Re: Changing from App mode to Remote Admin mode via registry

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"Vera Noest [MVP]" wrote in message
news:Xns97E3A0CA47408veranoesthemutforsse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Steve Sawkins" <ssawkins@xxxxxxxxx> wrote on 15 jun 2006:

Because it's Windows 2003 Server there does not seem to be a way
to do this easily. It would be good to know if Microsoft
supports making this mode change or not; no one here has said
whether or not they do and this was clearly supported for Win2K.

This was *never* supported!
Switching modes breaks all applications, as documented here:

252330 - Toggling Terminal Services to Application Server Mode May
Cause Programs Not to Work
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=252330

Yes, I've read this. The relevant text is:

"After you choose your mode of operation, changing or disabling the Terminal
Services mode may cause programs not to work, requiring a reinstallation of
the programs."

Notice the word "may". This KB article is saying that if you install
something in remote admin mode that has per-user data you have to watch that
the application doesn't break when you move back to application server mode.

Allow me to quote from the other knowledge-base article that was referenced
thread:

"Terminal Services in Windows 2000 implements a number of
administrator-configurable values under the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server

The default values are recommended for a reason and should be changed only
to troubleshoot a problem or better define the user experience for the sake
of administration. Other values might be listed under this key, but they
should not be modified."

The article then goes on to list TSAppCompat as one of those modifiable
values, providing both default values for TSAppCompat and the meaning of the
value. As I wrote earlier, the only value marked as not-configurable is the
product version.

I'm thinking that the use I'm suggesting of this value falls into
"better-defining the user experience for the sake of administration"
category.

Our application is installed per-machine. It has no user-specific data, no
registry entries in HKCU to be tracked, and no ini files to be tracked
either. I've gone through and replaced calls to GetWindowsDirectory with
GetSystemWindowsDirectory in all the executables that we ship, so there's no
per-user "Windows" directory in our product.

We install one system service and one network device driver. It is
inappropriate for these to be installed per user. They provide machine-level
services for the workstation.

Our application installs in a subdirectory of the "etc" directory.

My suggestion to the user has been that they temporarily put themselves into
remote admin mode, install our product, and them put the T.S. back into app.
mode.


I support Jeffs post fully, this is *not* the way to install an
application.


I've tried Jeff's method of putting the TS into remote admin mode and it
does not work. My server is still in app. mode even with the "remote" box
checked. I gather this is because I have terminal server licensing
installed.

Okay, I think this is what I have to do:

1. Have our doc. person remove the text I was going to have him insert about
using the registry value to toggle the TS mode.
2. Raise a support incident with Microsoft about toggling the TS mode for
those that might want to install the product remotely.

I don't think my dialog box warning will have to change, because I only
recommend that the user install locally or in remote admin. mode. How they
get there is up to them.

I'd be curious to know if you have a problem with this.

Thank you for your help.

Steve Sawkins
Sr. Software Engineer
Apani Networks

P.S. I should clarify something for Jeff; in app. mode our install proceeds
to completion when installed locally, but comm. is broken and does not
return until the reboot. In a remote install in remote admin. mode comm. is
broken for a few seconds(typically) but returns almost right away. The user
can continue their session and finish the install. Again, this is for W2K3
Server only.


.

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