PsExec: How to specify session value for the '-i' option?

[Guest JonathanOrlev]

Hello everybody,

 

I have a question about the PsExec program, which I could not find

answer to by searching Google.

 

The question is about the '-i' command-line option:

 

At PsExec's page (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/

utilities/psexec.mspx), the '-i' option is described as:

 

In the syntax:

"

[-i [session]]

"

 

And in the explanations:

"

Run the program so that it interacts with the desktop of the specified

session on the remote system. If no session is specified the process

runs in the console session.

"

 

So, my question is this: What is this session name? Is it a number? a

string? What is it?

 

I have Windows 2003 Server installed. I am logged in locally, and also

using Remote Desktop session.

 

While I can use the '-i' option to interactively run a GUI program

(Notepad for example) locally (the console?) by not specifying the

session, I do not know how can I make the program run interactively on

the Remote Desktop session. I can make a program run interactively on

a given Remote Desktop session on a given computer by specifying the

correct session value/name/number, but I do not know how to do that.

 

Does anybody have an idea?

 

Thanks for any reply,

 

Jonathan

[Guest Edwin vMierlo [MVP]]

Re: PsExec: How to specify session value for the '-i' option?

 

session name is captured in the variable "SESSIONNAME" on computers which

have RDP enabled

 

log on to your machine on the actual consol (physical console)

type on the command line "set s" the you see something like this

SESSIONNAME=Console

 

now log on to your machine using RDP, do the same command

you now see something like this

SESSIONNAME=RDP-Tcp#1

 

you session name changes when you are using RDP, so if you want to execute

the command in a different session you can do that by specifying the -i

switch

 

HTH,

Edwin.

 

 

"JonathanOrlev" <JonathanOrlev@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:1185802179.351802.115690@g4g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...

> Hello everybody,

>

> I have a question about the PsExec program, which I could not find

> answer to by searching Google.

>

> The question is about the '-i' command-line option:

>

> At PsExec's page (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/

> utilities/psexec.mspx), the '-i' option is described as:

>

> In the syntax:

> "

> [-i [session]]

> "

>

> And in the explanations:

> "

> Run the program so that it interacts with the desktop of the specified

> session on the remote system. If no session is specified the process

> runs in the console session.

> "

>

> So, my question is this: What is this session name? Is it a number? a

> string? What is it?

>

> I have Windows 2003 Server installed. I am logged in locally, and also

> using Remote Desktop session.

>

> While I can use the '-i' option to interactively run a GUI program

> (Notepad for example) locally (the console?) by not specifying the

> session, I do not know how can I make the program run interactively on

> the Remote Desktop session. I can make a program run interactively on

> a given Remote Desktop session on a given computer by specifying the

> correct session value/name/number, but I do not know how to do that.

>

> Does anybody have an idea?

>

> Thanks for any reply,

>

> Jonathan

>

[Guest JonathanOrlev]

Re: PsExec: How to specify session value for the '-i' option?

 

Hello Edwin,

 

ThanQ very much for your answer:

 

On Jul 30, 5:00 pm, "Edwin vMierlo [MVP]"

<EdwinvMie...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> session name is captured in the variable "SESSIONNAME" on computers which

> have RDP enabled

>

> log on to your machine on the actual consol (physical console)

> type on the command line "set s" the you see something like this

> SESSIONNAME=Console

>

> now log on to your machine using RDP, do the same command

> you now see something like this

> SESSIONNAME=RDP-Tcp#1

 

Well, this is new to me. I haven't notice this environment variable

before. I did, how ever, found the session name you are referring to

in the "Terminal Services Manager" program ( I did that before sending

the question group).

 

But when I enter this value, it doesn't work.

 

For example, after running this command:

PsExec \\<RemoteServerName> -e -n 5 -i RDP-Tcp#3 notepad.exe

 

I get:

PsExec could not start RDP-Tcp#3 on REMOTE:

The system cannot find the file specified.

 

That why I tend to believe that 'session' should be a numerical value.

If I use "0" as the session, notepad is being run in the Console (the

default). But is I use '1':

 

PsExec \\<RemoteServerName> -e -n 5 -i 1 notepad.exe

 

I get:

PsExec could not start notepad.exe on REMOTE:

The parameter is incorrect.

 

(I also tried 2 and 3).

 

So I have no idea where the problem is and what PsExec is expecting as

the value of '-i'.

 

Thanks,

 

Jonathan

 

>

> you session name changes when you are using RDP, so if you want to execute

> the command in a different session you can do that by specifying the -i

> switch

>

> HTH,

> Edwin.

>

> "JonathanOrlev" <JonathanOr...@gmail.com> wrote in message

>

> news:1185802179.351802.115690@g4g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...

>

> > Hello everybody,

>

> > I have a question about the PsExec program, which I could not find

> > answer to by searching Google.

>

> > The question is about the '-i' command-line option:

>

> > At PsExec's page (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/

> > utilities/psexec.mspx), the '-i' option is described as:

>

> > In the syntax:

> > "

> > [-i [session]]

> > "

>

> > And in the explanations:

> > "

> > Run the program so that it interacts with the desktop of the specified

> > session on the remote system. If no session is specified the process

> > runs in the console session.

> > "

>

> > So, my question is this: What is this session name? Is it a number? a

> > string? What is it?

>

> > I have Windows 2003 Server installed. I am logged in locally, and also

> > using Remote Desktop session.

>

> > While I can use the '-i' option to interactively run a GUI program

> > (Notepad for example) locally (the console?) by not specifying the

> > session, I do not know how can I make the program run interactively on

> > the Remote Desktop session. I can make a program run interactively on

> > a given Remote Desktop session on a given computer by specifying the

> > correct session value/name/number, but I do not know how to do that.

>

> > Does anybody have an idea?

>

> > Thanks for any reply,

>

> > Jonathan