Windows Remote desktop application is Mstsc.

The Run command for Windows Remote desktop application is Mstsc.

Just open Run from start menu and type mstsc in the text box next to open and press enter.

This command mstsc can be used from command line too.

If you are connecting to a Windows XP machine then it allows only one active user at a time. We can open multiple connections to a Windows Server 2003/ 2008 machine. Every time we connect to the server it opens a new user session. To avoid this we can open a connection to the console. This allows us to login back to the same user session if we already have one. To do this we need to add/console switch to the mstsc command.

mstsc /console

This command can be run from command prompt or fromRun window.

Run command for opening remote desktop session in full screen mode
We need to add /f switch to mstsc command.


mstsc /f

Run command for specifying the remote computer name from the command itself
we need to use /v switch in this case.

mstsc /v:computername


Run command to specify remote desktop connection settings using a rdp file:


mstsc RDP_filename


A RDP file can be created using the ‘Save As‘ button in theGeneral tab in mstsc(Remote desktop connection client) window.

These commands work on XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Server 2003/2008 operating systems.


Run command for Remote desktop manager

There is no Run command for opening remote desktop connection manager directly. It is usually installed in the path ‘C:\Program Files\Remote Desktop Connection Manager\RDCman.exe‘. By specifying this complete path we can launch connection manager.

http://www.windows-commandline.com/launch-remote-desktop-run-command/

MSTSC

Connect and login to a remote machine using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) also known as Terminal Server Connection (TSC.)

Syntax
      MSTSC option
      MSTSC /Edit "ConnectionFile"
      MSTSC /migrate

Options
   ConnectionFile     The name of an RDP file for connection

   /v:<server[:port]> The remote computer to connect to

   /console       Connect to the console of a server (NT/XP)
   /Admin         Connect to a session for administering the server(Vista/2008)

   /f             Start in Full Screen mode

   /w:width       Width of the RDP screen
   /h:height      Height of the RDP screen

   /span          Match the Remote Desktop width and height with the local virtual
                  desktop, spanning across multiple monitors if necessary.(Vista/2008)

   /public        Run Remote Desktop in public mode. (Vista/2008)
                  In public mode, passwords and bitmaps are not cached.

   /edit          Open the RDP file for editing.
   /migrate       Convert a legacy Client connection file into an .RDP file

The /console option only works when connecting to an Windows XP Professional or Windows Server 2003 computer.

To connect to a remote computer the user account must be a member of the local group 'Remote Desktop users' on the remote server (either directly or inherited via a global group) in addition the user account needs the privilegeSeRemoteInteractiveLogonRight (allow logon through RDP/Terminal Services.)

When connected to a remote desktop, the key combination Ctrl-Alt-ENDwill send Ctrl-Alt-Del to the remote client.

Examples:

MSTSC /v:MyServer /f /console 
MSTSC /v:127.0.0.1 /w:1024 /h:768
MSTSC /v:MyServer /w:800 /h:600
MSTSC /edit filename.rdp

Copy and paste is supported between a remote computer and your local machine, but RDP has a 'hidden feature' of converting TABs into spaces!

“Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong” - Thomas Jefferson 

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