FG screen not updating anymore in RDP

[Milmoor]

I recently switched computers. Went from an onboard Intel to an onboard AMD chipset. It's a lot faster now, but my RDP screen is not updating the FG Window anymore. Everything else works. The mouse cursor changes, but the FG desktop isn't updated. My previous computer still works fine with RDP. So it's probably some graphic acceleration issue on the server side. But I can't find where. I did try changing some connections settings on the Experience tab and disabling bitmap caching on the Advanced tab.

VNC used to have similar issues when I fiddled with it ages ago (before I used FG though).

The Windows versions differ:
10.0.17763.1217 does work
10.0.19041.264 doesn't work (fresh install)

[Milmoor]

My testing was invalid. RDP works fine after a reboot, but breaks if I reconnect to a session. The group policy editing wasn't the cause of things working, it was the reboot. Something in the negotiation fails? I'm running out of ideas where to look.

You need the Group Policy Editor to fix this: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/performance-tuning/role/remote-desktop/session-hosts.

This solves it till I reconnect to my RDP session. Same device, same client, but after a reconnect everything is frozen.

Group Policy under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Remote Session Environment

Configure compression for RemoteFX data: disabled
Enable RemoteFX encoding for RemoteFX clients designed for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1: disabled
Configure RemoteFX adeptive graphics: disabled

Group Policy under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Remote Session Environment > RemoteFX for Windows Server 2008 R2

Configure RemoteFX graphics: disabled

[Milmoor]

And now it doesn’t work..

Found a workaround thanks to a colleague: windows-ctrl-shift-B will reset the graphic driver and restore RDP. FG will update again after this. /cheer

https://www.howtogeek.com/351164/secret-windows-hotkey-restarts-your-graphics-card-drivers/

My old PC has the same issue since updating Windows, so it’s a Windows issue, not the changed GPU.

[Milmoor]

Narrowed it down a bit more. Tried Windows 10 build 1909 instead of 2004. A complete fresh install. That seemed to help at first, but it didn't. Found out it's not a restart of the PC, but a restart of Fantasy Grounds which restarts the screen updates. So somehow something is registered/negotiated at startup at FG, which is lost at a reconnect.

Additional info:
After the reinstall, I started FG. I got a "cannot connect to Graphic subsystem" or something similar after I used the updater to fix access to the folders. Did not get a screenshot unfortunately. Everything seemed to work fine, tried RDP. Yes, no, like above. Reconnected local, and my screen didn't update?!. So I had the issue local as well. A restart helped. So it seems to be an issue with the graphic subsystem.

[edit]
Reinstalled Windows 10 build 2004. Got my error screenshots. I'm installing FG via RDP, since that allows easier copying of codes. Quite probably did so at my attempt at 1909. Strangely enough local install didn't freeze even without a reboot. Restarting FG still helps in fixing it for RDP. Some consistency at last.

[Edit] Local froze, restart FG helped.

36566
36567

One thing which lightens the mood: when it works, it is fast. Which was the reason for the entire operation.

[Moon Wizard]

I'm hoping that someone might have some ideas for you to try; but you're using FG in a scenario that's not really supported (i.e. RDP). This is why I haven't commented so far.

Those messages seem to be indicative of some sort of graphics driver issues. FG uses DX9; and the graphics driver used on your system must support the DX9 capabilities that FG uses. Other than that, I don't have anything else I can think to add.

Regards,
JPG

[Milmoor]

I get that. The strange thing is it used to work all the time. FGU will probably be the solution in the end, but that one is still too much work in progress for me.

Is someone could test this on their setup, I would be grateful. That would allow me to narrow down on the cause: either the current state of affairs, or something in my specific setup. Just use FG via RDP, close RDP and connect again: does it still update it’s window? You’ll need Windows 10 pro on the FG machine and to enable Remote Desktop connections on it.

[Milmoor]

Additional info: in the console I get a Runtime Error: D3DXCreateTexture failed - D3DPOOL_MANAGED. Not sure if it's related, since they don't have timestamps. I had 4 in the last 24 hours since I opened the console.

[Milmoor]

My local session froze today. Had to restart it. I don't know how to trigger it yet, but a reboot of FG does solve it. The same error in the console.

I would appreciate if anyone could test FG via RDP on their machine.

[mhossom]

I am experiencing the same problem. I am fine until I disconnect and reconnect again. I can kill FG remotely and start it up again and everything is happy.

[Milmoor]

I am experiencing the same problem. I am fine until I disconnect and reconnect again. I can kill FG remotely and start it up again and everything is happy.
Thanks, now I know it's not just my specific setup.

[mhossom]

Sometime in the next week, I plan on testing some other remote access solutions to see if they work any better. I will be sure to post here with my results.

[twistedtechmike]

It's disappointing RDP doesn't hold up over sessions. Screenconnect works flawlessly, but I prefer the speed/response of RDP which leaves me in the same situation you're in. For the time being, I just open when I need to make changes, then close before I disconnect.

[midas]

Out of curiosity, is there a monitor connected to the machine you're running this on? I only ask because I've seen some DirectX applications act oddly when the graphics card doesn't detect there's an active display output. I get around this with little HDMI loopback adapters (about $8-$10 on Amazon).

[mhossom]

There has not been a monitor attached. I'll try right now, since there is one at this moment. BRB

Edit: No love. Still no response from FG. The cursor changes depending on where it is over the app. However, you cannot interact with FG at all. Works fine when I walk over to the machine and sit down.

[Milmoor]

Good question, had not thought of that. There is usually a monitor attached, but it's not always on. Will try with an active monitor.

Tested: unfortunately, having an active monitor attached does not change things.

One peculiar thing I did find: it's (at least) FG itself which has an issue when everything freezes. If I throw a die on the frozen window, I can see but the shadow on a connected client. If it was a video card driver only issue, I would have seen the entire die.

[Sigurd]

Can I ask an honest question?

What does RDP win you? License cost? Machine flexibility? Are you limited to the graphic screen on the host? Do you slow down the other clients?

Does the serving machine need to run a shared client for each share?

[Milmoor]

Can I ask an honest question?

What does RDP win you? License cost? Machine flexibility? Are you limited to the graphic screen on the host? Do you slow down the other clients?

Does the serving machine need to run a shared client for each share?

I'm not sure I fully understand your questions, but I will give it a go:

The RDP allows me to do some housekeeping on my iPad while sitting on the couch. That works amazingly well.
My FG server is running 24/7 (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?58864-24-7-access-to-FG-application-or) so I don't have to arrange anything for character maintenance by my players. I RDP from my main machine for my DM activities since you can't DM from a client.
I'm running the host on my HTPC to which I RDP. This functions as a remote monitor and keyboard for that machine. This takes over that functionality for the host machine.
I don't experience any lag, and neither should my players.

Does this anwer your questions?

[Sigurd]

Yes. Thank you.

I like the appeal of the server running 24/7. Nice setup.

[LordEntrails]

If you are still having trouble with RDP, have you tried other remote access applications like VNC?

I know many years ago I had issues running OpenGL applications with RDP, but VNC worked just fine.

[Milmoor]

If you are still having trouble with RDP, have you tried other remote access applications like VNC?

I know many years ago I had issues running OpenGL applications with RDP, but VNC worked just fine.

Not yet, since I was hoping to fix RDP. But it's quite probably the easy way out. I know Teamviewer is used for this as well (saw it mentioned in a thread somewhere). A more complex "solution" is doing tempory RDP to permanent running RDP. I've got a Raspberry running, I could hop via there. Got an issue with the XRDP clipboard I have to fix first though. An even worse solution: running a VM on the FG machine with an RDP connection to the host ;).

[39Sam]

It's disappointing RDP doesn't hold up over sessions. Screenconnect works flawlessly, but I prefer the speed/response of RDP which leaves me in the same situation you're in. For the time being, I just open when I need to make changes, then close before I disconnect.

RDP can maintain the session if you use the console (mstsc /admin), unfortunately it does not solve the issue of FG freezing when you close your connection. So the only solution when I log back is to kill FG and re-launch it. That's annoying especially since the DB becomes corrupted and cannot be auto-recovered too often.

The only solution I have found to prevent DB corruption is to put back FG in window mode instead of full screen before I quit the session. This does not prevent FG from freezing, but it does close far more nicely by using the windows closure than by killing it with the task manager (only solution if full screen).

[39Sam]

Not yet, since I was hoping to fix RDP. But it's quite probably the easy way out. I know Teamviewer is used for this as well (saw it mentioned in a thread somewhere).
Did you had any opportunity trying it ? I suspect it will not work because the issue is FG's handling of the interface. But would love to be proved wrong. Also there is no match for RDP efficiency so I wonder if the rendering of the interface is OK with another tool


A more complex "solution" is doing tempory RDP to permanent running RDP. Reached the same conclusion :) But before fetching around $100+shipping on ebay for an IP KVM I was checking this forum to see if anyone had found a more elegant solution to fix this annoying issue.

[Milmoor]

I'm currently just restarting FGC if this happens since I plan to switch to FGU in the coming months. I hope that one doesn't have this issue. For the restart itself: Windows-D will show you the desktop. Right-click on the taskbar on the FG entry and close it. That way it will shut down gracefully. You will need to be in full screen for this, otherwise you'll see your own desktop.

[39Sam]

For the record, I setup TeamViewer and it works like a charm :)
I feared the performance issue but it is OK, and more importantly the FG interface do not crash when I'm restarting a session I left some time ago.

[Milmoor]

Switched to FGU recently, and RDP is working again. Teamviewer worked most of the time, but I got lost once in a while. It has it's own peculiarities. Glad RDP works again.

[twistedtechmike]

I may need to test again then. So you can disconnect/reconnect and FGU continues to operate without issue?

[Milmoor]

Yep, everything works just fine.

[Milmoor]

Almost everything, more details here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?67575-Unity-not-recognizing-right-click-through-Remote-Desktop