TS + Citrix Troubleshooting

Applications

Installation

Before installing applications on a Terminal Server, you must put the server into "install mode". In this mode, all changes made to the registry and to ini-files will be monitored and copied to the shadow area in the registry. This process ensures that all users will receive their personal copy of those registry keys and ini-files. You can put a Terminal Server in Install mode by using the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel, but this method does not work when you install applications directly from the web.

A method which gives you more control over the process is to put the server into install mode from the command prompt:

1. Open a command window (Start - Run - cmd)
2. Type "change logon /disable" (without the quotes) to disallow new connections to the server
3. Use Terminal Services Manager to verify that there are no user sessions; send a message to connected users, requesting them to log off
4. Type "change user /install" (without the quotes) to put the server into install mode
5. Install your application
6. When the installation is completely finished, type "change user /execute" to put the server back into it's normal execute mode
7. Type "change logon /enable" to allow users to connect again

Troubleshooting application issues

• CTX101709 - How to Effectively Troubleshoot Application Integration Issues
- by Citrix, but most methods apply to rdp as well.
• My application runs fine for Administrators, but not for normal users
• My application runs only for the Administrator who installed the application, but not for normal users or other accounts with Administrator rights
• 252330 - Toggling Terminal Services to Application Server Mode May Cause Programs Not to Work
• 195950 - How and why ROOTDRIVE is used on Windows Terminal Server
• 297379 - Programs Can Revert to the Default Settings on Terminal Server
• 255582 - BUG: An error occurs running Windows Installer installation on Terminal Server or Remote Desktop connection
• 223300 - How to Enable Windows Installer Logging
• 883514 - Terminal server host applications may intermittently stop responding in Windows 2000
• 311727 - An Assigned Program Is Not Installed in Terminal Services Remote Administration Mode

• Terminal Services Application Analyzer Beta
• Download Hosting Applications with Terminal Server - 2003
• Application Compatibility Toolkit - for 2003 and XP
• How Applications use the Registry in Terminal Server Environments - by Brian Madden
• 186498 - Terminal Server Application Integration Information
• Program compatibility flags
• CTX106100 - Application Isolation Environment Supported Applications
• CTX109254 - Application Isolation Environments - Compatibility Issues

Specific application issues

• Office issues
• Internet Explorer issues
• QuickBooks issues
• Other applications: Exchange, SQL and MSDE, SMS, Lotus Notes, Adobe, COM and DCOM, Host Integration Server, SoftGrid and more

Client / server application issues

• 272582 - Windows 2000 Terminal Services Incorrectly Closes Files on Remote Shares
• 818528 - Problems When More Than One User Accesses the Same File Through Terminal Services
• 830265 - Out of memory error messages when you try to save files
• 299603 - PRB: "Error reading file" Error Message on Windows 2000 Terminal Services
• 219956 - PRB: Too Many Files Open Running VFP on Windows Terminal Server
• 294816 - Programs that are run from a network share on Terminal Services close or generate errors

Miscellaneous issues

• 816513 - Poor Program Performance Occurs in a Remote Terminal Services Session
• 80863  - Limiting Simultaneous Users of an Application
• 840342 - Applications may not run correctly in a Terminal Services environment
• 924893 - An application window may not be drawn correctly when you run the application in a remote desktop session to a Windows XP-based computer

Application streaming / launching / publishing

• Application Virtualization comparison chart - by Sven Huisman
• Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization
• Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 Beta - formerly known as SoftGrid
• WS2008: Terminal Server Web Access Architecture
• Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services RemoteApp Step-By-Step Guide
• 951048 - An application does not start in a Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services RemoteApp session
• Working Together - Application Virtualization from Citrix & Microsoft
• 931576 - How to publish a SoftGrid-enabled application in Citrix MetaFrame
• Download the Best Practices for Integrating Microsoft® SoftGrid® Application Virtualization with Terminal Services and Citrix® Presentation Server® White Paper
• SoftGrid and Terminal Services: Better Together



• CTX891671 - Graceful Logoff from a Published Application Keeps Sessions in Active State
• CTX644401 - Connecting to a Published Application Produces the Entire Desktop, Explorer.exe
• CTX922603 - How to Publish Explorer.exe with Specific Drives, Specific Folders, or URL



• visionapp Workspace Management 2008 - a portal-based application delivery system
• 2X ApplicationServer for Windows Terminal Services - seamlessly publish applications onto remote desktops
• Application Juxebox - by Endeavors Technology
• Altiris Deployment Solution
• AppLauncher - allows you to deploy more than one application through Terminal Services without giving user access to the entire desktop
• Remote Application Center For Terminal Server - freeware utility to publish applications and set application permissions by user or by group

Information for developers

• Remote Desktop Protocol: Basic Connectivity and Graphics Remoting Specification
• Remote Desktop Protocol: Remote Programs Virtual Channel Extension
• Terminal Server Plug and Play Device Redirection Framework in Vista and Longhorn - part 3
• Windows Desktop Sharing API - on Vista
• Dynamic Virtual Channels
• 950118 - You cannot reuse a virtual channel handle after you disconnect and then reconnect a Terminal Services session that is established on a Windows Server 2008-based terminal server



• Terminal Services Programming Guidelines
• CTX111705 - A Guide for Application Developers, by Citrix
• Terminal Services Reference
• Wrapping the Terminal Services API for Visual Basic - by Alex Angelopoulos, MVP
• Windows Logo Program Requirements V. 3.0
• Device Driver INF Changes for Plug and Play Device Redirection on Terminal Server
• Application Compatibility Toolkit - for W2K
• Detecting If Terminal Services is Installed
• Optimizing Applications for Windows 2000 Terminal Services and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
• 923741 - Formatted text is inserted as a picture in the "Rich TextBox" control on a Windows 2000-based terminal server
• 841700 - BUG: You receive an "error reading comm device" error message when you try to read from a COM port that is on a remote computer by using the MSComm control in Visual Basic 6.0

• Local Administrator/Power User Hall of Shame