How to logoff remote desktop sessions via command line tools?

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How to logoff remote desktop sessions via command line tools?
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How to logoff remote desktop sessions via command line tools?

Oftentimes, some sessions get stuck in the server and you need to clear it off via the command line so here are steps to do that

 

Query the Remote Server for Current Terminal Sessions

 

To query and list the sessions on the remote session, you could use QUser.exe or QWinsta

1. QUser

QUser command comes with all the latest Windows clients and servers. This will list the sessions of the remote server (or local machine).

NOTE: if you are using Windows XP, you need to add this location to your System path:

C:\WindowsSystem32DLLCache. To do this, in the command prompt, type the following.

SET PATH = %PATH%;C:WindowsSystem32DLLCache;

QUser help shows,

C:\Anand>QUser /?

Display information about users logged on to the system.

QUERY USER [username | sessionname | sessionid] [/SERVER:servername]
  • username Identifies the username.
  • session name Identifies the session named sessionname.
  • session id Identifies the session with ID sessionid.
  • /SERVER:servername The server to be queried (default is current).

E.g.,

C:>quser /server:MyCitrixSVR

USERNAME SESSION NAME ID STATE IDLE TIME LOGON TIME

johndoe ica-tcp#966 10 Active 7 7/31/2008 3:04 PM
averagejoe ica-tcp#969 1 Active 9 7/31/2008 3:30 PM
familyman ica-tcp#984 5 Active 1:06 7/31/2008 4:33 PM
normaldude ica-tcp#987 2 Active 4 7/31/2008 6:20 PM

 

2. QWinsta

QWinsta is a little different and better. It has more features and options. It comes in all flavors of
Windows. QWinsta command line help displays as,

C:>qwinsta /?

Display information about Terminal Sessions.

QUERY SESSION [sessionname | username | sessionid]
[/SERVER:servername] [/MODE] [/FLOW] [/CONNECT] [/COUNTER]
  • sessionname Identifies the session named sessionname.
  • username Identifies the session with user username.
  • sessionid Identifies the session with ID sessionid.
  • /SERVER:servername The server to be queried (default is current).
  • /MODE Display current line settings.
    • /FLOW Display current flow control seLings.
    • /CONNECT Display current connect seLings.
    • /COUNTER Display current Terminal Services counters information.

    E.g.,

    C:>qwinsta /server:citrixserver

    SESSIONNAME USERNAME ID STATE TYPE DEVICE
    0 Disc rdpwd
    ica-tcp 65536 Listen wdica
    rdp-tcp 65537 Listen rdpwd
    console 16 Conn wdcon
    ica-tcp#966 johndoe 10 Active wdica
    ica-tcp#969 apple 1 Active wdica
    ica-tcp#984 averagejoe 5 Active wdica
    ica-tcp#987 familyman 2 Active wdica
    ica-tcp#989 whoisme 3 Active wdica
    You are welcome to try the other options QWinsta provides.

     

    Logoff the Remote Sessions

     

    To Log off the terminal session of the remote server, you can use any one of two command line tools. One of LOGOFF and another one is RWINSTA. Before you log off the remote session, you should know the ʺSession IDʺ which you get it from ʺQUSERʺ OR ʺQWINSTAʺ commands as above stated.

     

    1. Logoff

    The logoff command kicks off (logging off) the specified remote session. Log off help shows,

    C:>logoff /?

    Terminates a session.

    LOGOFF [sessionname | sessionid] [/SERVER:servername] [/V]
    • sessionname The name of the session.
    • sessionid The ID of the session.
    • /SERVER:servername Specifies the Terminal server containing the user
    • session to log off (default is current).
    • /V Displays information about the actions performed.

    E.g.,

    C:>logoff /server:infra-apps 1 /v

    Logging off session ID 1

     

    2. RWinsta

    RWinsta has the same parameters and does the same thing as log-off command. It simply means Reset Windows. The help goes as,

    C:>RWinsta /?

    Reset the session subsytem hardware and software to known initial values.

    RESET SESSION {sessionname | sessionid} [/SERVER:servername] [/V]
    • sessionname Identifies the session with name sessionname.
    • sessionid Identifies the session with ID sessionid.
    • /SERVER:servername The server containing the session (default is current).
    • /V Display additional information.

    E.g.,

    C:>RWinsta /Server:MyWinServer 1

    Note: RWinsta command does not return anything.

    Happy Re-setting the remote sessions.

     

    Ravi Chopra
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