Access to my VDS via VNC asking for logged on Administrator password

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Pedro-NF
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Access to my VDS via VNC asking for logged on Administrator password

Post by Pedro-NF »

I noticed today that, when trying to access my VDS via the control panel's VNC console or via the TightVNC viewer, instead of the currently open session I'm being taken to the login/welcome screen asking for a password, even though the Administrator user is already logged on (as shown on that screen). I have the OS set not to ask for the Administrator user password when logging on (via Run > control userpasswords2, which opens Advanced User Accounts), like I've always done. Accessing the VDS via RDP works fine. I'm on Win 7 Ultimate x64 SP2, and the VDS uses Win Server 2008 R2.
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Edge100x
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Re: Access to my VDS via VNC asking for logged on Administrator password

Post by Edge100x »

Yes, that is the correct and expected behavior. When you log in remotely to a machine using Remote Desktop, Microsoft designed it to locks the local screen. This is likely for security reasons -- we can imagine a machine at an office, where someone working remotely doesn't want the others in the office to watch what she is doing.

If you log in, you'll see the same screen that you were viewing remotely, and your remote session should end.

I recommend against having the system automatically log in the Administrator when it boots, because it adds an extra layer of security. If someone were to somehow obtain the VNC password, having a logged-in console would allow them to do nefarious things; otherwise, there's not much they can do.
Pedro-NF
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Re: Access to my VDS via VNC asking for logged on Administrator password

Post by Pedro-NF »

That's the thing, I wasn't using RDP when I tried to connect via VNC. I stuck with Win XP x64 and Server 2003 R2 for as long as I could and only switched to (the inferior) 7/S2K8 R2 a few months ago, so maybe this is something new to 7/S2K8 that I never noticed before, because I could always VNC into the current session when not connected via RDP. I have Administrator auto log in so the VDS doesn't get stuck on the login screen if it restarts for some reason.
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Pedro-NF
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Re: Access to my VDS via VNC asking for logged on Administrator password

Post by Pedro-NF »

Edge100x wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2017 1:12 pmIf someone were to somehow obtain the VNC password, having a logged-in console would allow them to do nefarious things; otherwise, there's not much they can do.
Via VNC, they would be stuck on the login screen like it's happening to me and would need to find out my much more complex Admininstrator account password to log in. Trying to get in via RDP would be harder because besides having to find out that password, the first thing I do when installing an OS on the VDS is to change the default RDP port.
Last edited by Pedro-NF on Fri Dec 29, 2017 1:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Access to my VDS via VNC asking for logged on Administrator password

Post by Edge100x »

Pedro-NF wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2017 1:46 pm Via VNC, they would be stuck on the login screen like it's happening to me and would need to find out my much more complex OS password to log in. Trying to get in via RDP would be harder because besides having to find out the OS password, the first thing I do when installing an OS on the VDS is to change the default RDP port.
Exactly! That's why I recommend keeping the login screen.
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Re: Access to my VDS via VNC asking for logged on Administrator password

Post by Pedro-NF »

Edge100x wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2017 1:48 pmExactly! That's why I recommend keeping the login screen.
Duly noted, but is there a way access the current logged in session via VNC bypassing the login screen?
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Re: Access to my VDS via VNC asking for logged on Administrator password

Post by Edge100x »

I do not know a way of using the computer through RDC while without locking the local console, apart from using Remote Assistance. But, if you need to use the VNC console and don't want to log in again, through Remote Desktop, you could run this command:

Code: Select all

tscon %sessionname% /dest:console
(that will disconnect the RDC session).

Alternatively, you could install a VNC server software, as that would run on the standard desktop without requiring that the screen be locked.
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