Problem with Licensing and A Flaw in TS Client

[Matt R Hall]

I am playing with a copy of Windows Server 2003 I got through the
corporate preview program, and am having a couple of issues.

The first issue is, I got some demo CALs from
http://licensecode.one.microsoft.com/default.asp. The license server
has been issuing them to people. I have not run out either. I have
plenty left. Now, the bizarre part is, it just quit issuing licenses
yesterday. I can't tell why it did that. Obviously, something must
have changed, but I can't tell what.

One thing that has always been a problem is that the MMC Terminal
Server Licensing tool refuses to recognize that I have installed the
licensing server on the local host. I wonder if maybe the server is
having trouble also?

Secondly, I want to get around some firewall problems, and was trying
to forward my TS connection over SSH from an XP desktop to the Server
2003 machine. The problem was, the client complained I was already
connected to the console of the machine, and would not let me connect
back to myself to forward a port. I checked netstat to make sure the
port I picked was not in use. I used 3390 instead of 3389, then I
tried to connect the mstsc.exe client to 127.0.0.1:3390. Does the
client even support using "funny" ports? Why can't I connect to
loopback on a funny port to use SSH forwarding?

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

comments inline

mh...@mhcomputing.net (Matt R Hall) wrote in
news:e409a00e.0402...@posting.google.com:

> I am playing with a copy of Windows Server 2003 I got through
> the corporate preview program, and am having a couple of issues.
>
> The first issue is, I got some demo CALs from
> http://licensecode.one.microsoft.com/default.asp. The license
> server has been issuing them to people.

I doubt this, since this feature does not work yet in 2003.
Either you have "Per Device" TS CALs, which are issued to devices,
or you have "Per User" TS CALs, but these are currently unmanaged.
Issuing TS CALs to "people" is not a possibility at the moment, as
explained here:

822134 - The Function of Terminal Server CALs in Windows Server
2003
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=822134

Could you post which type of TS CALs you have received?

> I have not run out
> either. I have plenty left. Now, the bizarre part is, it just
> quit issuing licenses yesterday.

How did you find out? Any error messages? Anything in the EventLog
on the TS?

> I can't tell why it did that.
> Obviously, something must have changed, but I can't tell what.

Maybe the licensing mode of the TS? A known problem with 2003 TS
is that a "Per User" licensing mode can change into a "Per
Device" licensing mode after using Add/Remove Programs.
This would only cause you problems if you were in "Per User" mode
to begin with, of course. Check:

834651 - Terminal Services Licensing mode changes from Per User to
Per Device after you add or remove a Windows component
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=834651

> One thing that has always been a problem is that the MMC
> Terminal Server Licensing tool refuses to recognize that I have
> installed the licensing server on the local host. I wonder if
> maybe the server is having trouble also?

Again, the EventLog on the TS should tell you that. If the TS
cannot locate the LS, this article should help:

279561 - How to Override the License Server Discovery Process in
Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=279561

> Secondly, I want to get around some firewall problems, and was
> trying to forward my TS connection over SSH from an XP desktop
> to the Server 2003 machine. The problem was, the client
> complained I was already connected to the console of the
> machine, and would not let me connect back to myself to forward
> a port. I checked netstat to make sure the port I picked was not
> in use. I used 3390 instead of 3389, then I tried to connect the
> mstsc.exe client to 127.0.0.1:3390. Does the client even support
> using "funny" ports? Why can't I connect to loopback on a funny
> port to use SSH forwarding?

I'm not sure what exacxtly you are trying to do here, but these
may help:

187623 - How to Change Terminal Server's Listening Port
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=187623

304304 - Configuring the Remote Desktop Client to Connect to a
Specific Port
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=304304

--
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
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