Windows Server 2003 RDP - 32-bit display possible ??

Is it possible to use RDP with 32-bits display in Remote Desktop, in Windows
Server 2003? I am using Remote Desktop for Remote Administration mode.

In Administrative Tools > Terminal Services Configuration > Connections >
RDP-Tcp > Client Settings tab, I can Limit Maximum Colour Depth to only 24,
16, 15 or 8-Bits. 32-bit seems to be unavailable.

When I use 24-bit, and video played looks all blue. This is not a big
problem, as playing video through it is a very rare event, but I still use
16-bit instead, as colours look fine in that mode, and there is not much
perceptible difference in that mode.

However, I would like to use 32-bit mode, so that everything appears in
ClearType, as reading fonts can be a strain after a while, without it. The
extra connection bandwidth used is not an issue (gigabit LAN).

How can I enable and force a 32-bit display connection with RDP?

Cheers

ss.

Crossposted to microsoft.public.windows.server.general

"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMsyndrome.me.uk> wrote in message
news:OpDW2thmIHA.4480@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>
> Is it possible to use RDP with 32-bits display in Remote Desktop, in
> Windows Server 2003? I am using Remote Desktop for Remote Administration
> mode.
>
> In Administrative Tools > Terminal Services Configuration > Connections >
> RDP-Tcp > Client Settings tab, I can Limit Maximum Colour Depth to only
> 24, 16, 15 or 8-Bits. 32-bit seems to be unavailable.
>
> When I use 24-bit, and video played looks all blue. This is not a big
> problem, as playing video through it is a very rare event, but I still use
> 16-bit instead, as colours look fine in that mode, and there is not much
> perceptible difference in that mode.
>
> However, I would like to use 32-bit mode, so that everything appears in
> ClearType, as reading fonts can be a strain after a while, without it.
> The extra connection bandwidth used is not an issue (gigabit LAN).
>
> How can I enable and force a 32-bit display connection with RDP?
>
> Cheers
>
> ss.

The maximum color depth on Windows 2003 and XP is 24-bit, even
while connecting with the 6.x rdp client.
Vista and Windows 2008 allow a color depth of 32-bit.

Same for ClearType: not supported on Windows 2003, supportd on W
2008.

__________________________________________________ _______
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMsyndrome.me.uk> wrote on 09 apr
2008 in microsoft.public.windows.terminal_services:

> Crossposted to microsoft.public.windows.server.general
>
> "Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMsyndrome.me.uk> wrote in
> message news:OpDW2thmIHA.4480@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>
>> Is it possible to use RDP with 32-bits display in Remote
>> Desktop, in Windows Server 2003? I am using Remote Desktop for
>> Remote Administration mode.
>>
>> In Administrative Tools > Terminal Services Configuration >
>> Connections > RDP-Tcp > Client Settings tab, I can Limit
>> Maximum Colour Depth to only 24, 16, 15 or 8-Bits. 32-bit
>> seems to be unavailable.
>>
>> When I use 24-bit, and video played looks all blue. This is
>> not a big problem, as playing video through it is a very rare
>> event, but I still use 16-bit instead, as colours look fine in
>> that mode, and there is not much perceptible difference in that
>> mode.
>>
>> However, I would like to use 32-bit mode, so that everything
>> appears in ClearType, as reading fonts can be a strain after a
>> while, without it. The extra connection bandwidth used is not
>> an issue (gigabit LAN).
>>
>> How can I enable and force a 32-bit display connection with
>> RDP?
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> ss.

"Vera Noest [MVP]" <vera.noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote in message
news:Xns9A7BA37AEDC3Dveranoesthemutforsse@207.46.2 48.16...
> The maximum color depth on Windows 2003 and XP is 24-bit, even
> while connecting with the 6.x rdp client.
> Vista and Windows 2008 allow a color depth of 32-bit.

Is there a way to force it, maybe with a registry edit? I have actually
used Remote Desktop on Windows Server 2003 with a 32-bit display, but the
way to get it is not practical :

If I log in to the server locally, and then log in using another session
remotely, I can then use take control of the local session in the User tab
in Task Manager (Remote Control). This gives me a 32-bit display. As it is
technically possible, I am trying to find a way of making it happen all the
time.

> Same for ClearType: not supported on Windows 2003, supportd on W
> 2008.

I'm not sure what you mean there, as I have always been using ClearType with
Windows Server 2003, when using it locally.

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMsyndrome.me.uk> wrote on 09 apr
2008 in microsoft.public.windows.terminal_services:

> "Vera Noest [MVP]" <vera.noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote
> in message
> news:Xns9A7BA37AEDC3Dveranoesthemutforsse@207.46.2 48.16...
>> The maximum color depth on Windows 2003 and XP is 24-bit, even
>> while connecting with the 6.x rdp client.
>> Vista and Windows 2008 allow a color depth of 32-bit.
>
> Is there a way to force it, maybe with a registry edit? I have
> actually used Remote Desktop on Windows Server 2003 with a
> 32-bit display, but the way to get it is not practical :

Not that I know of.

> If I log in to the server locally, and then log in using another
> session remotely, I can then use take control of the local
> session in the User tab in Task Manager (Remote Control). This
> gives me a 32-bit display. As it is technically possible, I am
> trying to find a way of making it happen all the time.
>
>> Same for ClearType: not supported on Windows 2003, supportd on
>> W 2008.
>
> I'm not sure what you mean there, as I have always been using
> ClearType with Windows Server 2003, when using it locally.

Locally, you mean on the console? Yes. But not in a remote session,
and I thought that we were talking about TS sessions.

302555 - ClearType Is Not Supported in a Remote Desktop Session
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=302555

__________________________________________________ _______
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

AFAIK 32 bit color depth is supported only in RDP 6+ and TS2008

--
____________________________________
Frane Borozan
Terminal Services and Citrix Presentation Server user logging
http://www.terminalserviceslog.com

> Locally, you mean on the console? Yes. But not in a remote session,
> and I thought that we were talking about TS sessions.
> 302555 - ClearType Is Not Supported in a Remote Desktop Session
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=302555

Well, it was true until recently.

"Please note that Microsoft has only recently allowed this to work on
Windows Server 2003. The hotfix announcement is from March 6, 2008."
http://citrixblogger.org/2008/03/23/...inal-services/

The original link was:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946633

But it seems to be broken now...

--
Sincerely,
Eugene Sukhodolin
CTO, TSFactory Inc.
http://www.tsfactory.com

> Is it possible to use RDP with 32-bits display in Remote Desktop, in
> Windows Server 2003? I am using Remote Desktop for Remote
> Administration mode.

There are some dirty hacks floating around:
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/system...lear_Type.aspx

--
Sincerely,
Eugene Sukhodolin
CTO, TSFactory Inc.
http://www.tsfactory.com