Anyone use TightVNC and Win2k?

beelzerob

Senior Member
I've been using TightVNC for quite some time to be able to affect changes on all PC's in the house without having to leave the extreme comfort of our computing loft. But now I've introduced a Win2k PC into the mix, and I can't log into it. The software starts up fine, and when I try to vnc into it, it asks for the password...so the connection is there. But as soon as I put in the password, it says "Connection closed."

I think it's probably a permissions type issue, or something, since Win2k seems a bit more closed to the outside world than WinXP.

Does anyone out there know how to fix this, or maybe recommend another VNC software choice out there to try? My google searches for a fix came back empty.
 
Why not use Remote Desktop it's included if memory serves me correctly.
 
I assume you mean the free version of RealVNC? If so, I'll give it a try. There were some issues about tightVNC I never cared for, but endured because it was familiar...maybe realVNC will fix those.

automation, what I'm ultimately looking for is the ability to log into any of my PC's from any other. It never fails that when I'm down in the basement working on the cqc server, that I'll need a file on my PC upstairs, so I'd like to be able to log in to my XP Home machine from the Win2k machine, as well as the normal route of XPHome to Win2k. Will the built-in RDP of XP Home and Win2k allow that?

I kinda thought the built-in windows method wasn't a go because doesn't someone on the other machine have to click something saying "Yes, let them control my PC"?
 
I kinda thought the built-in windows method wasn't a go because doesn't someone on the other machine have to click something saying "Yes, let them control my PC"?

There is a Windows Remote Help option that may ask for that type of permission. But the basic Remote Desktop (RDP) experience doesn't do anything like that. That being said, while XP Home will allow you to initiate a RDP session to some other computer, it will not allow you to RDP INTO a computer running XP Home. There very well may be some hack or work around, but it isn't allowed in the standard XP Home OS.

Also RDP was not standard on the original Windows2000 OS. But I know MS released a version that could be installed on Windows2000. I'm not sure if that was pushed out automatically or if you have to download it from MS directly.
 
I assume you mean the free version of RealVNC?

I kinda thought the built-in windows method wasn't a go because doesn't someone on the other machine have to click something saying "Yes, let them control my PC"?

Yes, the free version of RealVNC will work. UltraVNC is my favorite flavor of VNC. It may work as well. UltraVNC has a http java viewer that allows you to pull up the computer in any browser without having to download the viewer if it isn't available.

The issue with RDP is that it will log the current user out when you login. There are hacks available, which basically substitute the terminal server dll with the one from 2003 server and some registry changes, that allow more than one user to login to an XP box.

sic is right, if memory serves me correct, that RDP was not available by default on W2K. I would personally just stick with VNC so you don't have to have the current user log out, or worry about the hacks if you don't need multiple people logged into the same computer.

Also, if you say you just need files, why not just setup file sharing on the boxes and get them via the UNC.
 
Also, if you say you just need files, why not just setup file sharing on the boxes and get them via the UNC.

Oh, it's never quite that simple for some reason. I really don't want to share every file on every PC. And I somehow, whenever I need it, whatever file I'm looking for won't be in the directory that IS shared. So, total control seems to be the easiest way.

guess I'll try realVNC tonight. woohoo!
 
I use the free version of UltraVNC on Windows 2003. A long time ago used it on Windows 2000. I also use RDP and PCAnywhere on WAN side. An easy and secure across the WAN is build an encrypted SSH tunnel. Once the tunnel is up you can VNC to any PC/Server on your network. For RDP mode you need to use Console0 so that you can see your desktop.

You can use this method for RDP and PCAnywhere too.
 
Well....RealVNC didn't work either with Win2k. Once I installed the server, I hovered over the tray icon, and it said "Not accepting connections." I went back into the options and confirmed that I had "accept connections" checked. I guess I need to check the port, maybe something else is using it....
 
When first installing UltraVNC I had to play with the security. I also had to "tell" my AV to let it run. Recently and most problematic was getting it to work with Vista. If you enable MS login you can check the log files.
 
I would recommend you install either UltraVNC or RealVNC.. They work really well and you can set them up as a service. If you need to transfer files, use UltaVNC. Or you can pop your Win2k install cd and install Terminal Services for Administration. Then you can use any the built-in RDP client that comes with XP or higher.. Only issue with RDP, its a session running in the background and not the console which you may be for automation software... Win2k3 server fixed that allowing you to RDP into the console and not a background session.

Not sure of your skill level but you can run a VNC proxy on your server so you can access either that server or another other pc running VNC thru one port-fowarding rule on your router/firewall
 
Thanks for all the help all. Turns out I should have researched this a little more first, as Dean told me that CQC doesn't play nice with Win2k anymore. And since this is for my cqc server.... :)

so, it's back to trying to get XP home to stop being such a pain.

thanks for the suggestions on vnc software, though. THAT at least is still useful info.
 
Windows 2000 is a little scary to bring online now if you have it connected to the internet.

W2k Pro doesn't have RDP. That was fist included with Windows 2000 server. XP, Vista, 7, Home Server, 2003, and 2008 all have it built in too.
 
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