You should install the RD Session Host role service on the computer before you install any programs that you want to make available to users. If you install the RD Session Host role service on a computer that already has programs installed, some of the existing programs may not work correctly in a multiuser environment. Uninstalling and then reinstalling the affected programs may resolve these issues.

To ensure that an application is installed correctly to work in a multiuser environment, you must put the RD Session Host server into a special installation mode before you install the application on the RD Session Host server. This special installation mode ensures that the correct registry entries and .ini files that are needed to support running the application in a multiuser environment are created during the installation process.

You can put an RD Session Host server into this special installation mode by using either of the following:

  • Install Application on Remote Desktop Session Host tool under Programs in Control Panel. This tool will run a wizard to help install the application.

  • Change user /install command at a command prompt. You will have to start the installation of the application manually.

After the application is installed, you must put the RD Session Host server into execution mode before remote users begin using the application. The Install Application on Remote Desktop Session Host tool will automatically put the RD Session Host server into execution mode when it is finished running. To put the RD Session Host server into execution mode from a command prompt, use the change user /execute command.

Additional considerations

  • Some programs may require minor setup modifications to run correctly on an RD Session Host server.

  • If you have programs that are related to each other or have dependencies on each other, you should install the programs on the same RD Session Host server. For example, you should install Microsoft Office as a suite on the same RD Session Host server instead of installing individual Office programs on separate RD Session Host servers.

  • You should consider installing individual programs on separate RD Session Host servers in the following circumstances:

    • The program has compatibility issues that may affect other programs.

    • A single program and the number of associated users may fill server capacity.

  • For more information about command-line tools for Remote Desktop Services, see the Remote Desktop Services Technical Reference (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=138135).

  • For more information about RD Session Host, see the Remote Desktop Services page on the Windows Server 2008 R2 TechCenter (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140438).

Additional references


Table Of Contents