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Remote Desktop Connection Sessions and Logged in Users

I have two computers with Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Edition and am wanting to be able to log in to my account from each computer on each computer when I'm at the other computer. The problem I'm having is that when I try to connect to my computer at my grandparents from my computer at home, and my grandfather is using it, Remote Desktop Connection displays a message that a user is already logged on and that he will be disconnected if I connect. I need to be able to use Remote Desktop even if users are already logged in without logging them out. Is this possible? I mean if you can "Switch Users" and have more than one user logged in locally, why can't or how do I do the same remotely? I search around and found hacks about multiple concurrent Remote Desktop sessions but I need the same to apply to locally logged in users as well. If this is a limitation of Windows7 I seriously wonder why I always spend the extra money for the Ultimate Edition if it still has all these Home edition limitations and crippled features...
Answer
Answer

By design Remote Desktop on a workstation will only allow one user at a time to use the desktop. See this KB article for an explanation.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/280828

If your at home and want to login to the PC at the remote site and a user is logged in they will be disconnected (NOT logged off) meaning their session is still active in background and they will not lose any data, etc.

If you need to do a help desk type function, ie. allow the remote user to see what our doing on their desktop while you help them, you might look at Remote Assistance (built-in to the OS) or Virtual Network Computing (VNC) or TeamViewer. Personally I recommend and use TeamViewer for this type of function, ie. I support a couple of my sister-in-laws remotely.

MS-MVP Windows Desktop Experience, "When all else fails, read the instructions"
MS-MVP Windows Expert - Consumer
"When all else fails read the instructions"

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Last updated January 2, 2025 Views 95,643 Applies to: