I had a user complain about screen flicker while trying to use tools on a server via remote desktop. The server in question was 32 bit windows 2003 running citrix presentation server 4.5. This was not wide spread so only the one server was having issues.
Searching the Net I found a technote at Microsoft which seem to address this issue.
I downloaded the hotfix, installed it and rebooted the server and the problem was solved.
An annoying little ritual we must all follow is the periodic password change. I had to change mine and I had a remote desktop session which of course wanted a session lock and password entry to update the credentials.
To lock a local session, you simply enter: windows+L
It works great with local sessions but it does nothing for remote desktop sessions.
For remote desktop; you can enter: CTRL+ALT+INS but this may not work as it requires you to configure remote desktop for it to work.
* Open the Remote Desktop Connection utility and click Options. * Open the Local Resources tab * Change the value for Apply Windows key combinations option under Keyboard to On the remote computer. * This will send all key combinations to the remote desktop connection; including Ctrl-Alt-Ins.
There is one more way which doesn’t require configuration changes.
Simply, enter: rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation
After that a quick unlock and the credentials are updated.
After posting Where is ctrl-alt-delete I thought it might be a good idea to list the remaining key combinations for remote desktop. You may not use all of them but it’s good to know they exist. Microsoft was good enough to provide the following:
| Shortcut key | Description |
|---|---|
| ALT+PAGE UP | Switches between programs from left to right. |
| ALT+PAGE DOWN | Switches between programs for right to left. |
| ALT+INSERT | Cycles through the programs in the order they were started. |
| ALT+HOME | Displays the Start menu. |
| CTRL+ALT+BREAK | Switches the client between full-screen mode and window mode. |
| CTRL+ALT+END | Brings up the Windows Security dialog box. |
| ALT+DELETE | Displays the Windows menu. |
| CTRL+ALT+MINUS SIGN (-) | Places a snapshot of the active window, within the client, on the Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on the local computer). |
| CTRL+ALT+PLUS SIGN (+) | Places a snapshot of the entire client windows area on the RD Session Host server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on the local computer). |
If you have worked with windows for a period of time, one of the most common used keyboard command sequences is ctrl-alt-del. In the old days, this was one of two solutions to fix many problems of Microsoft; reboot.
Nowadays, you would use it to start the task manager or lock the desktop.
Microsoft eventually blessed us with Remote Desktop. A great tool for remote access but there comes the time when you need ctrl-alt-del. You enter it and quickly discover it only works for the local session.
For some reason, it was not obviously documented and I tend to forget it as I don’t use it that often. Probably because it doesn’t make sense. This option seems to be based on “whoops, forgot about that…..why don’t we just use…..”
To enter a remote ctrl-alt-del, you would enter:
ctrl-alt-end
