Windows Server 2012 - remote gaming - RDP vGPU - Q about the limitations

11
2014-04
  • Shiki

    I want to play games through lan, on my laptop. Ran by the other powerhouse.
    This, in theory, works. RemoteFX especially if virtualized by Server 2012, can do this.
    (I have a DX11 card, a required CPU and all the other requirements.)

    But I do have questions regarding all this.

    • Can a local user also play games? Or 1 card means 1 guest with vGPU?
      (local = logged in admin account to Server 2012)

    • Could two users (using Concurrent RDP patch) play games on a server by logging in with two users?

    • Or can I run a second Windows 7 / 8 guest to run the games for the other person?

    I could also plug in a second GPU, so one person could game on the Server itself, and the other one could get the vGPU with the second card. But can I do this? Is it possible?

    You can imagine the setup. Two users want to play games, but the laptop is terrible.

    PS: The current RDP update for Windows 7 only allows you to use the features provided by the Server 2012/2008R2. The Windows 7 RDP server itself won't allow you to play games. (There is no vGPU.)

    • Answers
  • Brian

    Far as I know remote desktop into the server doesn't work for this. You must remote desktop into a guest machine on the server that has all the RemoteFX / vGPU etc enabled. This guest needs to be the Enterprise Edition of either Windows 7 or Windows 8.

    Several virtual machines can use the same physical GPU as a vGPU.

    More information: RemoteFX vGPU Setup and Configuration Guide for Windows Server 2012


    • Related Question

    Remote Desktop Connection can't connect to Windows Server 2012
  • Guy Thomas

    Mission to Remote Desktop INTO Windows Server 2012 (standalone).

    Situation:

    • Control Panel, System, Remote Settings, Remote Desktop – Allow
    • All firewalls off
    • Connect attempt using a known IP address (ping works ok)
    • Connect Option as a user who has already logged on.

    Error message:

    Remote Access Cannot Connect
1)  Remote access not enabled
2)  Remote computer turned off
3)  Remote computer not available

    Additional info:

    • The Server 2012 can RDC OUT.
    • The machines I use to connect IN are Windows 7 and Windows 8, they will RDC to other machines.
    • I have fair experience of configuring remote desktop.

    Question:

    Is this a fault of beta software on the 2012 server, or is there a new way of getting RDC to work that I am missing?


    • Related Answers
  • Nicholas

    I have noticed that sometime enabling remote desktop does not correctly enable the firewall exception for port 3389. Please check whether the appropriate rule is enabled. If it is, try disabling and immediately enabling the firewall. This worked for me on several occasions.

  • slhck

    You'll probably need a CAL (Client Access License) in order to access the Windows Server 2012's resources.

  • Gostega

    I was in a similar situation to you OP. I had a group policy to enable RDP. I checked that this was applying, and that I could ping the target server. In the 2012 server manager, it said "Remote Desktop: Enabled".

    However, after following the steps posted by sushant (cmd > systempropertiesremote) (which can also be reached by other methods e.g. sysdm.cpl) I reached the "Remote" tab of System Properties and saw that "Don't allow remote connections to this computer" radio button was selected. This was clearly the cause of my issue and as expected, selecting "Allow remote connections to this computer" enabled me to mstsc into the server.

    I also had another instance where even though RDC was enabled, the firewall port wasn't opened. I now have as standard in any domain I manage two policies, one to enable RDP, and the other to allow it through the firewall.

  • woliveirajr

    so I came across a problem while setting a static IP on a windows 2012 VM. When the static IP was set my VM became unresponsive to RDP or RDC. how i fixed it?

    1. go to control panel > Network and Internet > Network And Sharing

    2. top left corner change adapter settings

    3. right click on the network that needs the static IP assigned and select properties

    4. Select internet protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)

    5. select use the following IP address and enter your static IP, subnet mask that is provided and default gateway that is provided

    6. Enter given and preferred DNS

    7. click ok and open command prompt and type : ipconfig /flushDNS

    in the above command prompt do not use the Collin and there IS a space after ipconfig

    1. after this is done reset the vm and try to rdp to you vm

    2. you vm is now running on static IP

    Jay Ess.

  • Toni

    I had the same problem with WINDOWS XP client wich could not connect to Windows 2012 R2 Remote Server.

    I solved the problem by unchecking this box on the server: "Allow connections only for computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (recomended)".

    To find this settings on the Windows 2012 R2 : right click on "My Computer", choose "Properties" then "Remote Settings". In the screen wich will pop-up, you will find that checkbox.

    Probably XP does not suport "Network Level Authentication" and when the server requires this, the XP client cannot connect.

  • slhck

    How to enable Remote Desktop on Windows Server 2012:

    1. Move your mouse to bottom right of the screen and you would see a bar, Charm Bar.
    2. Click on the Search button, the one with magnifying glass. See the screenshot below:
    3. Enter CMD in the Apps search text box:
    4. Click on CMD on the left, it will launch the command prompt:
    5. In command prompt window, type SystemPropertiesRemote and hit Enter
    6. The above command would launch the System Properties windows.
    7. Select the appropriate option under Remote Desktop and click OK.
  • Guy Thomas

    After reviewing all the answers and comments, also trawling the internet for similar problems, my conclusion is that it's a file corruption problem on the Windows 2012 Server computer.

    Further indications
    a) This test machine has given disk problems before.
    b) sfc /scannow reveals errors.

  • slhck

    Please check whether you have changed the default keyboards.

    I had the same problem but as soon as I selected Keyboard - India, which I configured while installing 2012, the system allowed remote desktop connections again.

  • user250997

    The issue with the default keyboard certainly is one cause.

    On one server, I had removed the US keyboard (that was by default configured during installation), then tried to enable RDP, and it did not work.

    Once I re-installed the US keyboard, RDP started working!

  • Kevin Panko

    I had same problem with both XP and Windows 8 clients... it seemed the server wasn't properly connected to the domain, I rebooted server, logged in as Domain Administrator, and then when I tried to connect using RDP the Win 8 machine worked fine, XP wouldn't due to NLA as above.