Most Important Terminal Server Registry Keys and Values

Posted by Benny Tritsch on December 10, 2003 – updated on May 31, 2005

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System and User Session Settings

In the second table of the previous chapter, the last keys listed are Wds and WinStation. They play a key role in configuring the RDP protocol and user sessions. Because some keys exist in several hives, they should be explained in more detail. It is impossible to list and explain all keys in this whitepaper, so the following tables show only a selection of the most important configuration options. They can be found in one or more of these registry hives:

• HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Terminal Server \Wds \rdpwd
• HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Terminal Server \WinStation \Console
• HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Terminal Server \WinStation \Console \RDP
• HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Terminal Server \WinStation \RDP-Tcp. The values here are changed through the tool Terminal Services Configuration.

 

Value Names	Data Types	Description
Callback	DWORD	Set up the modem callback option. This value becomes effective only if you set the fInheritCallback flag to 0.
CallbackNumber	SZ	Set a phone number for modem callback. This value becomes effective only if you set the fInheritCallbackNumber flag to 0.
ColorDepth	DWORD	Default color-depth setting.
Comment	SZ	Comment string in the administration tool.
Domain	SZ	Set a default domain name on logon of a user session.
DrawGdiplusSupportLevel	DWORD	Support options for graphics elements output with GDI+.
fAutoClientDrives	DWORD	Connect to client drives upon logon.
fAutoClientLpts	DWORD	Connect to client printers upon logon.
fDisableCam	DWORD	Disable client audio mapping.
fDisableCcm	DWORD	Disable client COM port mapping.
fDisableCdm	DWORD	Disable client drive mapping.
fDisableClip	DWORD	Disable clipboard mapping.
fDisableCpm	DWORD	Disable Windows client printer mapping.
fDisableEncryption	DWORD	Disable encryption.
fDisableExe	DWORD	Disable program start upon connection.
fDisableLPT	DWORD	Disable use of printers.
fEnableWinStation	DWORD	Enable remote user sessions.
fForceClientLptDef	DWORD	Use client main printer by default.
fInheritAutoClient	DWORD	Inherit the setting on the terminal server to reset the connec-tion when the connection was ended from another source.
fInheritAutoLogon	DWORD	Inherit the setting on the terminal server to use the client's logon information for automatic logon from another source.
fInheritCallback	DWORD	Inherit the setting on the terminal server that a modem calls back from another source.
fInheritCallbackNumber	DWORD	Inherit on the terminal server the phone number for modem callback from another source.
fInheritColorDepth	DWORD	Inherit the setting on the terminal server for color depth from another source.
fInheritInitialProgram	DWORD	Inherit the setting on the terminal server to start an initial program upon logon from another source.
fInheritMaxDisconnectionTime	DWORD	Inherit on the terminal server the maximum time after which disconnected sessions are ended from another source.
fInheritMaxIdleTime	DWORD	Inherit on the terminal server the maximum idle time for user sessions from another source.
fInheritMaxSessionTime	DWORD	Inherit on the terminal server the maximum session time from another source.
fInheritReconnectSame	DWORD	Inherit the setting on the terminal server whether a new con-nection can be made only from the same client from another source.
fInheritResetBroken	DWORD	Inherit the setting on the terminal server whether the session is ended upon reaching a session limit or upon disconnection from another source. If you do not set this flag, the session will be simply disconnected.
fInheritSecurity	DWORD	Inherit the security setting on the terminal server.
fInheritShadow	DWORD	Inherit the setting on the terminal server for remote control from another source.
fLogonDisabled	DWORD	Selecting this flag disables logon.
fPromptForPassword	DWORD	Makes entering a password obligatory.
fReconnectSame	DWORD	You can reconnect from the same client only as you did previously. This value becomes effective only if you set the fInheritReconnectSame flag.
fResetBroken	DWORD	The session ends when a session limit is reached or the connection is broken. If this flag is not set, the session is simply disconnected. This value becomes effective only if you set the fInheritResetBroken flag.
fUseDefaultGina	DWORD	Always use the default Windows component to authenticate users.
InitialProgram	SZ	Initial program that is started when a user logs on. This value becomes effective only if you set the fInheritInitialProgram flag.
InputBufferLength	DWORD	Input buffer length for the RDP connection in bytes. Default value = 2048.
KeyboardLayout	DWORD	Set keyboard layout.
MaxConnectionTime	DWORD	Maximum session time in seconds. This value becomes effec-tive only if you set the fInheritMaxSessionTime flag to 0.
MaxDisconnectionTime	DWORD	Maximum time in seconds after which disconnected sessions are ended. This value becomes effective only if you set the fInheritMaxDisconnectionTime flag to 0.
MaxIdleTime	DWORD	Maximum idle time in seconds for user sessions. This value becomes effective only if you set the fInheritMaxIdleTime flag to 0.
MinEncryptionLevel	DWORD	Set the minimum value of encryption level.
NWLogonServer	SZ	Set a NetWare logon server.
OutBufDelay	DWORD	Maximum waiting time in milliseconds until the output buffer for the RDP connection is emptied.
OutBufLength	DWORD	Output buffer length for the RDP connection in bytes.
Password	SZ	Set a default password when logging on to a user session. The password is encrypted and saved here.
PortNumber	DWORD	Port for network communication using the RDP protocol. Default value = 3398.
Shadow	DWORD	Remote control configuration. This value becomes effective only if you set the fInheritShadow flag to 0. 0: Deny remote control 1: Obtain user permission and interact with the session 2: Do not obtain user permission and interact with the session 3: Obtain user permission and display session 4: Do not obtain user permission and display session
UserName	SZ	Set a default user name for logon to a user session.
WorkDirectory	SZ	Working directory that is set on user logon and initial start of an application.

 

NOTE: Value names with a leading "f" are so-called flags. Flags are binary values that make a statement true (= 1) or false (= 0).

Additional configuration settings of a rather general nature are done through HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Terminal Server \Wds \rdpwd \Tds \tcp

 

Value Names	Data Types, Default Value	Description
InteractiveDelay	DWORD: 0xa	?
OutBufCount	DWORD: 0x6	Number of RDP Output Buffers
OutBufDelay	DWORD: 0x64	RDP Output Buffer Transmission Delay
OutBufLength	DWORD: 0x212	RDP Output Buffer Length
PdClass	DWORD: 0x2	?
PdDLL	SZ	Default value: tdtcp
PdFlag	DWORD: 0x4e	?
PdName	SZ	Default value: tcp
PortNumber	DWORD: 0xd3d	Standard RDP Port: 3389 (d3d hex)
ServiceName	SZ	Default value: tcpip

 

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