Filed under: Software
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Client for Snow Leopard
Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection Client is a free utility which allows you to connect to Windows computers running Windows from computers running Mac OS X (versions 10.4.9 or later).For those of us who help manage Windows computers, it's a handy tool to have around, much like Screen Sharing (or Apple Remote Desktop) for connecting from one Mac to another. Fortunately I don't have to use it all that often, but last night when I tried it for the first time in a while, it crashed. I relaunched it, and it crashed again. Since I'm a slow learner, I tried it one last time. Yup, crashed a third time.
Assuming this wasn't some Halloween prank, I wondered if maybe I had an outdated version of the app, since I hadn't used it since Snow Leopard came out. I took a quick look around and found that version 2.0.1 had been released in mid-August. I downloaded the new version, ran the installer (I'm not sure why it needs an installer for what seems like a self-contained application, but it does) and the app launched as expected.
The release notes don't say much about what is new in this version, and I didn't notice any new features (other than not crashing on Snow Leopard, which is a significant plus). If you ever need to connect to computers running Windows, this 7.8MB download is a good addition to your toolbox.
Not all versions of Microsoft Windows support Remote Desktop Connections. For example, Windows XP "Professional" does, but the "Home" does not. Also, even for those versions of Windows which do support it, it is not enabled by default. If your version does not support it, you will need to find a VNC application which has a Windows 'server' and a Mac 'client'.
[If you prefer an open-source alternative to the Microsoft client, check out the versatile and free CoRD. --Ed.]
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Hawkeye said 4:37PM on 11-01-2009
>> you will need to find a VNC application which has a Windows 'server' and a Mac 'client'.
You don't need a compatible Mac 'client'. From my experience at least with TightVNC, you can easily VNC with 'vnc:' from finder.
Reply
John Cleary said 8:34PM on 11-02-2009
You're both wrong. Leopard onwards has an awesome built in VNC viewer... it's called.... wait for it.... SCREEN SHARING.
Go > Connect to Server > vnc://serveraddressorip > Press Return
C'mon guys - if you don't understand the technology, how can you write about it?!?!
Hawkeye said 9:01PM on 11-02-2009
That's exactly what I said :-s I didn't think it needed more explanation than 'vnc:'
Dave said 4:39PM on 11-01-2009
You're posting information that was news in August? You know it's November, right?
Reply
LD said 5:00PM on 11-01-2009
Exactly. WTF? There's nothing that indicates this is for Snow Leopard, and we know it's not specific to SL because it was released in August. Even the linked to release notes specify this came out in August.
What's with the crap posts this weekend? Next thing you know they'll tell you replacement parts aren't brand new! (oh, right)
TJ Luoma said 4:51PM on 11-03-2009
> There's nothing that indicates this is for Snow Leopard,
Except that I'm telling you from first-hand experience that the previous version crashes when you launch it
> and we know it's not specific to SL because it was released in August.
As was Snow Leopard. I suspect what you mean is that this came out before Snow Leopard did. Which is true. However, that doesn't mean that there were not Snow Leopard-specific fixes in it.
> Even the linked to release notes specify this came out in August.
You do realize that software companies have access to new major versions of the operating system before the general population, right? And that they might have released a fix for Snow Leopard even before the official Snow Leopard release date, yes?
Here are the facts of the case:
2.0.0 crashes on Snow Leopard
2.0.1 does not
2.0.1 was released with little fanfare (and even less information about what was changed/fixed/etc). I didn't see it noted on any of the major Mac websites.
If you not-often-but-sometimes use RDC to connect to a Windows computer from a Mac, having a Snow Leopard compatible version will be handy, since the previous version crashes on Snow Leopard.
If you don't think that an updated version of a piece of software to allow it to run on Snow Leopard is post-worthy, I don't know what to tell you. I would have loved to have told you it was Snow Leopard compatible before now, but this was the first time I realized 2.0.0 was not Snow Leopard compatible.
Gavin Jones said 4:41PM on 11-01-2009
I use CoRD and in my honest opinion it blows Microsoft RDP client out of the water.
Reply
ProfessorDex said 7:07PM on 11-01-2009
I'd have to agree. CoRD works much better than the MS RD Client for Mac.
CHRiS said 11:41PM on 11-01-2009
I just tried cord (again) and I have to disagree --- The 2.x versions of MS RDP is faster, I was hoping CORD was better each time I try it (every 6 months or so).... but so far MS RDP beats it for both speed, and remote sound (for those who need it). Why I keep checking is MS RDP (and so it seems CORD as well) has a problem when I do a log of cut/pasting (on the remote machine). I would use CORD (even if it is slower and no remote sound) if it didn't do this, maybe it's my xp machine I'm connecting to, even though I've rebuilt it from scratch and also the OSX (had this issue with SL and Leopard and Tiger, RDP 1.x and 2.x as well as all versions of CORD).
Fernando said 9:08AM on 11-02-2009
Ditto CORD is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better then that MS BS.
samsonsu said 2:15PM on 11-02-2009
i agree that cord is way better. who cares whether ms updates their crappy client...
jacoch said 4:46PM on 11-01-2009
May I point you to TeamViewer (www.teamviewer.com), that is free for personal uses. For clients, it comes in a version that does not need any installation and works through firewalls. It is of course Mac and Windows compatible.
Reply
RazorD said 4:49PM on 11-01-2009
RDC is what i use. CoRD has way too many little niggly issues with the clipboard for me to use it daily.
Reply
gittenlucky said 5:03PM on 11-01-2009
I occasionally use RD and haven't had any problems since the SL update. I didn't even know MS had updated this app. It really sucks... I use X11/ssh to a Red Hat server and the performance is much better. It is nice that I don't need the extra app for connecting to the linux machine.
I am slowly succeeding in abandoning Windows for OSX and Linux... I have to use a few key programs at work/school though (CAD programs and a windows file server *yuck!*).
Reply
Mark said 5:33PM on 11-01-2009
Despite the many good objections raised here I'm just happy that MS released it. The fact they did is a good thing. Perhaps it shows a new spirit of cooperation.
Reply
epyon9283 said 6:07PM on 11-01-2009
Ever since installing SL I haven't been able to connect to any Vista, 7, 2008, or 2008 R2 machines using RDC. It just hangs when I attempt to connect. This is occurring on both my Macs. I've had to use CoRD since RDC is mostly useless now.
Reply
Andrew Timson said 10:34PM on 11-01-2009
Interesting. I've had it work fine for Windows XP, 7 (RC and RTM), and Server 2008 (don't know if it's R2 or not).
Greg said 6:32PM on 11-01-2009
I used CoRD for the longest time, and it worked OK, but it crashed very, very often (at the end, probably once an hour). As a RDP client, that's not that big of a deal - just connect again, but I eventually got tired of it. Microsoft RDP works very well. I was surprised - it's made my life easier. I feel dirty even saying it.
Please excuse me while I go shower.
Reply
peelman said 10:46PM on 11-01-2009
Greg,
Have you tried the latest version of CoRD? 0.5 resolved many (but admittedly not all) of our stability issues, 0.5.1 resolved a few more. If we ever get 0.5.2 out the door we're hoping it resolves the few remaining drawing problems and some other glitches.
For all the positive comments about CoRD, they are appreciated. Feel free to drop by the forums at sourceforge with comments or questions, or file bug reports and feature requests with our trac system if you have any
Forums: http://www.sf.net/apps/phpbb/cord
Trac: http://www.sf.net/apps/trac/cord/
K said 7:18PM on 11-01-2009
I've been using RDP for a year now, and would love features like drag+drop between desktops, clipboard between, etc.
I wish it was more like Fusion+Unity...will give CoRD a go.
Reply