Like many of you, I like to have a sandbox server (ok, a couple of servers) and it's easy to have these through VMware. I'm starting to experiment with Windows 2008 R2 and I would like to have sound working through my RDP session for one of my servers. NOTE: you cannot establish any sound through a vSphere Client session.
There is a great walk-through posted by Martin from EMware.nl that tells how to enable sound through RDP for 2003, XP, 2008, Visa, and Windows 7, but nothing about 2008 R2. This blog was a great starting point so I'll just finish it up.
The Terminal Services Role has been renamed to Remote Desktop Services in 2008 R2.
If you happen to find the Remote Desktop Services, you will see that you can't enable sound through it. Instead you have to create a Local Group Policy.
Start -> Run -> mmc.exeFile -> Add/Remove Snap-In
Choose "Group Policy Object Editor" from the list and click "Add >"
Keep the Group Policy Object set to "Local Computer" and Click Finish and Click on OK
Navigate to:
Local Computer Policy
- Computer Configuration
- Administrative Templates
- Windows Components
- Remote Desktop Services
- Remote Desktop Session Host
- Device and Resource Redirection
Set "Allow Audio and Video playback redirection" to Enabled
Exit out and save the GPO.
Next you will see in your taskbar that the sound driver will have a Red X over it. Right click on it and Enable the sound device.
Start a new RDP session and you will have sound.
