Reviews of Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection for Windows XP

1. 
   yohimbe9

   Reviewing 6.0 (Dec 1, 2006)

   mstsc /span = awesome. Just tried it on our 2003 TS and it looks great.
   
   Remote programs = awesome
   
   Remote access of local hard drives = awesome.
   
   The only reason I'm giving it a 4 is like the review below about the extra security. I understand why they put it in but now there's a bunch of extra clicks that are kinda annoying. Still, a great job.
2. 
   strangerdon

   Reviewing 6.0 (Dec 1, 2006)

   I don't have a Vista or Longhorn system to test this with, but using it to connect to XP, 2003 or 2000 systems is a pain. The extra layer of security is not yet compatible with the legacy systems (maybe if you installed the update - which is in the form of a KB update - on both machines). The session opens with the requirement to put in your connection credentials - which can not be authenticated by the legacy machines. Therefore, you must set the client to connect despite the lack of authentication, and then type in your credentials again.
   
   I anticipate that with a compatible system, the connection credentials would pass through for logon as well - but that is only a guess.
   
   On the plus side, there are more videao options and the ability to select which local drives are available to the session, which is nice.
   
   I re-installed the RDP client for 2003 and I don't see myself using it again until I have a predominately Vista environment or XP, 2003 and 2000 are updated to handle the new athentication method.
3. 
   cekicen

   Reviewing 6.0 (Dec 1, 2006)

   for 32 bit color, host computer must be windows vista.
4. 
   Hank.Riker

   Reviewing 6.0 (Nov 30, 2006)

   I have this installed on several machines now, and it is working fine. I haven't seen any slowdown's on connecting, at least once I edited up and saved a profile for the connect. I'd like to use the authentication, but I think that's got to wait for Vista, or perhaps it's in Server 2003? Neither of which I'm running.
   
   mjm: Have you gotten the 32bit color to work? This is the feature I'm most interested in, as I have an application I want to serve from one machine, to the machine I'm remoting from, which requires 32bit color, but I can't get it to work. The video card is an older nVidia one (5x series), and I'm wondering if that's part of the problem, or if there is any way to force 32bit.
   
   I have updated both machines with v6, and it still drops back to 16 bit. Could it be a problem with the 1600x1280 screen size?
   
   I'm at a loss.
5. 
   The MAZZTer

   Reviewing 6.0 (Nov 30, 2006)

   Clue: Consider the RDC version number matching the highest version of Windows the client supports.
   
   Hank: Your question is a bit confusing. Does the video card SUPPORT 32 bit color? If not, then you can't get it on RDC either.
   
   I wonder if this is why I couldn't use the XP RDC to connect to my Vista RC box? Hmm. More likely ITS blocked the port. >:(
   
   MS needs to add port-changing into the server and client. -1 point.

Discuss Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection for Windows XP

1. Oct 27, 2009 - 6:04 PM
   The MAZZTer

   If you don't know what this is, you want this if you intend to connect to Windows Vista/7 Remote Desktop servers from your XP box (and the Vista one if you intend to connect to 7 from Vista).