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Locking a Virtual Desktop Session

How to lock a remote VMware View session? I’ve had mixed results getting a consistent method for locking VDI workstation sessions using VMware View across different client types, so have endeavored to document all possible methods to help come up with a best practice.

Updated 4th September 2009: As per Resolved Issues in VMware View Manager 3.1.2

“In full-screen mode Windows special key combinations are not redirected to virtual desktops
In full-screen mode, View Client does not redirect Windows special key combinations (Windows+) to the remote desktop. This issue is inconsistent with the direct RDP. The issue is resolved in this release.”


From a Wyse Thin Client:

  1. Windows + L key
  2. CTRL + ALT + DEL
  3. Select “Windows Security” from the Start Menu and then Lock Computer
  4. Type the command: “rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation”
From a Windows XP and Vista Client:

  1. CTRL + ALT + INSERT and then Lock Computer
  2. Select “Windows Security” from the Start Menu and then Lock Computer
  3. Type the command: “rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation”
To be able to use the “Windows Security” method, ensure that the following Group Policy setting is Disabled.
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Terminal Services > Remove Windows Security item from Start menu

To implement the rundll32 command…

  • Create a Shortcut called “Lock Workstation”, giving it the command line of: rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation
  • Change the shortcut Icon to point to C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll,which contains a padlock
  • You can also give this shortcut a hotkey, such as CTRL + ALT + L
Using a custom Hotkey:

  • Hotkey mappings are only useable if the shortcut is located on the Desktop or in the Start Menu hierarchy.
  • The hotkey combination MUST start with CTRL + ALT.
  • Interestingly enough, when using the VMware View Client I could only get the hotkey mappings to work when the shortcut is placed on the All Users Desktop, but the shortcut itself works from anywhere.


Implement the following VBScript as a Startup Script via the the following Group Policy setting:

Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Scripts (Startup/Shutdown) > Startup

LockWorkstation.vbs

Option Explicit

Dim strShortcutLocation ' ' Set the location of the shortcut: '   AllUsersStartMenu = All Users Start Menu '   AllUsersDesktop = All Users Desktop '   MyStartMenu = The Users' Start Menu '   MyDesktop = The Users' Desktop ' strShortcutLocation = "AllUsersDesktop" Call CreateShortcut(strShortcutLocation)
strShortcutLocation = "AllUsersStartMenu" Call CreateShortcut(strShortcutLocation)
WScript.Quit(0)
Sub CreateShortcut(strShortcutLocation)
  Dim objShell, objShtCut, strSystemRoot, blnCreateShortcut
  Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")   blnCreateShortcut = True
  Select Case lcase(strShortcutLocation)     Case lcase("AllUsersStartMenu")       strShortcutLocation = objShell.SpecialFolders("AllUsersStartMenu")     Case lcase("AllUsersDesktop")       strShortcutLocation = objShell.SpecialFolders("AllUsersDesktop")     Case lcase("MyStartMenu")       strShortcutLocation = objShell.SpecialFolders("StartMenu")     Case lcase("MyDesktop")       strShortcutLocation = objShell.SpecialFolders("Desktop")     Case Else       blnCreateShortcut = False   End Select
  If blnCreateShortcut Then     strSystemRoot = objShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%SYSTEMROOT%")     Set objShtCut = objShell.CreateShortcut(strShortcutLocation & "\Lock Workstation.lnk")     objShtCut.TargetPath = strSystemRoot & "\system32\rundll32"     objShtCut.Arguments = "user32.dll,LockWorkStation"     objShtCut.WorkingDirectory= strSystemRoot     objShtCut.IconLocation = strSystemRoot & "\system32\shell32.dll" & ",47"     objShtCut.HotKey = "CTRL+ALT+L"     objShtCut.Save()     Set objShtCut = Nothing   End If
  Set objShell = Nothing
End Sub

So in conclusion I believe that providing an icon called “Lock Workstation” that can also be triggered by a common Hotkey combination, such as CTRL + ALT + L, is the best way to provide users with a consistent method for all situations.
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