Help with vista business remote desktop

[nite_monkey]

I can't get the blasted remote desktop to work with vista business sp1.
I have the correct services running.
I have remote desktop running.
I CAN'T telnet into port 3389.
netstat shows that the computer isn't listening on port 3389
and in the registry, remote desktop is set to listen on 3389

under the Event Viewer, I get:
Terminal Service start failed. The relevant status code was Error: 0xc004f012.

I would really like some help with this if anyone can help me here.

[40hz]

Three questions:

1. Is the error message found in the host or the client machine's event log? Could you also reconfirm the exact error message and code number?

2. Can you ping the IP address of the machine you're attempting to connect to? If you can't, temporarily disable your firewall and try pinging it again. If you can successfully ping with the firewall disabled, you'll need to configure a rule to allow traffic on port 3389. Don't forget to re-enable your firewall after you've done this.

3. Are you using the Remote Desktop Connection accessory
(i.e. %SystemRoot%\system32\mstsc.exe) to connect to the host machine?

(BTW: telnet will only connect to a telnet server, which is not the same thing as the remote desktop.)

[nite_monkey]

1.the error message is on the host machine, because it says it can't start the service (which is listed as started in the services list)
Exact error:
Source~TerminalServices-LocalSessionManager
Event ID~1048
Error Message~Terminal Service start failed. The relevant status code was Error: 0xc004f012.

2.Yes, I can ping myself, and all the other computers in the house can ping my computer, and access the network shares I have.

3.Yes, that is what I was using.

(BTW:BTW: I only used telnet, because almost every post I found on google said to telnet into the computer, and my brother who is a computer technition said that if the remote desktop was working, then a telnet client would connect, and all you would see is a blank screen)

[40hz]

Thanks for the feedback. I don't doubt you, I'm just trying to get what's happening clear in my head by eliminating the usual suspects.

OK, are you having any problems with Windows Genuine Advantage, or have you recently reinstalled your OS? Error: 0xc004f012 relates to a licensing issue with your copy of Vista:

0xC004F012 slerror.h SL_E_VALUE_NOT_FOUND
The Software Licensing Service reported that the call has failed because the value for the input key was not found.

Try revalidating Vista by going here:

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine

[f0dder]

40hz: telnet can be used to connect to ports other than 23, which is a quick-and-dirty way to test if you can connect to a given machine/service - more useful than taking down a firewall and pinging, since a firewall could easily block either ping or a specific service, but allow the other

Revalidating windows sounds like something worth trying.

[nite_monkey]

I don't think I have ever validated my windows yet, I've only activated it, unless activating it validates it, which I don't think it would, since it doesn't in xp. I will go do that real quick.

[40hz]

40hz: telnet can be used to connect to ports other than 23, which is a quick-and-dirty way to test if you can connect to a given machine/service - more useful than taking down a firewall and pinging, since a firewall could easily block either ping or a specific service, but allow the other

Agree. The only reason I brought it up was that I once had someone trying to access a remote desktop using just the telnet client. Sometimes I forget I'm up on DC where the level of computer literacy is much much higher than what I usually run into. My apologies to nite_monkey for not remembering that.

Re Telnet: I'm a big advocate of disabling telnet and using SSH. I just assumed telnet was disabled on nite_monkey's machine because I always kill it. My bad for not thinking outside my own box.

BTW: If you're ever feeling particularly snarky, you can install Imaginary Telnet Server 1.0 and have some fun with whoever is trying to break in to your system via telnet. Great for laughs when you get the occasional script-kiddie trying to hack your network.

Description:
Whenever your computer is connected to the Internet, it is opened up to attacks by anyone experienced with the Internet technology. One of the possible attacks is by using the Telnet protocol to log into your system. If successful, the attacker can gain complete control of your system. With the Imaginary Telnet Server running, he will be served a fake response which will prevent him from accessing any resources available on your system. The server will give him the impression that he has found a top secret military computer. But when he tries to log in, the server will offer humorous rejections. If he uses one of the password cracking programs and tries to log in persistently, the server will feed him a series of completely fake data for a while, making him think that he got in. After a while, the server will "discover" the intruder and kick him off. No matter how hard the attacker tries, he cannot log in to your system via Telnet. Use it by itself or alongside a firewall. the server runs in the background and stays out of your way completely. Full assembly language source is included, so it can also be used as a model for assembly language programming of Internet servers for Windows computers.

http://www.allworldsoft.com/software/8-892-imaginary-telnet-server.htm

[attach]

[nite_monkey]

I don't really have a use for fake telnet servers, because that won't fix my remote desktop problem, anyways, on with the previous post. I have windows vista activated, and validated, and it still won't work. I haven't looked in the event log yet to see if the error changed since I validated, so I will do that as soon as I get home.

[40hz]

I don't really have a use for fake telnet servers, because that won't fix my remote desktop problem, anyways, on with the previous post.

Sorry. That part was directed more towards f0dder...

[nite_monkey]

oh, ok, nvm. I king of like the idea though, I love that screenshot.

[40hz]

How'd you make out with the firewall ? Is anything blocking your RDC on port 3389?

One other thing you might consider trying is a reinstall of SP1. That would put a clean copy of terminal services on your machine just in case something didn't install correctly.

[nite_monkey]

I never installed sp1, it came installed with the OS.
I also didn't do anything with the windows firewall, because it is set to allow terminal services, but just to be sure, I am going to disable it right quick and see what happens.

edit:turning windows firewall off didn't do anything to fix it.

[40hz]

I can't shake the feeling there is something going on with your Vista validation/authorization. Might be time to contact the Mothership since only they know how their anti-piracy "feature" actually works.

Try this. Download and run this diagnostic:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012

If you get anything strange or odd looking in the diagnostic report, and the "resolve" button doesn't fix it, web over to this support link:

http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/genuinevista/threads/

Follow the instructions in the "Please Read Before Posting" announcement to submit your report for support assistance.

Alternatively, you could download Vista SP1 Stand-Alone (huge file!) and try reinstalling it, but I'd do the diagnostic thing first.

Let us know how you make out.

[nite_monkey]

I didn't find anything that looked out of place with that program, and the Resolve button is grayed out, so I don't know what the deal is. I would really rather not have to reinstall sp1, but if everything else fails, I guess I could try that.

edit:well thats just weird! I went to the forums you posted, and I typed in that error code that I had in the event viewer, and every post that I went to, the error code was given because their copy of windows was invalid, but my computer says that it is activated, and is valid...

[40hz]

I went to the forums you posted, and I typed in that error code that I had in the event viewer, and every post that I went to, the error code was given because their copy of windows was invalid, but my computer says that it is activated, and is valid... huh

The time has come, the Walrus said, to...talk to Microsoft.

The Windows activation and 'genuine advantage' process isn't flawless. Run the MGA diagnostic & see what they have to say before you go crazy.

[nite_monkey]

I ran the MGA tool, it said my computer was activated and validated.

[f0dder]

nite_monkey, wild shot here, but... have you enabled the "allow remote connections thing" that's located "somewhere in system properties"? It's not enabled by default... ought to give a different error code if this was the problem, but you never know...

[40hz]

I think you still might want to contact Microsoft. There may be an 'unpublished' hotfix available for people that report the problem you're having. This type of hotfix will not be found in the downloads section of MSoft's website. You need to report the problem to get this type of patch - assuming one is available.

There is a thread over at TechTalkz that addresses what sounds much like your problem. I don't think the method they used to fix the problem is smart move, but here's the link anyway:

http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-vista-all/120427-terminal-services-failure.html

I can't speak for it, so YOYO if you go with it.

Luck.

[nite_monkey]

nite_monkey, wild shot here, but... have you enabled the "allow remote connections thing" that's located "somewhere in system properties"? It's not enabled by default... ought to give a different error code if this was the problem, but you never know...

I have remote desktop running.

In my first post, thats what I meant, I have the allow remote connections enabled.

I will go check out that forum post and see what I can come up with.

edit: lol, that post said to add the network service user to the admin's group, funny thing is, I ran across that and have already tried that. That didn't help either.

[nite_monkey]

I think you still might want to contact Microsoft. There may be an 'unpublished' hotfix available for people that report the problem you're having. This type of hotfix will not be found in the downloads section of MSoft's website. You need to report the problem to get this type of patch - assuming one is available.

I have never actually reported anything before, where would I go to do that?