How to gain access to local files in a remote desktop session to a Windows XP-based or to a Windows Server 2003-based host computer

How to install Remote Desktop Connection software on the client computer

The client portion of Remote Desktop is installed during the Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 installation process. If you are using Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000 client computers to connect to a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 host computer, then download and install the Remote Desktop Connection Software from the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/tools/rdclientdl.mspx

How to connect to a remote Windows XP-based or Windows Server 2003-based computer

To connect to the remote computer:

1. Click Start, point to All Programs (or Programs), point toAccessories, point to Communications, and then click Remote Desktop Connection.

2. Type the name of the Windows XP-based computer that has Remote Desktop enabled, and then click Connect.

3. Type your user name and password, and then click OK.

How to gain access to local files

You can gain access to your disk drives on the local computer during a Remote Desktop session. You can redirect the local disk drives, including the hard disk drives, CD-ROM disk drives, floppy disk drives, and mapped network disk drives so that you can transfer files between the local host and the remote computer in the same way that you copy files from a network share. You can use Microsoft Windows Explorer to view the disk drives and files for each redirected disk drive. Alternatively, you can view the files for each redirected disk drive in My Computer. The drives are displayed as "drive_letter on terminal_server_client_name" in both Windows Explorer and My Computer.

To view the disk drives and files for the redirected disk drive:

1. Click Start, point to All Programs (or Programs), point to
   Accessories, point to Communications, and then click Remote Desktop Connection.

2. Click Options, and then click the
   Local Resources tab.

3. Click Disk Drives, and then click
   Connect.

How to end the Remote Desktop session

After you are finished using the Remote Desktop connection:

1. Click Start in the Remote Desktop Connection window, and then click Shut Down.

2. Click Log Off, and then click OK.