to do it, but I am looking to do something simliar to remote assistance except without having to ask permission. I'm not sure if it's remote desktop or VPN or what, but I want to be able to share computer access with a computer on my own LAN. I used to help run a youth computer lab where I could always look and see what a user was doing while sitting at my PC and even mess with them by moving the mouse. This helped keep them off bad internet sites because they didn't know when I would be checking on them. I don't remember how that worked though. Can someone refresh me please?

VNC is a good solution

You can set it to where you can connect with no password, or with a password, but only from the person doing the logging in. You can then observe the desktop and interact if need be.

www.realvnc.com

Remote desktop will not allow them to be logged in at the same.

dickersonka,
That is incorrect, you can share the mouse and keyboard with RDP.

I do this daily. its called Terminal server shadowing.

To shadow a Windows XP SP2 or higher pc you need to add this registry entry to every computer ... can be done via a login script.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ Control\Terminal Server Add a value named: "AllowRemoteRPC"

You do not need this reg edit for win xp SP0,SP1

Once this is done reboot the remote PC.

Now RDP to a server that has "terminal services manager" on it. Type the computer name (not \\computername, (if you do \\ you will get a access error) just computername will let you connect)

Once connected to the computer you have a few options, you can kill processes via the manager or you can remote control. To remote without asking you need to modify the terminal services policy .. this can be done via group policy to a select group of computer or a whole forest.

After looking into both it seems simpler with RealVNC. XP may have the capability but that is too many changes to go through as opposed to just giving a program my preferences and it obeys.

At least now I don't have to have to get up only for one of the young people to click off the window they shouldn't be looking at as they see me coming. It will also increase my productivity as I don't have to leave my seat and work to help someone every few minutes.

to many changes?

RDP
One group policy, that has a single registry change. Done

VNC
Deploy out VNC on every computer, manage local passwords, hide vnc console, create port exceptions.

atleast use a good vnc solultion .. like ultra vnc.

How are you going to deploy this out?

If you think VNC is easier .. ill help you

Here is a vnc install script i wrote

REM Remote computer name
set ComputerName=192.168.1.2

NET USE \\%computerName%\IPC$ /user:administrator

REM This will stop the service, required if you are doing a remote upgrade

psexec \\%computerName% -s -i -d net stop"VNC Server"

REM Copy your local VNC files to the remote PC.
xcopy "C:\temp\VNCInstall\vnc" "\\%computerName%\C$\Program Files\ultraVNC\*.*" /r/i/c/h/k/e
xcopy "C:\temp\VNCInstall\Reg" "\\%computerName%\C$\" /r/i/c/h/k/e

REM Use Regedit to export the local VNC registry settings to the remote PC. Note: If you prefer you can export the file locally and then copy it.

REM import the above registry file on the remote PC.

psexec \\%computerName% -s -i -d regedit /s C:\import.reg

REM You are using regedit on the remote PC to perform this command. If the path for regedit is different on the remote PC, use the exact path instead of %windir%

REM PsExec to install the remote winvnc service.

psexec \\%computerName% -s -i -d "C:\Program Files\ultravnc\winvnc.exe" -install

REM Use PsExec to start the remote "VNC Server" service.

psexec \\%computerName% -s -i -d net start "VNC Server"
...

Config is arounf 6 years old .. since i use rdp shadowing and not vnc now

You will need to export your vnc config before this will work. You can also script the computer name you want to install the software on ... but thats not included here you will have to code that your self.

Oh ya you will need psexec.exe to do the remote install. You can get it from MS at system internals

yes, you make a good defense for XP's Remote Desktop