mstsc.exe /console != console where OS = 2008 || ver > 6.0 -- WHAT THE?

(ok, that's pseudo code above and is never intended to run - just illustrate concept :) )

If you're a like me and prefer typing your commands into the run box or start bar, in Windows 2003 to connect to the console of a server using remote administration with Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) you would have typed mstsc.exe /v:servername /console like so:

rather than searching for Remote Desktop Connection from the programs list. (or you could add /console to the end of your server address in the RDC dialog box i.e. idcinabox.microsoft.com /console)

But doing this from Windows 2008 or Vista SP1 this just does nothing and connects to you a normal RDC session. Of course I didn't know this at first but then noticed something was amiss when I ran out of administration session connections... hmmmm.

 

Luckily Fitzy is the man and pointed out that this behaviour has changed and now you have to use /admin .

Thus mstsc.exe /v:servername /admin hooks you up to the console when using RDC 6.1

More information on this change can be found directly from the source of the change - the Terminal Services Team Blog!

-jorke

P.S. Fitzy - I just parked you in :)

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