[sf-lug] Remote access to Microsoft Windows server

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Christian Einfeldt (einfeldt at gmail.com):

> I am very happy to say that i have been able to access the Microsoft Windows
> Server 2008 R2 standard from Ubuntu 10.04, by following Rick's link below!
>  Thanks Rick!

Coolness.  

If it's just the ~/.rdesktop/license-[hostname] file, you might use this
as a semipermanent fix^W kludge:

cd ~                        # Go to your homedir
mv .rdesktop .rdesktop-old  # Rename that sucker, keep a backup
touch .rdesktop             # Create a zero-length file of the same name

That prevents rdesktop from creating a ~/.rdesktop subdirectory as long
as that zero-length file is there, and incidentally prevents creation of
any ~/.rdesktop/license-[hostname] file there.  Tip is mentioned at:

http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/it/forstudents/remotedesktopservice/issues/
It is _implied_ that this method prevents you from having to repeatedly
delete the license-[hostname] file, every time you want to connect
again.  Uncomfirmed.

_Or_ -- better -- you can leave the .rdesktop directory alone and just
use a wrapper shell script for rdesktop that deletes the license-* file
when necessary.  That's what I do in the script detailed below.

> cje at cje-desktop:~$ rdesktop 173.164.165.195 -u stolllaw\rastaman -p foobar
> -g 1024x768
> Autoselected keyboard map en-us
> disconnect: Internal licensing error.
> cje at cje-desktop:~$ rm ~/.rdesktop/licence* && rdesktop rds.otherlawfirm.com
> Autoselected keyboard map en-us
> WARNING: Remote desktop does not support colour depth 24; falling back to 16

FYI, on the second invocation of rdesktop (above), you are using its
compiled-in defaults for everything, which as you are finding out means
it uses some dumb settings.

In particular, it's defaulting to some pretty low resolution, judging
from your comments about 'rather small'.  Personally, I like to tell it
an explicit resolution, colour depth, and keyboard map, right on the
rdesktop command line:

   -g 1280x1024  -a 16  -k en-us

I _don't_ mean type all that nonsense repeatedly.  I mean put it all
into a little shell script, and then use that shell script.


$ cd ~
$ mkdir bin
$ cd bin
$ [$YOUR FAVOURITE EDITOR] go-rds

Put the following into /home/cje/bin/go-rds:

#!/bin/sh
rm .rdesktop/license-*
rdesktop -u stolllaw\rastaman -p foobar -g 1024x768 -a 16 -k en-us rds.otherlawfirm.com &

Save.  Exit.
$ chmod u+x go-rds

You can, if you wish, then create a GNOME launcher thingie that runs
/home/cje/bin/go-rds.  Congratulations:  You just created a Linux
executable program (i.e., your shell wrapper for rdesktop).


> Now, I no longer am forced to use an operating system that
> I do not want to use; or, put another way, I can at least go directly to
> GNU-Linux for some of my work, and just use Microsoft Windows for the tasks
> that I am required to use it for!

Yeah, isn't that cool?  Also, you don't even need to surrender the RAM
and CPU to run MS-Windows locally, as you would using a virtual machine
solution.  Basicially, all of its resource demands, problems, and
administration becomes Somebody Else's Problem.  

The two main scenarios where that doesn't work are:  1.  You're mobile,
so sometimes you lack the usable network access to the RDP server.  2. 
The RDP server is so locked down for security reasons that you are
prevented from doing essential work.  That's when you switch tactics and
create a VM.


> Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could share a screenshot?

Put it onto one of the many free file-hosting services, and then post a
URL?

BTW, I don't know if Jim has this mailing list set up to _strip_
attachments (am just the guy who owns/underwrites/operates the server it
runs on), but the real point is that posting attachments to mailing
lists is just really bad netiquette except in unusual cases.  So, as an
Internet user, I would ask:  Please don't.  Thanks.


> Thanks again to everyone for helping me use the operating system of my
> choice.  It means a lot to me to have that freedom of choice.  :-)