Event ID 2004 — Bi-Directional Audio Redirection Configuration

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) 7.0 and Windows Server 2008 R2 support bi-directional audio redirection by efficiently transporting audio-based multimedia in a compressed format within the RDP protocol. If the client supports bi-directional audio redirection, it will receive the original compressed audio stream from the server and decode it on the client computer.

Event Details

Resolve

Enable remote audio settings on the client computer

To resolve this issue, you must enable remote audio playback and remote audio recording on the client computer.

To enable remote audio settings on the client computer:

1. Click Start, type mstsc.exe in the Search box, and then press ENTER.
2. Click Options.
3. Click the Local Resources tab.
4. Under Remote audio, click Settings.
5. Click the Play on this computer and Record from this computer options, and then click OK.

Verify

To verify that bi-directional audio redirection is configured correctly, do the following:

• Verify that the Remote Desktop Session Host role service is installed.
• Verify that the Windows Audio service is started.
• Verify that the Desktop Experience feature is installed on the RD Session Host server.
• Verify that the client settings are configured by using Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.

To perform these procedures, you must have membership in the local Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

Verify that the Remote Desktop Session Host role service is installed

The Remote Desktop Session Host role service must be installed to use bi-directional audio redirection.

To verify that the Remote Desktop Session Host role service is installed:

1. On the RD Session Host server, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager.

2. Expand Roles, and then click Remote Desktop Services.

   Note: If  Remote Desktop Services is not available under the Roles heading, the Remote Desktop Session Host role service is not installed.

3. Under the Role Services heading, verify that Installed is shown in the Status column next to Remote Desktop Session Host.

Verify that the Windows Audio service is started

To use bi-directional audio redirection, the Windows Audio service must be started.

To verify that the Windows Audio service is started:

1. On the RD Session Host server, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Services.
2. Right-click Windows Audio, and then click Properties.
3. In the Service status box, ensure that Started is shown.
4. If you want this service to start each time the RD Session Host server is started, in the Startup type box, click Automatic.
5. Click OK.

Verify that the Desktop Experience feature is installed on the RD Session Host server

To use bi-directional audio redirection, the Desktop Experience feature must be installed on the RD Session Host server.

To verify that the Desktop Experience feature is installed on the RD Session Host server:

1. On the RD Session Host server, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager.
2. Expand Features, and verify that Desktop Experience is displayed.

Verify that the client settings are configured by using Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration

To use bi-directional audio redirection, the client settings must be configured by using Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.

To verify that the client settings are configured by using Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration:

1. On the RD Session Host server, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.
2. Under the Connections heading, right-click RDP-Tcp, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Client Settings tab.
4. Verify that the Audio and video playback and Audio recording check boxes are selected.

Related Management Information

Bi-Directional Audio Redirection Configuration

Remote Desktop Services