RDP gets stuck at "Please Wait" after re-connecting using User with existing session, but works if using "Other User"

Question

This question is in relation to another post "RDP to Windows 10 hangs at Please wait screen" (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/451406/rdp-to-windows-10-hangs-at-please-wait-screen.html). I found some more information that shows it is still possible to connect to the machine correctly using a 3rd party app called "aFreeRDP" which connects using "Other User", as opposed to connecting to a previously logged in session for the username that is being used to log in. I am posing this as a new question because when I tried to place a response comment to the Microsoft support representative in the thread (LeilaKong-MSFT), the website would not allow me to post the reply after clicking "Submit", even when ensuring that the post was under the 1600 character limit. Here is a repost of my comment, so that it reaches a Microsoft support representative:

Hello LeilaKong-MSFT,

I have found new information that could lead to a solution of the issue if RDP getting stuck at "Please Wait" after connecting. Please determine why this alternate Android app "aFreeRDP" allows a normal connection, even while the MS Remote Desktop (RDP) Android app and Windows application gets stuck at "Please Wait" after connecting. My conclusion is that, since the "aFreeRDP" app connects as "Other User" and then enters the credentials there, it creates a new session for the user and doesn't get stuck at "Please Wait", whereas the Microsoft application is trying to restart a previous session for that use which is stuck in a loop state after an erroneous disconnect while using VPN.

Instructions:

1. Recreate the issue- make sure that while using RDP to connect to the destination pc it gets stuck at "Please Wait". This usually occurs after connecting to the destination through a VPN and then putting the client pc/laptop to sleep by closing the lid or shutting down abruptly, which presumably makes the destination PC's RDP session get stuck.
2. On an Android phone, use "Microsoft Remote Desktop" app to connect, and confirm that it also gets stuck at "Please Wait".
3. From Google Play store, install "aFree RDP" which is a 3rd party RDP app. Setup the connection with the exact same user/password you used on MS RDP and connect to the destination pc. You will notice that the aFreeRDP connects as "Other User" and then enters the user/password credentials at that point which allows the app to connect to the pc successfully with the desktop being shown as normal. You can use the pc as normal.
4. At this point if you disconnect aFreeRDP and then try to connect using MS RDP it will still be stuck at "Please Wait", since MS RDP appears to restart the user's session rather than use the "Other User" method to log in. Notice that if you then connect back using aFreeRDP again it uses "Other User" which still logs in perfectly and allows you to use the desktop.

Conclusion: It seems when connecting to the session as "Other User" and entering the credentials there, the system creates a new session, whereas the official MS RDP is stuck using the old session which is somehow in an infinite loop wait state.

I believe this shows that the RDP session can be connected to normally. There are many people in my company that encounter this issue daily that are not IT knowledgeable and subsequently have had to go into the office to reset their PC every other day or otherwise have IT people do so. Many people would not know about trying aFreeRDP, and would not even think to connect to their PC using their phone anyway. I do believe that, at this point, working remotely should be a simple and robust process, and that glitches like these need to be resolved as soon as possible so that non-IT workforce do not have to deal with this confusion.

Microsoft, please use this information to fix this issue. Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

CONTINUED

Note: Adding this configuration line will make it so that when you double click the .rdp file to connect, it will connect to the Windows PC and then display the login page where you will have to manually type in the User and Password. Unfortunately, it will save the User for next time you connect but not the Password. You'll have to enter it every time, but you will at least get past the "Please Wait" screen.

Answer 2

Here is as temporary solution for Android (haven't checked if iOS has aRDP Free)

Android mobile method

1. Only solution I have found is to download the free "aRDP Free" app on the Google Play store and use that to connect.
2. It will ask for User and Password before connecting, but seems to use the Windows Login page and select "Other User", then pipe the User and Password into the box and hit enter for you.
3. If you use the official MS RDP Client, it will use NLA and get stuck at "Please Wait". Since "aRDP Free" does not use NLA, it is able to get past "Please Wait".
4. I do not know if this application is available for iOS, but if it is then I would assume that it will also connect successfully and bypass the "Please Wait" screen.

Answer 3

Possible Universal Solution (Untested, someone please try) - Turn of Network Level Authentication (NLA) on source PC
This method comes from Microsoft support, though I have not tried it due to the fact that I did not have access to the PC at the time to make the changes:

If we disable NLA on remote win10 computer and reboot the issue win10, will the same issue happen?
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp
REG_DWORD: SecurityLayer
Value: change 2 for 0
But the little check box that Enable or Disable NLA is actually the following registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp
REG_DWORD: UserAuthentication
Value: change 1 for 0

how to disable NLA
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/c07323c2-77fa-4eb4-91ed-7ba6fa23bd00/how-to-disable-nla?forum=winserversecurity

Answer 4

I've had some success with making sure the user logs out of the RDP session once they're done and don't just x out of it.