I am attempting to recreate a “Terminal Server” type of environment in RDS 2012. I had a Win2003 Terminal Server in my domain that users would connect to for one specific application central to the nature of my business. As the app and the
number of users have grown, I upgraded my domain to Windows 2012, and the 2003 TS continued to function just fine. Users are directed to a specific .exe on the Terminal Server by a GPO covering their security group.
Wanting a richer desktop experience and faster graphics, I upgraded to a Win 2012 server with a nice GPU. I installed Remote Desktop Session Host from the “Role-based or feature-based installation” option, along with License Diagnoser. I then installed
my app in “install mode,” with subsequent reversion to execute mode. I did NOT use the “Remote Desktop Services Installation” option, and I did NOT install either the Connection Broker OR the Web Access component. Going this route has led to NUMEROUS
ERRORS, as one might expect. These are examples:
Remote Desktop Connection Broker Client failed to redirect the user DOMAIN\xxxuser.
Error: NULL
Remote Desktop Connection Broker Client failed while getting redirection packet from Connection Broker.
User : DOMAIN\xxxuser
Error: Remote Desktop Connection Broker is not ready for RPC communication.
The Windows All-User Install Agent could not update timestamp for user user account DOMAIN\xxxuser. The error code is 0x8007054F.
The Windows All-User Install Agent could not to retrieve a list of packages for the user account DOMAIN\XXXUSER. The error code is 0×80070002.
Nevertheless, the app functions just perfectly. The ONLY functional loss I have discovered is my apparent inability for a user with a default printer other than the default TCP-port network printer installed on the RDSH machine to redirect print jobs.
When they try, they get this error:
The document Print Document, owned by xxxUser, failed to print on printer Dell B1260dn Mono Laser Printer (redirected 2). Try to print the document again, or restart the print spooler.
Data type: NT EMF 1.008. Size of the spool file in bytes: 589824. Number of bytes printed: 0. Total number of pages in the document: 1. Number of pages printed: 0. Client computer: \\TS2012. Win32 error code returned by the print processor: 5. Access is denied.
The drivers on the RDSH server and the Windows 7 Pro workstation with the direct-USB attached B1260dn are identical. The user is in security group with permissions on the appropriate folders in Windows/System32/spool. The appropriate GPO settings
have been made and tested with modeling.
Do not allow client printer redirection Disabled
Do not set default client printer to be default printer in a session Disabled
Redirect only the default client printer Disabled
Specify RD Session Host server fallback printer driver behavior Enabled
When attempting to find a suitable driver: Default to PCL if one is not found.
Policy Setting Comment
Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first Disabled
I have even tried giving that security group permission to restart the spooler service on the RDSH server. No luck with any of this.
I realize that my approach is totally unorthodox, but I really do not need the overhead of Web Access, or the added security risks that come with an IIS installation in my domain. I have tried installing the Connection Broker with RDSH role, but this
leaves no one but the administrator able to connect. Is there some supported (or unsupported) way to achieve my goal without IIS and the Web Access component? Alternatively, were I to go with the recommended RDS install method, could I subsequently
disable IIS and remove Web Access and still have the functionality I desire?
John