Run mstsc in PowerShell without a password prompt

Question

I have a simple .ps1 file:

$Server="remotepc.company.net"
$User=".\login"
$Password="password"

cmdkey /generic:TERMSRV/$Server /user:$User /pass:$Password
mstsc /v:$Server /h:1080 /w:1920

And anyway it asks for a password.

If the remote system is set to force you to ask for a password, then you can't bypass that on the client side. (Setting that on the server is a serverfault question.) — Bill_Stewart, Jun 21 '17 at 15:26
Possible duplicate of [Automating remote desktop connection](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16479652/automating-remote-desktop-connection) — Jeroen Mostert, Jun 21 '17 at 15:30
I have access to server. What should I check at server to unset this behaviour? — Lagoda Denis, Jun 21 '17 at 15:30
Jeroen Mostert >> I read that question and I tried withot TERMSRV/ - does not work anyway — Lagoda Denis, Jun 21 '17 at 15:34

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 21 '19 at 16:53

1

In RDP, go to the option checked to always ask for credentials:

Launch RDP → Show options → *un-check Always ask for credentials.

It seems, even though you gave credentials correctly, this was still making RDP ask.

edited Apr 21 '19 at 16:53

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jun 21 '17 at 16:08

Ranadip Dutta

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score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 21 '19 at 16:54

1

The issue was in $User=".\login".

login is a local user name (not domain).

So to force it to work:

$User="localhost\login"

edited Apr 21 '19 at 16:54

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jun 21 '17 at 16:18

Lagoda Denis

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Will Webb · Answer 3 · 2019-04-30T15:38:40.570

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You could try:

$Server="remotepc.company.net"
$User="localhost\login"
$Password="password"
$SecurePassword = $Password | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force

cmdkey /generic:$Server /user:$User /pass:$SecurePassword
mstsc /v:$Server /h:1080 /w:1920

edited Apr 30 '19 at 15:38

answered Jun 21 '17 at 15:43

Will Webb

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with the removed TERMSERV? – Will Webb Jun 21 '17 at 15:45
with and without – Lagoda Denis Jun 21 '17 at 15:46
@WillWebb: `cmdkey` expects an _unencrypted_ password with `/pass` (it does its own encryption before storing it), so this won't work. – mklement0 Jun 21 '17 at 16:57
1

@WillWebb: Can I suggest you either revise or delete your answer? – mklement0 Jun 24 '17 at 02:23
Answer updated, issue was within the ".\login" part of $User variable. – Will Webb Apr 30 '19 at 15:39

Run mstsc in PowerShell without a password prompt

3 Answers3