KB ID 0001183 

Problem

Colleague: Windows Server, Where’s Windows Security gone?

Me: Eh?

Colleague: Windows Security!

Me: What are you trying to do?

Colleague: I want to change my password and I can’t send a Ctrl+Alt+Delete to the remote server.

Well I know that pressing Crtl+Alt+Delete would let you change your password like so;

I wasn’t aware that in Server 2008 and earlier if you were connected via RDP you got a ‘Windows Security’ option that lets you do the same, like so;

This is because if you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete it will execute on YOUR machine not the remote one. But this option is not included in Windows 2012 any more.

Solution

Well you can just normally use Ctrl+Alt+END while in an RDP session. But like me, my colleague was using a Mac and we don’t have an END key!

Mac OSX Sent a Ctrl+Alt+END Sequence

If your RDP connected from OSX then use Ctrl+Alt+Fn+Backspace

If your RDP connected using a Mac Keyboard, or from a VM session on your Mac (i.e. from a VMware Fusion Windows Machine), then use Ctrl+Alt+Fn+Right-Arrow.

Other Solution

From within the RDP session, launch the on-screen keyboard, (Start > Run > osk). Then Press Ctrl+Alt on your physical keyboard, and click the delete key on the on-screen keyboard with your mouse cursor like so;

 

 

BETTER Solution

Within the RDP session open powershell and run the following command;

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(New-Object -COM Shell.Application).WindowsSecurity()

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Or use the following VB shortcut.

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Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
objShell.WindowsSecurity

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Scalable Solution (Create Password Reset Shortcut)

Create a shortcut for;

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explorer.exe shell:::{2559a1f2-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}

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Note: If you have a bunch of  RDP servers you wanted to roll this out to, you can set it up on your administrative account, capture your start menu to an XML file, and then distribute that start menu to all your users via group policy, (not available with server 2012 or earlier).

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

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