Windows 2003 and 2000 server allows for the administration mode only two (OK three with /console or /admin will be explained later in text) concurrent connections to terminal services.
Do you usually have a problem when somebody from your firm leaves a disconnected session and when you try to connect to terminal server you get “You exceeded the allowed connection count” message?
We will use tsadmin.exe tool to connect to remote terminal services. You can either copy this from one of the other terminal servers to you machine, or access hidden c$ drive on your terminal server.
Then go to Windows root/system32 and find tsadmin.exe
Running program will detect only your local XP sessions.
Now you have to connect to the server where you want to reset the session that is not in use.
Choose all listed servers and then connect to a server. It might ask for a password, type the username and password you use when you normally authenticate on your terminal server.
Now you will see the following screen:
Note that there are two users on the server, both are disconnected,and because of that you are unable to access your server.
Klick them both, choose username and then reset.
This way you will be able to log on to your terminal server via RDP client.
Second way is to use /console (in Windows 2008 and Vista /admin) switch when connecting to your terminal server.
This way you will be able to connect to your terminal server directly to console. This is important because /console switch will not use terminal CAL, it will connect directly to console. This way on server in remote administration mode you can connect total three concurrent users. All you need to do is to type in your client console “mstsc.exe /console” and type username and password for connecting to console session. Please note that only administrators are allowed connecting to console session. When connected reset disconnected sessions. You will be now able to logon to your terminal server.
