vmware-esxiwindows-server-2016
We've recently installed 2 new Server 2016 Virtual machines while we're awaiting the licenses. We try to connect through RDP, but we cannot connect succesfully. When looking at the RDP options, we see the remote option is enabled, but greyed out.
There's no group policy active for RDP on this domain.
I can only think that it won't work as long as the servers haven't been activated, but I cannot find any documentation on that.
Seems like the only answer is to disable ‘Reboot’ in Task Scheduler UpdateOrchestrator and rename the Reboot file to prevent Windows re-enabling the schedule again… It would be bad enough having a desktop rebooting of it’s own accord – but a server??
To be able to shadow sessions on an RDS server, the user or group needs to be granted the Remote Control permission on the RDP protocol on the server where the sessions to be shadowed are.
Best Answer
From TechNet article Learn About Product Activation:
While the 30-day grace period has been removed since Windows 8 / Server 2012 and replaced with increased notifications and disabling personalization features, all the other features of the operating system still functions normally, so RDP even should be possible.
Licensed evaluation period of Server 2016 lasts 180 days. According to discussion on Spiceworks, a completely unactivated copy of 2008 and 2012 (& R2) runs 30 days (10 days for evaluation install) normally, and then starts shutting down once per hour. Probably 2016 does the same. However, that should be only theoretical as it doesn't take that long to get the actual licence. And it doesn't change that the OS is still otherwise fully functional.
Grayed out usually means there is a Group Policy affecting these settings. Review both your domain polixies and local group policies. I'd use Resultant Set of Policy MMC snap-in to see the affecting policy directly, regardless where the policy is set, as GPO inheritance may be complicated.
Expand Computer Configuration – Administrative Templates – Windows Components – Remote Desktop Services – Remote Desktop Session Host – Connections and check that Allow users to connect remotely using Remote Desktop Services is either Not configured or Enabled.