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Remote Desktop Connection - Your Credentials Didn't Work

Jim Pennington 70 Reputation points
2023-01-31T17:29:14.56+00:00

I'm unable to logon to certain servers in our environment this morning via Remote Desktop. Everything worked correctly yesterday and no configuration changes were made in the interim.

  • Windows Server 2012 R2 domain environment. Some physical and some Hyper-V VMs.
  • When I attempt logon with domain admin credentials, I get "Your credential did not work". Absolutely sure the credentials are correct.
  • Logging on to the same computer with the same credentials locally or with Hyper-V Virtual Machine Connection is successful.
  • Logging on to the same computer via Remote Desktop but with the machine's local admin credentials works.
  • I'm not finding anything in the event logs that's helping. I would be open to suggestions of where to look.
  • Tried alternate credentials with same result.
  • Verified in Active Directory that the accounts have not had their passwords changed.
  • Not seeing any suspicious activity on the computer or network. No security alerts, no evidence of OS compromise.
  • On one of the physical computers, a restart of the computer appears to have fixed the problem for now. But on some other machines, a restart did not fix the issue.
  • I have verified that "domain admins" group is still listed as a member of the machine's local administrator group.

Anyone else having this same issue or have any suggestions? This feels like some Windows update bug with some enhanced security configuration, but I don't know.

Windows
Windows
A family of Microsoft operating systems that run across personal computers, tablets, laptops, phones, internet of things devices, self-contained mixed reality headsets, large collaboration screens, and other devices.
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Windows Server 2012
Windows Server 2012
A Microsoft server operating system that supports enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.
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Windows Server
Windows Server
A family of Microsoft server operating systems that support enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.
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Remote Desktop
Remote Desktop
A Microsoft app that connects remotely to computers and to virtual apps and desktops.
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  1. Limitless Technology 44,431 Reputation points
    2023-02-02T09:37:29.2366667+00:00

    Hi. Thank you for your question and reaching out. I’d be more than happy to help you with your query.

    This issue can be caused by several factors. Here are some steps you can try to resolve the issue:

    1. Check network connectivity: Make sure that the network connection between the client and the server is working properly. Try pinging the server from the client to check for network connectivity.
    2. Check Remote Desktop service status: Ensure that the Remote Desktop service is running on the server. You can check the service status by opening the Services Manager on the server and looking for the "Remote Desktop Services" service.
    3. Check firewall configuration: Ensure that the firewall on the server is configured to allow incoming Remote Desktop connections. You can check the firewall configuration by opening the Windows Firewall and checking the rules related to Remote Desktop.
    4. Check Remote Desktop user permissions: Make sure that you have the proper permissions to logon to the server via Remote Desktop. Check with your system administrator to ensure that you have the necessary access.
    5. Check Remote Desktop client version: Make sure that the version of Remote Desktop client you are using is compatible with the version of Remote Desktop service on the server.
    6. Restart Remote Desktop Services: If the issue persists, try restarting the Remote Desktop Services on the server. You can do this by opening the Services Manager on the server and restarting the "Remote Desktop Services" service.
    7. Restart the server: If the issue still persists, try restarting the server. Sometimes a simple reboot can resolve various issues with Remote Desktop connectivity.

    These are some steps you can try to resolve the issue of being unable to logon to certain servers in your environment via Remote Desktop. If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may need to consult a network administrator or the vendor of your Remote Desktop software for further assistance.

    If the reply was helpful, please don’t forget to upvote or accept as answer, thank you.

  2. Steffa 0 Reputation points
    2024-11-07T10:56:54.4566667+00:00

    I've had a similar situation recently where Remote Desktop login stopped working on a server. Like you, I was sure the credentials were correct.

    I tried a few troubleshooting steps, including running gpupdate /force on the affected machine to refresh Group policies and checking the system logs for any service issues, but unfortunately, that didn’t help. Eventually, I decided to try a different solution for remote access: I started using https://www.helpwire.app/ It has been functioning well for my remote access needs. The file transfer feature simplifies sharing files between local and remote machines, which has been useful for support tasks.

    I’m still monitoring the RDP issue for potential updates or patches, but for now, HelpWire has been a reliable alternative for remote support.

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