VNC Admin Over VNC.

[MS]

Hi,

I look after my elderly Dad's PC, regularly using VNC to help him,
install software, do backups, etc.

He just got a new Windows 7 PC which I ordered for him, a friend set it
up as I live quite a long way away, and now I'm going to install all the
software.

Over VNC I am unable to install software, the install always fails. I
guess this is a built in security feature (Microsoft Security Essentials
is installed) to not allow programs to be installed over a remote
connection but I'm not sure, is it? Install programs work fine when he
initiates them for me (by clicking on the install file .exe) but the
same ones fail when I click on them over VNC.

Any ideas how I can fix this so that I can install everything over VNC.

Thanks.

 

[jim]

Hi,

I look after my elderly Dad's PC, regularly using VNC to help him,
install software, do backups, etc.

He just got a new Windows 7 PC which I ordered for him, a friend set it
up as I live quite a long way away, and now I'm going to install all the
software.

Over VNC I am unable to install software, the install always fails. I
guess this is a built in security feature (Microsoft Security Essentials
is installed) to not allow programs to be installed over a remote
connection but I'm not sure, is it? Install programs work fine when he
initiates them for me (by clicking on the install file .exe) but the
same ones fail when I click on them over VNC.

Any ideas how I can fix this so that I can install everything over VNC.

Thanks.

Is UAC turned on?

 

[MS]

Is UAC turned on?

I'm not sure and can't connect at the moment to find out. If it were on
which settings should I change? I'm a Linux user and the last version of
Windows I used a lot was XP, so 7 is new to me, and XP did not have UAC
- in fact I had to google UAC to find out what it is.

Thanks.

 

[MS]

I'm not sure and can't connect at the moment to find out. If it were on
which settings should I change? I'm a Linux user and the last version of
Windows I used a lot was XP, so 7 is new to me, and XP did not have UAC
- in fact I had to google UAC to find out what it is.

Thanks.

Ok have now connected and changed the UAC settings, it's now working.

Thanks for the pointer to UAC Jim.

 

[Jason]

I find that the VNC server is extremely slow and the desktop changes to
black - something about turning Aero off. XP RDC works fine (XP server and
Windows 7 client) but I doubt Windows 7 has this.

 

[jim]

Ok have now connected and changed the UAC settings, it's now working.

Thanks for the pointer to UAC Jim.

Glad that fixed it for you.

 

[Char Jackson]

I find that the VNC server is extremely slow and the desktop changes to
black - something about turning Aero off. XP RDC works fine (XP server and
Windows 7 client) but I doubt Windows 7 has this.

You doubt that windows has what, RDC? Of course it does.

 

[FooAtari]

Ok have now connected and changed the UAC settings, it's now working.

Thanks for the pointer to UAC Jim.

Might want to turn it back on when it's done. It's definitely a good
feature for less savy users.

 

[Brian Gregory [UK]]

Might want to turn it back on when it's done. It's definitely a good
feature for less savy users.

IMHO it's a very good security enhancement in Vista / W7.

But it's still not fool proof because the inexperienced can still
accidentally give permission to malware to do bad things if they don't
realise it's malware.

IMHO It's still best to force the more naive users to log on only as a non
administrator if its practical.

 

[Flint]

You doubt that windows has what, RDC? Of course it does.

I believe he was describing *his* current use of RDP. Windows 7 has
an RDP _client_, but no server capability. Unless he has a version of
Windows 7 other than starter or home premium, he's right, his version
of Win 7 doesn't have an RDC.

 

[Char Jackson]

I believe he was describing *his* current use of RDP. Windows 7 has
an RDP _client_, but no server capability. Unless he has a version of
Windows 7 other than starter or home premium, he's right, his version
of Win 7 doesn't have an RDC.

You're reading Jason's post differently than I do. He didn't say
anything about his version of Windows 7 and I saw no reason to assume.

 

[MS]

I find that the VNC server is extremely slow and the desktop changes to
black - something about turning Aero off. XP RDC works fine (XP server and
Windows 7 client) but I doubt Windows 7 has this.

OP Here...

I use Ultra VNC Single Click on my Dad's PC and don't run a VNC server.
All Dad does is fire up VNC from the desktop icon and click on the
connect button. At my end, a Linux PC, I run SSVNC in 'listen mode' -
works a treat, esp. with compression level set to the max.

 

[MS]

IMHO it's a very good security enhancement in Vista / W7.

But it's still not fool proof because the inexperienced can still
accidentally give permission to malware to do bad things if they don't
realise it's malware.

IMHO It's still best to force the more naive users to log on only as a non
administrator if its practical.

Yes indeed. I'll turn UAC back on when all done, and yes he won't have
admin privileges when it's all sorted. This is as much to stop any of
his friends and my siblings from installing anything for him as well.
It's amazing how quickly a well intentioned person can balls things up.
I once had a call to tell me that Thunderbird wasn't working, his friend
had 'updated' the software and somehow had managed to kill the
installation. Took me ages to sort it out.

Thanks all.