Remote Assistance Session Cannot Connect (306045)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
This article was previously published under Q306045

SYMPTOMS

When a novice user attempts to establish a Remote Assistance session with you (the expert), you may experience one of the following problems:
  • You may receive the following error message:
    Remote Assistance connection could not be established because the invitation was either expired or was canceled.
  • You may be prompted with the Log On to Windows dialog box, instead of having Remote Assistance log on automatically.

CAUSE

These problems may occur in either of the following scenarios:
  • TweakUI version 1.33 for Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me), Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows 95 is installed. If the novice has this version of TweakUI installed on their computer and the Clear Last User at logon option on the Paranoia tab is selected, the following registry key value is set:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

    Value name: DontDisplayLastUserName
    Data type: REG_SZ
    Value Data: 1

    When the Terminal Services protocol stack checks this key and finds that it is set to 1, it disables autologon, which prevents the HelpAssistant account from establishing a Remote Assistance session. If Remote Desktop is enabled on the novice computer, when you start Remote Assistance and attempt to connect, a Logon dialog box is displayed. If it is not enabled, Remote Assistance fails immediately.
  • Users are on a Windows NT 4.0 domain with the following Group Policy enabled:

    Default Computer\Windows NT System\Logon\Do not display last logged on user name

RESOLUTION

To avoid this issue, use any one of the following methods:
  • If the user has TweakUI v 1.33 installed and configured like the scenario described in the "Cause" section of this article, they must click to clear Clear Last User at logon on the Paranoia tab.
  • If you are on a Windows NT 4.0 domain and the Group Policy that is described in the "Cause" section is enabled, contact the administrator of the Windows NT 4.0 domain and disable the policy.
  • If you did not use TweakUI or the policy, configure the following registry entry with a value of 0 (zero):

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

    Value name: DontDisplayLastUserName
    Data type: REG_SZ
    Value Data: 0

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

In Windows 2000 and Windows XP, similar policies exist but do not have the same effect as the Windows NT 4.0 policy. If you apply these policies on a Windows 2000 domain or on a Windows XP-based computer, Remote Assistance runs as expected.

In Windows 2000, the following policy exists:

Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options\Do not display last user name

In Windows XP, the following policy exists:

Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options\Interactive logon: Do not display last user name

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/6/2004
Keywords:kbenv kberrmsg kbprb KB306045
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.