Enable Remote Desktop by Using an Answer File

  • 2 minutes to read

To enable remote desktop connections during an unattended installation, you must configure several settings and enable the Remote Desktop group in Windows® Firewall with Advanced Security.

To create an answer file to enable remote desktop connections

  1. On your technician computer, open Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM). Click Start, type Windows System Image Manager, and then select Windows System Image Manager.

  2. Create a new answer file, or update an existing answer file. For more information, see Create or Open an Answer File and Best Practices for Authoring Answer Files.

    Add these settings to your answer file in the listed configuration pass:

    Component Configuration pass

    Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-LocalSessionManager

    4 specialize

    Networking-MPSSVC-Svc\FirewallGroups\FirewallGroup

    4 specialize

  3. In the Answer File pane, configure these settings:

    Component Value

    Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-LocalSessionManager

    fDenyTSConnections=false

    Networking-MPSSVC-Svc\FirewallGroups\FirewallGroup

    Active=true

    Group=Remote Desktop

    Profile=all

  4. (Optional) Specify how users are authenticated. Specifying the following setting will help make sure that users can connect remotely from computers that don't run Remote Desktop by using network-level authentication. To enable remote desktop connections from computers that are running any version of Remote Desktop, add this setting to your answer file:

    Component Configuration pass Value

    Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-RDP-WinStationExtensions

    4 specialize

    UserAuthentication=0

You're now ready to install your Windows image.

For more information about Windows® components and settings that you can add to an answer file, see the Unattended Windows Setup Reference.

Configure Windows Firewall with Advanced Security by Using an Answer File

Automate Windows Setup

Configure Network Settings in an Unattended Installation

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