HOW TO: Use the SHADOW Command to Remotely Monitor an Active Session of Another User in Windows 2000 Terminal Services

This step-by-step article describes how to use the shadow command to remotely monitor and control another user's Terminal Services session. You can use the shadow command to view or actively control an active session of another user. If you actively control a user's session, you can input keyboard and mouse actions for that session.

SHADOW Command Syntax

The following list describes the parameters that you can use with the shadow command:

• session_name: Use this parameter to specify the name of the session that you want to remotely control.
• session_id: Use this parameter to specify the identification number (ID) of the session that you want to remotely control.
• /server:server_name: Use this parameter to specify the Terminal server that contains the session that you want to remotely control. By default, the current Terminal server is used.
• /v : Use this parameter to display information about the actions that are being performed.

Example

1. To display a list of sessions and their session IDs, type query user at the command line on the server, and then press ENTER. The following output is displayed:

    USERNAME              SESSIONNAME        ID  STATE   IDLE TIME  LOGON TIME
    tester                console             0  Active          .  3/26/2002 11:17 AM
   >tester                rdp-tcp#3           1  Active          .  3/26/2002 4:02 PM
    tester                rdp-tcp#6           2  Active         12  3/27/2002 8:44 AM
   					

2. To shadow session 2, type shadow 2. To shadow the session rdp-tcp#3, type shadow rdp-tcp#3.
   
   Before you can monitor another session, the user of the other session receives the following message (unless you disable this warning):
   \\server\tester is requesting to control your session remotely.
   
   Do you accept the request?
   Your session may stop responding (hang) for a few seconds while the server waits for a response from the user.
3. Press CTRL+* to end the remotely controlled session (use the asterisk [*] from the numeric keypad only).
   
   You can also define a hot key in Terminal Services Manager to end the remotely controlled session.

NOTES:

• You can always remotely control your own sessions (except for the current session); however, you must have Full Control access permissions to remotely control another session.
• Your session must be able to support the video resolution that is used for the session that you are remotely controlling. If your session cannot support the video resolution of this session, you cannot remotely control the session.
• While you are in this console session, you cannot remotely control another session and your session cannot be remotely controlled by another session.
• You can also use the remote control functionality to observe or actively control another session.

How to Configure Remote Control Settings

To configure remote control for users and sessions, use either Terminal Services Configuration or the Terminal Services extensions to Local Users and Groups and the Terminal Services extensions to Active Directory for Users and Computers.

To configure remote control settings:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Terminal Services Configuration.
2. In the console tree, click Connections.
3. Right-click the connection for which you want to configure remote control in the details pane, and then click Properties.
4. Click the Remote Control tab, and then click Use remote control with the following settings to configure remote control for the connection.
5. To configure remote control so that a message is displayed on the client computer that prompts the user for permission to view or take part in the session, click to select the Require user's permission check box.
6. Under Level of control, click either of the following options:
   • View the session: Click this option to specify that the user's session can be viewed only.
     
     -or-
   • Interact with the session: Click this option to specify that the user's session can be actively controlled with your keyboard and mouse.

Troubleshooting

• If you try to run the shadow command, you may receive the following error message:
  Remote control failed. Error code 7044
  Error [7044]:The request to control another session remotely was denied.
  This message occurs if either there is no response from the computer that is to be monitored or if the request is refused. Before monitoring begins, the server prompts the user that the session is about to be remotely controlled, (unless you turned off this warning). The user of the computer that is to be monitored receives the following message:
  \\server\tester is requesting to control your session remotely.
  
  Do you accept the request?
  Click Yes on the computer that is to be monitored to allow the session to be monitored.
  
  For more information about how to configure remote control settings, see the Configure Remote Control Settings section of this article.
• If you try to run the shadow command from the console session, you may receive the following error message:
  Remote control failed. Error code 7050
  Error [7050]:The requested session cannot be controlled remotely.
  This may be because the session is disconnected or does not currently have a user logged on.
  This error message occurs because you cannot remotely control another session while you are in this console session and your session cannot be remotely controlled by another session.

For more information about the Shadow command, visit the following Microsoft Web site: