Weird Remote Desktop problem

[jonnythan]

Over the weekend, I installed a fresh copy of XP with SP3 slipstreamed onto the disc.

I installed my drivers and programs, disabled System Restore, disabled some services (System Restore, Wireless Zero Config, Computer Browser, Security Center, Bonjour), usual stuff. Firewall is disabled, no other firewall is installed. I changed the Remote Desktop port.

Here's the problem:

When I attempt to connect to the machine using the default RDP port, it times out with a "not responding" message, as expected. When I attempt to connect via the correct port, all the options gray out momentarily as if it were about to connect, then it just sorta drops out back to the connect button.

I get no error or informational message of any sort.

The exact same thing happens on an SP2 machine on the LAN as an SP3 machine remotely.

Any ideas?

 

[postmortemIA]

is it behind any router?

 

[jonnythan]

It is behind a router.

The router is configured to forward the port. It worked fine immediately prior to formatting the hard drive.

Also, as stated, the clients behave precisely the same when trying to connect via the LAN as they do remotely.

 

[jonnythan]

Actually I just noticed this in the event log:

Application popup: : \SystemRoot\System32\RDPDD.dll failed to load


I ran an SFC, and SFC will not recognize my XP CD. It's an extract of an XP SP1 Corporate CD that I slipstreamed SP3 into. I guess I borked it somehow?

 

[stash]

Do you by any chance have an ATI video card?

 

[jonnythan]

No. GeForce 8800GT.

 

[stash]

Well just to be safe, are you running the latest driver for it?

 

[jonnythan]

Yes, brand new driver.

I just made a brand new Windows CD with SP3 slipstreamed in using NLite just to make sure.

The system still doesn't recognize it as a Windows disk when I run SFC. It asks for the disc even if it's in the drive.

 

[jonnythan]

After another Windows reinstall, it turned out to be the new 175.16 nVidia drivers for my 8800GT.

I had to go back to the 169 drivers. Which kinda sucks, but I guess they work.

 

[Motorheader]

There's an issue with slipstreaming SP3 on Corporate Versions of XP. It can cause just such problem.

 

[jonnythan]

Cause just what sort of problem?

An incompatibility with a new version of an nVidia driver?

I've since uninstalled 169.21 and gone back to 175.16, and 175.16 still breaks RDP. Dropping back to 169.21 fixes it every time.

 

[Motorheader]

Are you making the slipstream VLK SP3 CD on a Vista or XP based box?

 

[jonnythan]

I made it once on an XP SP2 machine manually using the instructions on the Windows Super Site.

Then I made another using nLite on an XP SP3 machine.

Both had the exact same issue.

 

[jonnythan]

Another user is reporting the same problem with the newest nVidia drivers, so I'm pretty convinced they're the source of the problem.

 

[jonnythan]

nVidia has acknowledged the issue:

http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=67147