Remote Desktop On Separate User?

I am buying a laptop that will be replacing my Vista desktop (until Starcraft 2 anyway) and I'm going to put the desktop upstairs for my family to use. However I still need the beast to download things while I'm not at home.
I want to know if I can have Remote Desktop on 1 user (Admin) and then let my family log on on a second user (Family).

Pretty much what I'm asking here is, can I remote into my own Admin user and add downloads to my queue, while my family is using the other User on the machine?

 

As far as I know, XP is a 'one-user-at-a-time' OS.

 

Thanks, I was afraid of that.

Anyone know of a way to add NZB's to the queue of newsbin or a similar reader, so I dont have to be on the computer myself?

 

I don't think that's true.

XP can certainly have multiple users logged in at once and running programs at once. I've done that many, many times.

As for whether it can display multiple desktops at once via different RDP sessions (or one console and one RDP)... I'm pretty sure it can do that too but I'm not 100% positive about it. I'd be really surprised if it didn't work though.

EDIT: ok, it looks like Greg's right... at least in the sense that most people would think about it. XP will only display one desktop at a time. Either one local user or one remote user, not both. (Although as I mentioned, other users can have processes running in the background.) This is an artificial limitation though. Google around... there are some workarounds, including using other software like VNC instead of remote desktop.

 

I may have to experiment with this a little bit tomorrow...you could be right...

 

The desktop's OS is Vista. I didn't feel the need to correct sonic because I assume XP/Vista would be the same in this respect.

If you do end up experimenting please let me know. I intend to try it out when my dell arrives tomorrow.

 

. swarmer was correct when considering "fast switching user"
. Greg was (probably) correct as far as accessing the net from more than one user at a same time - unless one has multiple port network card

cheers ...

 

Thanks to all three of you.

I'm starting to think that Hamachi will somehow be my solution though. I just need to get it configured up nicely and I guess some Newsreaders will monitor folders for NZB's, so that should work out well.

 

Another and perhaps easier option that requires no hacks is:
Start the downloads at the console, then do "Switch User" (not log off). (You'll need Fast User Switching enabled.) Then let your family log in on other accounts and do their business. Your stuff should keep downloading in the background (as long as no intervention is needed). You just won't get to (or have to) watch it.

EDIT: Oh you're on Vista, ok... in that case, I think you can skip the step to enable Fast User Switching... I think that it's on by default in Vista.

 

Guys , What About Third Party Solutions ? Like VNC or Radmin ?

 

www.logmein.com

im using the free version as we speak. just do what swarmer mentioned above, log in - setup your apps and switch users.