Accessing a headless server

[Mike]

This kind of ties in with selecting a server OS as is being discussed in another thread below. I recently decided on a new OS and I bought a triple pack of Windows 7 Home Premium with cost being the single over riding concern.

I had operated my XP machines with the Pro version and I had an RDP patch that allowed me to run more than 1 session at a time on the computers. It worked fairly well. It was a bit different than Fuzzy seems to describe in the other thread, because I could connect with the actual desktop of a user, although they couldn't use it at the same time, or I could log in as another user and do my maintenance. The only downside is when I wanted to run Sage by RDP. It just doesn't run well that way.

I knew I would have similar issues with Home Premium but I gave it a shot using an RDP hack developed by folks at the Green Button. I'm not real impressed with how it runs on Home Premium. It has the same limitations as I had before when I tried to run Sage, and it although I log in as a user I don't get the same desktop as they were running. Its like having two different sessions with the same user account. I need to do something better but I'm not sure what the best option is. I'm kind of discounting upgrading the server to Windows 7 Pro, because if I want to run Sage exe through it, I don't expect it to run well.

What other choices should I look at? What's your preference?

Thanks,
Mike

[wrems]

I've liked logmein. It's free too.

[KeithAbbott]

+1 for logmein. Although I don't really use it to run the SageTV client on the server. I use my HD200/300 extenders for that.

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

Although I don't really use it to run the SageTV client on the server. I use my HD200/300 extenders for that.

Or Placeshifter, or SageTV Client. There really isn't any need to run the Sage UI through RDP or logmein or whatever. It's designed so you can administer it from any client.

[MattHelm]

I like the free version of RealVNC for a local machine, as it's a little faster, but for truly remote access, either is fine.

[Fuzzy]

If you genuinely want to control/configure sage, then placeshifter/client is the best option. however, if you want real remote desktop, I prefer ultravnc.

[Graygeek]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

If you genuinely want to control/configure sage, then placeshifter/client is the best option. however, if you want real remote desktop, I prefer ultravnc.

+1

[Mike]

Thanks folks. The only time I really would open Sage through that medium is when I might want to do a little bit with studio. My projects in that area are generally very small (that's all I'm capable of) but its nice to be able to open the interface without having to pay for another license on my desktop.

[Mike]

After thinking about it, I actually have trouble now just starting and stopping the service. Even that interface with Sage isn't reliable through the RDP I'm using now. Often the service window will open and be all black. Usually it will give me the images in a couple of minutes but not always.

[wrems]

From the command prompt you can start and stop the service:

net stop SageTV
net start SageTV

Then you won't have to use the dialog.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by wrems

From the command prompt you can start and stop the service:

net stop SageTV
net start SageTV

Then you won't have to use the dialog.

Thanks, that's a good tip. Another problem I had was restarting the computer. My old RDP solution had a place to do that and this one doesn't, but your tip got me looking around and I found a command prompt for that too.

[wrems]

If you created a shortcut with the following statement you would restart your computer within about a minute:

C:\windows\system32\shutdown.exe /r

Here’s a link with a bunch of the other arguments you can add to this to make it do what you want:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/317371

HTH

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by Mike

The only time I really would open Sage through that medium is when I might want to do a little bit with studio. My projects in that area are generally very small (that's all I'm capable of) but its nice to be able to open the interface without having to pay for another license on my desktop.

In my opinion a separate SageTV Client license is well worth the investment for Studio work, because it lets you fool around and try things without risk of breaking your functioning server.

Originally Posted by wrems

net stop SageTV
net start SageTV

Originally Posted by wrems

C:\windows\system32\shutdown.exe /r

You don't need RDP for these either. You can use the sc command to start and stop services on another PC, and the shutdown command also lets you specify a remote machine name.

Similarly, the Windows Services console, Event Viewer, and most other administrative tools let you connect to a remote machine and administer it directly without opening an RDP session.

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by GKusnick

In my opinion a separate SageTV Client license is well worth the investment for Studio work, because it lets you fool around and try things without risk of breaking your functioning server.

I second this. There is no way I'd recommend doing Studio work directly on the server. The small fee you pay for a SageClient license is well worth the hours (and hours, and hours, and hours.....) of fun you'll have coding in Studio

[Mike]

I found several power tricks when I got to looking around yesterday. They'll be helpful. The controlling the service from the command line was the nudge I needed to look in that direction. With those tips, I may just forgo any other software and use what I have. My biggest problems have been addressed.

I may also break down and buy another Client license. I really hate too because I don't think Ill use it much, but there are a couple of little things that I use studio for sometimes. Trust me, even simple things take this old mechanic a long time, I'll never take on a major project with it. My smarts just don't run in that direction.

Thanks for the input. I got a lot of things to consider,
Mike

[wayner]

SageClient is only $30 so if it saves you spending a lot of time futxing around then it is a good investment.

[Nightrader_]

also, in the local policies of the machine you can set RDP to connect to an existing session, or you can use the Task Manage to switch sessions after connecting to the machine, on the user tab, right-click the session you want and select connect.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by Nightrader_

also, in the local policies of the machine you can set RDP to connect to an existing session, or you can use the Task Manage to switch sessions after connecting to the machine, on the user tab, right-click the session you want and select connect.

The problem with switching to the local session through task manager, is that it disconnects the session from the local console. With no way to reconnect it without logging in at the console.