Enable RemoteApp Capability in Windows XP SP3

How can I enable RemoteApp in Windows XP SP3?

The ability to enable RemoteApp in Windows XP allows administrators to replicate Windows XP Mode functionality in Windows 8 using the Hyper-V client. While it has always been possible to connect to XP remotely using the built-in Remote Desktop feature, Microsoft released an update for the OS that enables RemoteApp functionality, which is usually only found in server editions of Windows.

RemoteApp allows users to make a connection to an app running on a remote machine in a window that shows only the required app, such as Internet Explorer, rather than the entire remote desktop. RemoteApp was introduced to XP as part of Windows XP Mode for Windows 7, to allow better integration with the host desktop and legacy apps running in an XP virtual machine (VM).

Install the RemoteApp Update for Windows XP SP3

First, download the optional KB961742 update from Microsoft. Once the update is installed, reboot Windows XP. Before continuing with the instructions below, don’t forget to make sure that Remote Desktop is enabled in Windows XP’s System Properties dialog, and that you have given users permission to connect.

Modify the Registry

Now that XP has rebooted, log on as a local administrator to modify the registry using Regedit.

• Press the Windows key and R simultaneously to bring up the Run dialog box.
• Type regedit in the Run box and press ENTER.
• In Regedit, navigate to HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionTerminal ServerTsAppAllowList in the left pane.
• In the right pane, double-click fDisabledAllowList.
• In the Edit DWORD Value dialog, set the hexadecimal value to 1 and click OK.
• Close Regedit.

Create a Custom RDP File

From a remote computer, connect to Windows XP using Remote Desktop Connection. On Windows 8, you can press the Windows key and type remote, and you should see the Remote Desktop Connection app in the search results.

• In the Remote Desktop Connection window, type the DNS name of your XP machine in the Computer field.
• Click Show Options.
• Under Connection settings, click Save As.
• In the Save As dialog, give the RDP file a name and save it to a convenient location.
• Open Notepad from the Windows 8 Start menu. Now drag the .rdp file you just saved onto the open Notepad window so you can edit the contents.
• Add the following six lines to the RDP file:

remoteapplicationname:s:Internet Explorer 6
remoteapplicationprogram:s:C:Program FilesInternet Exploreriexplore.exe
remoteapplicationcmdline:s:about:blank
disableremoteappcapscheck:i:1
alternate shell:s:rdpinit.exe
prompt for credentials on client:i:1

• Locate the remoteapplicationmode parameter in the file and change the value to 1 so it looks like this:

remoteapplicationmode:i:1

• Close Notepad and save the RDP file as Notepad exits.

If you double-click the RDP file to open it, you will be prompted with a RemoteApp dialog to open Internet Explorer 6 rather than a standard Remote Desktop Connection dialog. You can modify the remoteapplicationname, remoteapplicationprogram and remoteapplicationcmdline parameters to open any application installed in Windows XP as a RemoteApp.