[sari]

I think this is actually a setting on the laptops, as I've never had this issue with any other computer. I have Windows SBS2003, and I use its Remote Web Workplace to allow users remote access. Once they reach the server, they can select their computer using RDP. I just got 3 new laptops, and I'm having an issue with the resolution once I reach their desktop. Even though I have selected the full screen option, which on every other desktop and laptop I've ever used is truly full screen, on these it's appearing in the center of the laptop screen, with a border of several inches on each side. Once I've logged in to the desktop, the font is so small as to be practically unreadable.

The PCs are Dell Latitude D830s, with a 15.4 inch Wide Screen WSXGA+ LCD. I have Latitudes with 12.1 inch screens and I have Latitudes with 14.1 inch screens and it works as expected. I am given an option when connecting via RDP to select other screen sizes besides full screen, but that doesn't change anything other than my local settings - it has no effect on the remote settings. I'm at a loss, and it's really not usable as it is - it's too small to be functional. Any suggestions are appreciated.

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so they're connecting from the outside to the laptops inside right? have you tried changing the resolution locally on the laptops?

[dsenette]

so they're connecting from the outside to the laptops inside right? have you tried changing the resolution locally on the laptops?

[sari]

The laptops are connecting from outside to the desktops in the office. If I change the resolution on the laptop, everything becomes distorted (that's before I even connect remotely). I've tried connecting to multiple computers in the office with different resolutions and displays, and it's the same for every one I've tried. Out of curiousity, I went into control on the remote PC from the laptop, but I'm not permitted to change anything there while logged in through RDP (which makes sense). The resolution is fine when I first connect to the Remote Web Workplace - I don't encounter an issue until I try to connect using RDP.

[dsenette]

ah! ok so they're connecting in to desktops..now we're on the same page...

hmmm not finding any usefull info..and i've not run into this issue.....can you try something like VNC instead of RDP? see if the issue remains?

[sari]

I know how to VNC to the server - I'm not so sure how to connect to the PC from there. I'll play around with it and see if I can figure it out. I like the RWW for my users, because it's fairly idiot-proof - I'd like to get it resolved so that everyone is using the same means for remote access. I do know that these notebooks have slightly bigger screens than any of the others I have, but it seems screwy that that could somehow make a difference. I mean, I have a 19" flat panel at home, and I don't have that issue on it.

[dsenette]

well...like i said i've never had your exact issue...i've had issues where i'd remote into my laptop from a machine that has some crazy resolution or something and it would totally rearrange my desktop icons...but...never the thing you're having....

there have been some windows updates to RDP itself...there's a chance there's something there?

[sari]

Do you mean the laptops may have some updates that the other PCs don't? Or that I should download updates?

[dsenette]

that the laptops may have something the others don't....or vice versa

[sari]

I took pictures (couldn't get the screenshot to upload remotely - kept telling me no file was selected). So I took photos of the laptop vs my PC. Don't know if it will help, but gave me something to do.

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If you look at the laptop pic, you can see how much of the screen is NOT being used - it's probably 2 inches on each side, and 1.5 inches on the top and bottom. I tried changing the DPI on the laptop display, and it made the fonts more readable on the laptop but didn't change the remote display. Now, I did find something on the MS site about how certain cards won't work in full screen and you have to choose one of the other display sizes, but while this does make it somewhat bigger, then you have to scroll within the window to see the whole thing -it's not full screen, it's bigger within the IE window. I'm beginning to think it's an issue with the graphics card in the laptop though - that maybe it's somehow not compatible. If that's the case, I may have to return these laptops to Dell - the whole purpose of them is to enable remote access for these users.

It will only let me set the resolution at 1680 x 1050 - I actually found that increasing the DPI made it much more readable as a regular laptop, even though it doesn't help with the remote part. Any change to resolution causes it to be very fuzzy. If I go into Control Panel > settings > display, it says it's an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator Driver for mobile, and it's a Mobile Intel 965 express chipset.

[dsenette]

It will only let me set the resolution at 1680 x 1050

on the laptop or through RDP? i believe RDP has the res capped at 1680

[sari]

On the laptop - if I change the resolution, regardless of whether I'm connected to RDP or not, I get a message that any other resolution may be fuzzy, and indeed it is. In the properties for the card, it lists a slew of resolutions that it says are valid, but none of them actually work, as far as I can tell.

[sari]

So I'm returning the laptops. Apparently there's a conflict between the default LCD size and the Remote Web Workplace portrayal of RDP. That's the best I can figure, anyway. I do know from some research and answers to a post of mine at MS Technet that Vista can handle large displays better than XP, and I found ways to fool XP into accepting the larger size displays for RDP, but it appears to only work if you're doing RDP directly from one PC to another, not if you're going through the Remote Web Workplace first. Dell has a 30 day return policy, so I'm replacing these with laptops with a 14.3" screen - I have other laptops with this identical configuration that are not having issues.

[dsenette]

sounds like the most effective option...they'd just watch movies at home on the bigger ones