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Can't connect to Windows xp for full control

Brad M, User (Posts: 27)
Jan 09, 2025 4:55:32 pm EST
I can connect for file transfer,terminal and rdp access with no problems.  
The host is windows xp, running 7.6.2.0.  It's is a virtual machine.  
The viewer is on Windows 11, running 7.6.2.0.
I have recreated the connection in the viewer, it did not help.    It stuck on Connecitng to xxxx Please wait.  I have tried from a different computer to connect to the host, same problem.  The host is set to legacy capture.  Any ideas?
Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 3088)
Jan 09, 2025 6:20:17 pm EST
Hello Brad,

Have you tried enabling/disabling hardware acceleration on the XP machine and/or 'accelerate 3D graphics' in your VM settings?

100% that the issue has something to do with graphics [drivers/settings].
Brad M, User (Posts: 27)
Jan 10, 2025 4:38:04 pm EST
Thanks for the replay, I'm running it on proxxmox, so none of those options exist, and hardware is set to standard vga.   The viewer will connect if I reboot the system, and works fine.  It stops working if I rdp into the computer.  Once i do that, I can't use the viewer anymore even if i disconnect from the rdp.  The only fix is to shutdown the computer and power back on the virtual machine.  It works again until i rdp into the system.
Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 3088)
Jan 11, 2025 2:44:09 pm EST
Hi Brad,

Just to clarify, do you mean that it's the Full Control and/or View mode works until you rdp into the computer?
Brad M, User (Posts: 27)
Jan 13, 2025 10:01:40 am EST
Correct.  Even after I disconnect I'm unable to use full control and/ or view mode.
Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 3088)
Jan 13, 2025 11:00:19 am EST
Hello Brad,

This issue might arise because of how RDP interacts with the display driver on Windows XP (and older systems in general) within a virtual machine. When you initiate an RDP session, the operating system switches from the standard VGA driver (used by Proxmox) to the RDP-specific display driver. Even after disconnecting the RDP session, the operating system may not switch back to the original display driver.

Possible solutions:

1. Avoid using RDP for that machine altogether (if possible).

2. Limit RDP interference by launching RDP with the /admin or /console key:

mstsc /admin
to connect to the console session instead of creating a new RDP session.

3. Force XP to use the original VGA driver (a hack):

Locate the registry entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp
Find (or create) the DWORD value:
DisableHardwareAcceleration
and set it to 1. Then restart the virtual machine.

4. Instead of restarting the virtual machine, you can create a bat file to manually make WinXP to switch back to the local console session:

tscon 0 /dest:console

Which you will need to run after the RDP session is over.

Still all the suggestions above aim to help with the same - switching back from using the rdp driver to the standard driver, which is the possibly the root cause of the issue.

Hope that helps.

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