INSTALLING REMOTE DESKTOP SERVICES ON WINDOWS 2012 R2

It is pretty simple except there are some extremely important caveats that need to followed to save you a LOT of time.

Server Manager > Install Roles and Features > Role Based or Feature based installation > Remote Desktop Services – select ‘Remote Desktop Session Host’*

*We are only setting up a single Remote Desktop server so need only the Session host as we have a separate license server elsewhere.

Go through the wizard and reboot.

Server Manager > Install Roles and Features > Remote Desktop Services Installation > Quick Start

Go through the wizard and reboot.

Easy Right?

Except for two VERY important caveats.

1. If you have any Group Policies with Remote Desktop policies applied either locally or through the domain, Session Host service WILL NOT INSTALL.

You must remove them before it will install and then add them afterwards.

2. When you reboot and try to add the Remote Desktop License server through the Server Manager it normally gives an error so the best solution is to open either gpedit.msc if it is local only or Group Policy on the Domain Controller and

specify the Remote Desktop Licensing server and mode in Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Licensing

Further Reading

https://msfreaks.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/windows-2012-r2-remote-desktop-services-part-1/