How to Enable Multiple Concurrent User in Remote Desktop Windows 7

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If you ever get this in Windows 7

Logon Message:

Another user is currently logged to this computer. If you continue, this has to disconnect from this computer. Do you wish to continue ?

remotedesktoponwidnows7 thumb - How to Enable Multiple Concurrent User in Remote Desktop Windows 7

That’s because by default Windows 7 doesn’t allow concurrent user access through RDP. When you are trying to log into a Windows 7 machine that already has a user signed in, you will not be able to log in and will get the warning message shown as above.

But there are ways getting around this. All you need is to replace the termsrv.dll file in the %SystemRoot%\System32\termsrv.dll

termsrv dll thumb - How to Enable Multiple Concurrent User in Remote Desktop Windows 7

You can download the termsrv.dll here (see update below)

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Run the install batch file. And if you are not running RC, change this line in the batch file to match your version number.

However, the batch file didn’t install it correctly for me, so I had to manually replace the termsrv.dll file in the directory.

If you are running 64 bit OS make sure to replace the 64 bit one.

Once this is done, you should be able to see multiple users in the Task Manager > Users Tab.

/updated on Nov. 12, 2014/

There is a new patch called Universal TermSrv Patch available for Windows 7 computers. Download the zipped file and extract the content onto your computer. There are 2 patch executable files, one for 32-bit and one for the 64-bit edition of Windows 7. Launch one that suits your operating system you want to patch.

Right-click the Patch Executable file and Run as Administrator, click Patch button and the patch will make a backup copy of original TermSrv.dll file before patching it up.

Universal TermSrv Patcher - How to Enable Multiple Concurrent User in Remote Desktop Windows 7

Once the patch is done, restart your computer. And test it out.

It works like a charm on my computer. After 2 sign-ins using different user accounts here is what it looks like.

multi logins on Windows 7 - How to Enable Multiple Concurrent User in Remote Desktop Windows 7

If you are looking for doing the same thing on Windows 8 or Windows 10, check out the following posts.

38 COMMENTS

  1. Any way to do this via GPO? Seems to be a much needed service feature turned off that should be turned on. Would be a pain to do this on 100s of machines.

    • I don’t think it’s doable via GPO, maybe you can try writing a special script that does this trick for you.

      On the other note, it’s a trick that can turn a Windows 7 machine to a terminal server. But I don’t see the possibility of using it widely in a corporate environment.

      Cheers.

      • Having an active session is the key here.

        @Yes said “one person at a time” which is exactly what Win7 allows you to do. It does not support multiple concurrent active sessions, it simply keeps one session in memory while another user is active.

        This patch actually enables functionality which would make it possible for multiple users to be active concurrently. I would be very surprised if this didn’t break the terms of the EULA.

      • Switching users does not allow mutiple people to be using the computer concurrently and neither does logging on as another user.

  2. in Short you can’t, that’s how RDP is different from VNC. In your case you might want to try out teamviewer or logmein that way you will keep the same user session without logging out and relaunching new applications

    Cheers

  3. I have personal pics on my “Admin” user name and I set up a new user for my kids named “Kids” and set account type as standard. I just stated the PC from a shutdown and clicked on user “kids” and thought lets check and see if I can see the personal pics on my other “Admin” set account called Parents and guess what I can see those pics and any other files?? Any advice on how I can keep my “Kids” standard account from being able to look at the locked admin Parents account?

    Thank you

  4. Hello,

    I’m using this and I like it, but…

    I want to use a Windows 7 for Demonstration, is there a possibility to logon one user more than once?

    And if there’s no possibility to do so.

    Can I give a message if a user is already logged on, because now, the logged on user is being logged off, if someone tries to log in with the same credentials.

    Please give me note.

    Thanks

    Lukas

  5. I was able to get this to work with my windows 7 computer. However, I am no longer able to login to the console session via RDP… even adding /admin doesn’t allow me to. Is there a way to do this?

    Thanks!

  6. Everyone in my house is part of the same corporation. Under the law, we’re ONE user. Ergo, we can only have one session open at any given time and thus, have not broken any EULA. Corporations use this type of Vulcan logic on our legal system every day.

    Fortunately, we use Ubuntu Linux for pretty much everything.

  7. I try to download the “download the tweaker here.” and open it but my Trend Micro Anti-Virus detected it as a spyware/grayware.

  8. Hai Jonathan,
    The link you provided for termsrv.dll download was not valid, 2share said. Also the download link in article Universal TermSrv Patch had been removed. Would you kindly share/send privately to me?

    Currently I need it because of limited computer resources in my workplace.

    Regards

    Enggar

  9. Hi Jonathan, what if two or more users use simultaneously an application that hits the same database, in my case MicroStrategy? Thanks a lot in advance!

    • it depends on the application and how database handles multiple concurrent applications. Usually, on the database level there are table locks that prevent other application manipulating the data while one process is updating the data.

      hope that helps answer some of your questions !

    • Not tried this myself but from a discussion forum elsewhere found out that you can change the – fSingleSessionPerUser- value to allow more than one session per user by changing the registry value as detailed below.

      HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlTerminal Server
      fSingleSessionPerUser     REG_DWORD     0x00000000

      Of course this is not the same as multiple users concurrently remotely connected to the same system, the latter is what I am seeking a solution for on a Windows 2012 R2 server. Anyone?

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