I have a Win 2000 server that I have been using fine for a few months, then all of a sudden today I can no longer connect to it by RDP.

This is the Error Message:
"Remote computer disconnected because of an error in the licensing protocol.."

I called a tech and he said he can connect to it remotely by I am not able to.
I can connect to my other server in this same datacenter by RDP with no issues.

Anyone have any suggestions for me ?
Nothing has changed on my server config lately.

Oh and I had the techs reboot the server with no change.

Thanks a million for any ideas

Do you have another computer that can connect?

A google search for that phrase turns up absolutely nothing. Is that the exact wording?

If it is specific to just your workstation, then check the server's requested encryption level. Maybe something is fouled up with your client's encryption settings and the server is trying to force too high of a level? _That's just my first hunch_ I don't actually have any confidence that's truly the problem.

Well some other techs at that same company were also unable to connect to it and got the same error as me.

The win 2000 OS was installed by a datacenter tech and not myself so I'm not sure if the version they installed had some terminal service license that would expire.

Do terminal service licenses expire on Win 2000 ?

I've always used enterprise versions of software but they just had a CD and installed it. I believe it was standard version.
They are wanting me to pay $75 an hour for hands on time to mess with it.

I found this on the MS Site:

The remote computer disconnected the session because of an error in the licensing protocol. Please try connecting to the remote computer again or contact your server administrator.
Cause: The terminal server might not be able to locate the license server.

Solution: Perform the following steps:

1.
Verify that the license server is correctly installed.

2.
Verify that the Terminal Server Licensing service is running on the license server.

3.
Verify that the client, the terminal server, and the license server can communicate by ensuring that Domain Name System (DNS) is configured correctly on each computer. To do this, run the ping command from each computer to each computer using the IP address, FQDN, and the NetBIOS name. If any of the ping commands fail, verify the DNS configuration on the network.

4.
On the terminal server, set a preferred licensing server to connect to. You can do this by using the registry, a Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) script, or, in Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1, you can use Group Policy settings or Terminal Server Configuration.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...9858897e2c.mspx

Right now I just want them to unplug my server and ship it back to me.

A tech screwed up and installed Terminal Services in Application mode. You get a 90 days license then you must buy, setup Windows 2000 Licensing server and install the licenses. Tell them to flip it to Remote Administrator Terminal Mode.

I'm not sure if you can get it fixed remotely but you might be able too. I wouldn't pay though for a tech screwup.

You are exactly right. It has been about 90 days since they installed the Win 2000 server.

Thanks for that I'm calling them now

Good call. I think he's right.

yes, I got a tech to fix it. I think he did something to the terminal services reg key and the prob went away.

When I checked the event log I saw these terminal services messages about not being able to issue my connection a valid terminal services license.

So it was 100% correct. I owe you a hamburger

So, did you find out what did the tech change in the registry, so that I can tell my tech to do the same and get rid of TS licensing and at the end of the days have hamburgers