Microsoft KB Archive/313292

= How to gain access to local files in a remote desktop session to a Windows XP-based or to a Windows Server 2003-based host computer =

Article ID: 313292

Article Last Modified on 1/15/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional for Itanium-based systems
 * Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002
 * Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 95
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Datacenter Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q313292





IN THIS TASK
SUMMARY How to install Remote Desktop Connection software on the client computer How to connect to a remote Windows XP-based or Windows Server 2003-based computer
 * How to control the Remote Desktop

How to gain access to local files How to end the Remote Desktop session REFERENCES



SUMMARY
This step-by-step article describes how to gain access to local files when you are using a Remote Desktop session to a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 host computer. For more information about client-side drive redirection with Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server and Windows 2000 Terminal Services, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

272519 How to redirect a client drive in Terminal Services

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How to install Remote Desktop Connection software on the client computer
The client portion of Remote Desktop is installed during the Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 installation process. If you are using Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000 client computers to connect to a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 host computer, then download and install the Remote Desktop Connection Software from the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/tools/rdclientdl.mspx

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How to connect to a remote Windows XP-based or Windows Server 2003-based computer
To connect to the remote computer:
 * 1) Click Start, point to All Programs (or Programs), point toAccessories, point to Communications, and then click Remote Desktop Connection.
 * 2) Type the name of the Windows XP-based computer that has Remote Desktop enabled, and then click Connect.
 * 3) Type your user name and password, and then click OK.

For more information about how to connect to the remote computer, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/getstarted/troubleshoot.mspx

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How to control the Remote Desktop
After you establish a Remote Desktop connection, your remote desktop is displayed in its own window. You can use the keyboard and mouse of the local host to control the remote computer.

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How to gain access to local files
You can gain access to your disk drives on the local computer during a Remote Desktop session. You can redirect the local disk drives, including the hard disk drives, CD-ROM disk drives, floppy disk drives, and mapped network disk drives so that you can transfer files between the local host and the remote computer in the same way that you copy files from a network share. You can use Microsoft Windows Explorer to view the disk drives and files for each redirected disk drive. Alternatively, you can view the files for each redirected disk drive in My Computer. The drives are displayed as &quot;drive_letter on &quot; in both Windows Explorer and My Computer.

To view the disk drives and files for the redirected disk drive:
 * 1) Click Start, point to All Programs (or Programs), point to Accessories, point to Communications, and then click Remote Desktop Connection.
 * 2) Click Options, and then click the Local Resources tab.
 * 3) Click Disk Drives, and then click Connect.

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How to end the Remote Desktop session
After you are finished using the Remote Desktop connection:
 * 1) Click Start in the Remote Desktop Connection window, and then click Shut Down.
 * 2) Click Log Off, and then click OK.

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