How to open Task Manager in a Remote Desktop session
Ctrl+Alt+Del opens Task Manager on your own computer, not the remote one. Here are the shortcuts that actually work inside a Remote Desktop session, and what Task Manager will not show you.
How-to guides for managing Remote Desktop sessions
Short, task-focused walkthroughs: add your RDS servers, log off idle or disconnected users, shadow a session, audit RDP logons, and message everyone at once.
How to add your RDS servers and connect with the right account
Before you can manage anything, your servers have to be in the list. This guide shows how to import RDS hosts from Active Directory, an RDS broker, or an IP range, and connect under the right Windows account.
How to log off idle users on a Remote Desktop server
Idle and disconnected sessions hold resources and licenses active users need. This guide covers GPO session time limits and how to clear idle sessions on demand across your servers.
How to audit RDP logon history (who logged in and when)
For a security review or an incident, you need to know who used a Remote Desktop host and for how long. This guide shows how to reconstruct logon history from the event log and export a report.
How to detect an RDP brute-force attack from failed logons
A run of failed Remote Desktop sign-ins is often the first sign of a brute-force attack. This guide shows how to read event 4625 in the Security log and how to spot the pattern across servers.
How to reboot a terminal server without losing user data
Rebooting an RDS host with people still working loses unsaved data and generates tickets. This guide covers the safe sequence: warn, drain, clear, restart, on one server or several at once.
How to send a message to all Remote Desktop users
Before you patch or reboot, the users on a Remote Desktop host need warning. This guide covers the msg command for one server and broadcasting to many servers at once with reusable presets.
How to shadow a Remote Desktop user's session
Shadowing lets you watch or take control of a user's live Remote Desktop session for support. This guide covers mstsc /shadow and how to do it across many servers, including without making the help desk admins.
How to find which user is using high CPU on an RDS host
The terminal server is at 100% CPU and everyone is slow. This guide shows how to pinpoint the session and process responsible, then end the process or message the user.
How to log off disconnected RDP sessions
Disconnected Remote Desktop sessions keep holding memory, CPU, and licenses long after the user has gone. This guide shows how to find them and log them off, on one server or across the whole farm.