Windows Remote Assistance an alternative for Netmeeting

Windows Remote Assistance (RA)

Windows Remote assistance enables someone on a remote computer who you have specifically given authorization to connect to your computer to help you out in a situation involving software, settings, drivers, etc. The help given to you is via the Remote Desktop Protocol used by a few other remote control applications such as remote desktop or terminal services. Remote Assistance allows you to give your permission for someone to help you by being able to view your screen and take control of your mouse and keyboard functions. This can be useful for someone to show to how to fix something or operate some software.

Unlike Net meeting, in “RA” the requestor initiaitng the remote assistance session only can share the screen and not vicea versa.

Since Netmeeting application has been discontinued in Windows 7 operating system. Remote assistance tool can be used a alternative to Netmeeting. The only limitation is the connection is that the person initiating the RA session, only can share the screen.

Terms which will be used in this document :

• Requestor : A user who has an issue in his/her PC and needs to get it remotely checked by a technition. i.e this users screen has to be sahred with a technition who can resolve the issue remotely.
• Helper:  An IT helpdesk personnel or a IT technition who has to resolve the issue remotely.
• Invitation file : A file which will get created at requestors machine and requestor has to share this file with Helper via email or Sametime.

Index:

1)      To initiate Remote assistance session from Windows 7 machine to Win 7/Win XP machine.

2)      To initiate Remote assistance session from Windows XP machine to Windows 7 machine.

To initiate Remote assistance session from Windows 7 machine to Win 7/Win XP machine.

Requestor has to initiate the RA session from his PC.  ( In this case requestor has a Win7 PC and Helper has either Win XP or Win7 PC.

Step 1: Requestor to Execute ‘MSRA.exe’ command from Run Prompt in his PC and click on “Invite Someone you trust to help you”

  

Step 2: Requestor to select “Save invitation as a file” option and save the invitation file.

 

Step 3: Immediately after saving the file a random password would get auto generated by Windows RA application.  The saved invitation file and the password have to be shared with Helper via email or Sametime.

Step 4 : Once the file is transferred / sent to the helper. Helper shall save the file to this hard drive and open the saved “ Invitation.msrcincident” file.  When prompted for Password helper to provide the password which was autogenerated by Windows RA.

        

Step 5 : Requestor will receive the following popup which he has to acknowledge by clicking “Yes”.

Step 6 : Helper has to click on “Request Control “ button in his PC for taking control of requestors PC  and Requestor has to acknowledge by clicking Yes in his PC.

Requestor will be able to see the following controls in his PC, from where he can stop controll or disconnect the session.

To initiate Remote assistance session from Windows XP machine to Windows 7 machine.

Requestor has to initiate the RA session from his PC.  ( In this case requestor has a XP PC and Helper has a Win7 PC.

Step 1 : From the requestors machine user can select “Help and support “ option from ‘Start’ or minimize all aplications and press F1 when the user is able to see the desktop.

Step 2 : Requestor to Click on “Invite a Friend to connect to your computer with RA.

Step 3: Requestor to select “Invite Someone to Help you” option.

Step 4 :  Requestor to select “Save invitation as a file (Advanced)” option.

Step 5 : Requestor to enter his SID and the duration of the RA session.

Step 6 : Requestor to enter the password and confirm password

Step 7 : Requestor to click on “Save invitation”, This will prompt to save a file on Requestors PC. This file has to be shared with Helper. File can be transferred via email or Sametime.

Step 8 : Once the file is transferred / sent to the helper. Helper shall save the file to this hard drive and open the saved “ Invitation.msrcincident” file.  When prompted for Password helper to provide the password which was initally set by requestor at step 6.

        

Step 9 : Requestor will receive the following popup which he has to acknowledge by clicking “Yes”.

Step 10 : Helper has to click on “Request Control “ button in his PC for taking control of requestors PC  and Requestor has to acknowledge by clicking Yes in his PC.

Requestor will be able to see the following controls in his PC, from where he can stop controll or disconnect the session.