Scenario: You have enabled remote desktop session host (also known as remote desktop terminal services mode) in trial mode on a Windows 2012 or Windows 2012R2 server some time ago and now you are receiving the error:
"The remote session was disconnected because there are no Remote Desktop Licence Servers available to provide a licence. Please contact the server administrator"
You may also notice Event ID: 1128 Source: TerminalServices-RemoteConnectionManager being logged in your system event log.
Cause: You are outside of your 120 day remote desktop session host evaluation period and / or the service has not been configured to register with a license server to install licenses. A remote desktop licensing server is required for continuous normal operation.
Resolution 1: Install a remote desktop licensing server with the appropriate number of remote desktop session host licences and register your session host server with this.
Resolution 2: re-arm your remote desktop session host evaluation to allow for another 120 days evaluation time. Here is how:
- Logon to your remote desktop session host server, open up regedit and navigate to
- Right click GracePeriod key and select Permissions. Grant Administrators full control as shown below:
- Delete the L$RTMTIMEBOMB value leaving only the (default) value
- Reboot your remote desktop session host server
- Job done. You should have another 120 days evaluation time
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RCM\GracePeriod
- Chris