Color Depth in Remote Desktop

[GREGORY]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

I was playing around with a trial copy of Windows Server 2003 and discovered
that it is possible to increase terminal services color depth to 24bit. On
Windows XP Professional the color depth of remote desktop seems to be set at
16 bit.

Is it possible to increase the color depth of XP Pro Remote desktop to 24
bit or is this a server only feature?

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

Perhaps your client display adaptor is set to 16 bit?

Because I have XP pro and it can work with 24 bit color.

--
Kenny


"Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3AD74A86-1C09-464C-B6E5-8B640E4F4283@microsoft.com...
>I was playing around with a trial copy of Windows Server 2003 and
>discovered
> that it is possible to increase terminal services color depth to 24bit. On
> Windows XP Professional the color depth of remote desktop seems to be set
> at
> 16 bit.
>
> Is it possible to increase the color depth of XP Pro Remote desktop to 24
> bit or is this a server only feature?
>
> Thanks

 

[GREGORY]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

No, I am talking about setting the host to 24 bit color. Is it possible to
set an XP Pro remote desktop host to 24 bit color?

"Kenny S" wrote:

> Perhaps your client display adaptor is set to 16 bit?
>
> Because I have XP pro and it can work with 24 bit color.
>
> --
> Kenny
>
>
> "Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:3AD74A86-1C09-464C-B6E5-8B640E4F4283@microsoft.com...
> >I was playing around with a trial copy of Windows Server 2003 and
> >discovered
> > that it is possible to increase terminal services color depth to 24bit. On
> > Windows XP Professional the color depth of remote desktop seems to be set
> > at
> > 16 bit.
> >
> > Is it possible to increase the color depth of XP Pro Remote desktop to 24
> > bit or is this a server only feature?
> >
> > Thanks
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

What I am trying to tell you the color depth that the client sees depends
only on the
settings of the RDP CLIENT.

It has nothing to do with the display mode of the host.

you could have a host with a vga adaptor only capable of 256 colors,

yet a client could connect in 24 bit color.


--
Kenny
"Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A3F1C786-43B7-45AF-AD09-0AA29BDCB390@microsoft.com...
> No, I am talking about setting the host to 24 bit color. Is it possible
> to
> set an XP Pro remote desktop host to 24 bit color?
>
> "Kenny S" wrote:
>
>> Perhaps your client display adaptor is set to 16 bit?
>>
>> Because I have XP pro and it can work with 24 bit color.
>>
>> --
>> Kenny
>>
>>
>> "Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:3AD74A86-1C09-464C-B6E5-8B640E4F4283@microsoft.com...
>> >I was playing around with a trial copy of Windows Server 2003 and
>> >discovered
>> > that it is possible to increase terminal services color depth to 24bit.
>> > On
>> > Windows XP Professional the color depth of remote desktop seems to be
>> > set
>> > at
>> > 16 bit.
>> >
>> > Is it possible to increase the color depth of XP Pro Remote desktop to
>> > 24
>> > bit or is this a server only feature?
>> >
>> > Thanks
>>
>>
>>

 

[GREGORY]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

I suggest that you try and login to a windows xp host. Then, go to control
panel, display, settings. 16 bit color will be selected and it is impossible
to increase it - even if the RDP client has been set to 24 bit color. With
Windows Server 2003, it is possible to configure the host to 24 bit color.

Hence the question, is there any way to configure a windows xp host to 24
bit color?

"Kenny S" wrote:

> What I am trying to tell you the color depth that the client sees depends
> only on the
> settings of the RDP CLIENT.
>
> It has nothing to do with the display mode of the host.
>
> you could have a host with a vga adaptor only capable of 256 colors,
>
> yet a client could connect in 24 bit color.
>
>
> --
> Kenny
> "Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:A3F1C786-43B7-45AF-AD09-0AA29BDCB390@microsoft.com...
> > No, I am talking about setting the host to 24 bit color. Is it possible
> > to
> > set an XP Pro remote desktop host to 24 bit color?
> >
> > "Kenny S" wrote:
> >
> >> Perhaps your client display adaptor is set to 16 bit?
> >>
> >> Because I have XP pro and it can work with 24 bit color.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Kenny
> >>
> >>
> >> "Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:3AD74A86-1C09-464C-B6E5-8B640E4F4283@microsoft.com...
> >> >I was playing around with a trial copy of Windows Server 2003 and
> >> >discovered
> >> > that it is possible to increase terminal services color depth to 24bit.
> >> > On
> >> > Windows XP Professional the color depth of remote desktop seems to be
> >> > set
> >> > at
> >> > 16 bit.
> >> >
> >> > Is it possible to increase the color depth of XP Pro Remote desktop to
> >> > 24
> >> > bit or is this a server only feature?
> >> >
> >> > Thanks
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

Hey, I solved the problem by adding a snap-in in MMC. i am using XP Pro
though, this should be the solution for you as well.

Try following this description

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;278502&sd=tech

I didn´t apply totally to my OS because step 4 was a little different I
noticed, had to play around a bit.

Good luck!



"Gregory" wrote:

> I suggest that you try and login to a windows xp host. Then, go to control
> panel, display, settings. 16 bit color will be selected and it is impossible
> to increase it - even if the RDP client has been set to 24 bit color. With
> Windows Server 2003, it is possible to configure the host to 24 bit color.
>
> Hence the question, is there any way to configure a windows xp host to 24
> bit color?
>
> "Kenny S" wrote:
>
> > What I am trying to tell you the color depth that the client sees depends
> > only on the
> > settings of the RDP CLIENT.
> >
> > It has nothing to do with the display mode of the host.
> >
> > you could have a host with a vga adaptor only capable of 256 colors,
> >
> > yet a client could connect in 24 bit color.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Kenny
> > "Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:A3F1C786-43B7-45AF-AD09-0AA29BDCB390@microsoft.com...
> > > No, I am talking about setting the host to 24 bit color. Is it possible
> > > to
> > > set an XP Pro remote desktop host to 24 bit color?
> > >
> > > "Kenny S" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Perhaps your client display adaptor is set to 16 bit?
> > >>
> > >> Because I have XP pro and it can work with 24 bit color.
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> Kenny
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> "Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> news:3AD74A86-1C09-464C-B6E5-8B640E4F4283@microsoft.com...
> > >> >I was playing around with a trial copy of Windows Server 2003 and
> > >> >discovered
> > >> > that it is possible to increase terminal services color depth to 24bit.
> > >> > On
> > >> > Windows XP Professional the color depth of remote desktop seems to be
> > >> > set
> > >> > at
> > >> > 16 bit.
> > >> >
> > >> > Is it possible to increase the color depth of XP Pro Remote desktop to
> > >> > 24
> > >> > bit or is this a server only feature?
> > >> >
> > >> > Thanks
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> >
> >

 

[GREGORY]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

Thanks for the reply. I did actually solve this problem myself using group
policy a couple of months ago. Thanks anyway.


"Andréas" wrote:

> Hey, I solved the problem by adding a snap-in in MMC. i am using XP Pro
> though, this should be the solution for you as well.
>
> Try following this description
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;278502&sd=tech
>
> I didn´t apply totally to my OS because step 4 was a little different I
> noticed, had to play around a bit.
>
> Good luck!
>
>
>
> "Gregory" wrote:
>
> > I suggest that you try and login to a windows xp host. Then, go to control
> > panel, display, settings. 16 bit color will be selected and it is impossible
> > to increase it - even if the RDP client has been set to 24 bit color. With
> > Windows Server 2003, it is possible to configure the host to 24 bit color.
> >
> > Hence the question, is there any way to configure a windows xp host to 24
> > bit color?
> >
> > "Kenny S" wrote:
> >
> > > What I am trying to tell you the color depth that the client sees depends
> > > only on the
> > > settings of the RDP CLIENT.
> > >
> > > It has nothing to do with the display mode of the host.
> > >
> > > you could have a host with a vga adaptor only capable of 256 colors,
> > >
> > > yet a client could connect in 24 bit color.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Kenny
> > > "Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > news:A3F1C786-43B7-45AF-AD09-0AA29BDCB390@microsoft.com...
> > > > No, I am talking about setting the host to 24 bit color. Is it possible
> > > > to
> > > > set an XP Pro remote desktop host to 24 bit color?
> > > >
> > > > "Kenny S" wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> Perhaps your client display adaptor is set to 16 bit?
> > > >>
> > > >> Because I have XP pro and it can work with 24 bit color.
> > > >>
> > > >> --
> > > >> Kenny
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> "Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > >> news:3AD74A86-1C09-464C-B6E5-8B640E4F4283@microsoft.com...
> > > >> >I was playing around with a trial copy of Windows Server 2003 and
> > > >> >discovered
> > > >> > that it is possible to increase terminal services color depth to 24bit.
> > > >> > On
> > > >> > Windows XP Professional the color depth of remote desktop seems to be
> > > >> > set
> > > >> > at
> > > >> > 16 bit.
> > > >> >
> > > >> > Is it possible to increase the color depth of XP Pro Remote desktop to
> > > >> > 24
> > > >> > bit or is this a server only feature?
> > > >> >
> > > >> > Thanks
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >

 

[yazmyne]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

Perhaps your client display adaptor is set to 16 bit?

Because I have XP pro and it can work with 24 bit color.

--
Kenny


"Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3AD74A86-1C09-464C-B6E5-8B640E4F4283@microsoft.com...
>I was playing around with a trial copy of Windows Server 2003 and
>discovered
> that it is possible to increase terminal services color depth to 24bit. On
> Windows XP Professional the color depth of remote desktop seems to be set
> at
> 16 bit.
>
> Is it possible to increase the color depth of XP Pro Remote desktop to 24
> bit or is this a server only feature?
>
> Thanks

 

[Guest]

More than 16bit color depth in windows XP for Terminal services (Remote Desktop):

This is the solution for Windows XP! Add under

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]

the following registry entry:

dword "ColorDepth", with a value: 4

 

[Guest]

yes this is great so now I can play

 

[Guest]

I have a similar issue but it didn't start out that way.

I've got a second PC with Windows XP on it, and I'm trying to remote desktop over to it from Windows 7. The idea is to keep a pure XP-based development desktop while migrating to Windows 7. (And sorry, the virtual XP isn't going to cut it, not with virtual disk, too risky!)

I've been reinstalling a clean XP environment on my former (Pentium 4) development PC (loads of fun).

Along the way, I learned that you SHOULD NOT install certain software remotely (for example SQL 2000, it will crash when it gets to the step of trying to setup SQL server). I also learned there are issues installing other software remotely. All software should be installed on the PC itself, directly, with no RDP connection active.

Well, I HAD 32-bit resolution and it looked spectacular...

That is, UNTIL I installed TWEAK-UI on the host PC. I set it to override the default shortcut overlay, and THAT is when everything screwed up. It went to 16-bit and it's been locked that way ever since.

Everything is still set OK on Windows 7. I set the group policy, tried 32-bit, 24-bit, verified the registry setting, etc.

On the host (XP) PC, the resolution is 32-bit and it looks great.

But I'll bet it's that copied desktop from BGINFO, locking it as 16-bit.

I'm trying to track down how to UNDO that, but if anyone knows the registry settings, that would be appreciated.

Meanwhile, be warned that these things could happen!

 

[duxa]

Oh god, finally a solution!

Much appreciated.. saved me heaps of time!

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

Hey, I solved the problem by adding a snap-in in MMC. i am using XP Pro
though, this should be the solution for you as well.

Try following this description

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;278502&sd=tech

I didn´t apply totally to my OS because step 4 was a little different I
noticed, had to play around a bit.

Good luck!



"Gregory" wrote:

> I suggest that you try and login to a windows xp host. Then, go to control
> panel, display, settings. 16 bit color will be selected and it is impossible
> to increase it - even if the RDP client has been set to 24 bit color. With
> Windows Server 2003, it is possible to configure the host to 24 bit color.
>
> Hence the question, is there any way to configure a windows xp host to 24
> bit color?
>
> "Kenny S" wrote:
>
> > What I am trying to tell you the color depth that the client sees depends
> > only on the
> > settings of the RDP CLIENT.
> >
> > It has nothing to do with the display mode of the host.
> >
> > you could have a host with a vga adaptor only capable of 256 colors,
> >
> > yet a client could connect in 24 bit color.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Kenny
> > "Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:A3F1C786-43B7-45AF-AD09-0AA29BDCB390@microsoft.com...
> > > No, I am talking about setting the host to 24 bit color. Is it possible
> > > to
> > > set an XP Pro remote desktop host to 24 bit color?
> > >
> > > "Kenny S" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Perhaps your client display adaptor is set to 16 bit?
> > >>
> > >> Because I have XP pro and it can work with 24 bit color.
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> Kenny
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> "Gregory" <Gregory@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> news:3AD74A86-1C09-464C-B6E5-8B640E4F4283@microsoft.com...
> > >> >I was playing around with a trial copy of Windows Server 2003 and
> > >> >discovered
> > >> > that it is possible to increase terminal services color depth to 24bit.
> > >> > On
> > >> > Windows XP Professional the color depth of remote desktop seems to be
> > >> > set
> > >> > at
> > >> > 16 bit.
> > >> >
> > >> > Is it possible to increase the color depth of XP Pro Remote desktop to
> > >> > 24
> > >> > bit or is this a server only feature?
> > >> >
> > >> > Thanks
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> >
> >

 

[joeman99]

Group Policy Worked for me on the first try
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;278502&sd=tech

I added some more accurate descriptions on using MMC


Set Group Policy for Maximum Color Depth of Terminal Services
In many cases, after you perform these steps, the client still connects with 256 colors rather than whatever value you specified in the Remote Desktop Connection box. This behavior can occur because of a group policy on the Windows XP-based computer that determines the maximum color depth that can be negotiated by the client. In Windows XP, the default policy setting is 256 colors, but this setting can be changed by using the Group Policy Editor.

To use the Group Policy Editor to change the setting, follow these steps:
1) Click Start, click Run, and then type MMC.
2) Click the Console FILE menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in (Alternatively you can just hit ctrl+M)
3) In the "Add/Remove Snap in" window click Add. (Alternative, just hit ALT+D)
4) In the "Add Standalone Snap-In" window Select Group Policy Object Editor.
5)Click Add, make certain that Local Computer is selected in the Group Policy Object box, click Finish, and then click Close, and OK on the "Add/Remove Snap-In" window.

6) Back at the main MMC "console root" window, there should be "local computer policy" listed under the console root folder.
6a) Select Computer Configuration, click Administrative Templates, and look for the Terminal Services folder. Click Terminal Services. (Mine was listed under Computer Config/Admin Temp/Windows Components).
7) Right Click on Limit Maximum Color Depth and select properties
8) In the "Limit Maximum Color Depth" window, Select Enable
8b) Select Limit Maximum Color Depth and set it to the color depth that you want and click OK.
9)Exit Console MMC window, it will ask whether to SAVE, do save the changes.

After you change the setting, you should be able to specify any setting of more than the default 256 colors setting and have the client connect with that resolution, as long as it is not higher than the setting that you specified.

Additional Tags: Windows XP, RDC, Remote Desktop Connection, Color Depth, 24 bit, 16 bit, 256 colors, Color bit, Color Quality, Color Setting