Remote Desktop (mstsc.exe) Won’t Launch in Windows Vista SP2: Fix

Several users have reported that the Remote Desktop Client (RDC, mstc.exe) will not launch after the update to Windows Vista SP2. In some cases, mstc.exe will appear in the task manager, but the application will not appear in the task bar or be otherwise accessible.

Potential fix

This issue can sometimes be resolved by running mstc.exe from the command line, as follows:

1. Click Start then type cmd in the search box. Right-click on the cmd and click “Run as Administrator”
2. Type mstsc -v:(IP address of host) -console e.g.: mstsc -v:192.168.1.2 -console