Remote Desktop Instructions for Macintosh

Downloading and Installing Remote Desktop Connection Client

In order to access the Windows XP Virtual Computer Lab machines, you will need to download the Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac OS X. To install the Remote Desktop Connection client, follow the instructions provided by Microsoft on the download page.

Reserving a Virtual Computer Lab Machine

Once you have installed the Remote Desktop Client on your Mac OS X system, connect to the Virtual Computing Lab website to reserve a computer.

To create a new reservation, click the New Reservation link. Choose the environment you would like to use and the time for which you would like the reservation. For an immediate session select Now and click Submit (you can go back and edit session times if you need to). On the Current Reservations page, wait until the Connect button appears and click it. The Connect page contains the information you need to connect to the VCL computer. If your computer is set to run Remote Desktop Connection when an RDP file is downloaded, you can just click the Get RDP File button to start Remote Desktop Connection with all of the information filled in for you; otherwise, you will need to manually run Remote Desktop Connection and fill in the information from the Connect page. Keep in mind that the IP address and password will change for each reservation you make.

Configuring the Remote Desktop Connection Client

First start the Remote Desktop Connection client (or RDC) that you previously installed by clicking on its icon (Figure 1).

After you start the RDC, it will ask you to accept a EULA. Click Accept. Next, it will ask you to register with Microsoft. Click Register Later. The program will now start, shown in Figure 2.

There are several options in the RDC which you will want to configure before you connect, such as screen size, the availability of your local drives, and your connection speed. To set these options, click the word Options in the main RDC window (Figure 2). If you do not wish to configure the client and simply use the default settings, skip to "Connecting to the VCL Machine".

Setting the Size of the Remote Desktop

The RDC can display the VCL machine full screen or in a window.

To set the screen size of the remote desktop, click (1) the Display tab, then (2) choose your screen size, and (3) the number of colors you wish to use. If you are using a slower network connection (such as 56K dial-up), using a smaller desktop size and fewer colors will improve your performance.

Accessing Sound, Local Drives, and Printers

Click the Local Resources tab (Figure 4).

You can choose whether you wish to hear sounds from the remote computer in the Remote Computer Sound box.

By selecting the Disk Drives or Printers check box, you can choose to be able to access your disk drives and printers from the remote machine. If these check boxes are selected, any disk drives or printers attached to your local Macintosh will be accessible on the remote Windows XP machine as if they were actually attached to the Windows XP machine.

Setting Connection Speed

Click the Performance tab (Figure 5).

The Performance tab allows you to optimize the RDC for your connection speed. Set your connection speed in the drop down box at the top of the window. The five check boxes below the connection speed box are fine left to their default setting.

Connect to the VCL Machine

To connect, type the IP address that you received via email into the box labeled Computer: and then click the Connect button.

The Windows XP login screen will now appear either full screen or windowed, depending on how you configured your RDC client. Type your Unity ID in the User Name field and type the password you received via email in the Password field, then click Ok. (Figure 6)

Begin Working

You're now logged in to the remote VCL machine and ready to being using it. If you checked the Disk Drives or Printers check box on the Local Resources tab (Figure 4), then you will be able to access those resources on the Windows XP machine. For example, in Figure 7 you can see my Macintosh's local hard drive 'tibook' is available in 'My Computer' on the Windows XP VCL machine.