Error "Remote Desktop Web Connection ActiveX control could not be installed" after installing Windows XP SP3

Error “Remote Desktop Web Connection ActiveX Control Could Not Be Installed” After Installing Windows XP SP3

When you start the Remote Desktop Web Connection window after installing Windows XP Service Pack 3, the following error may occur, and the Connect button remains grayed out:

Remote Desktop Web Connection ActiveX control could not be installed. A connection cannot be made without a working installed version of the control. Please contact the server administrator.

Microsoft RDP ActiveX Control is disabled when you install Windows XP Service Pack 3 or Windows Small Business Server 2003 SP1. Follow one of the following methods to enable the ActiveX control.

Method 1

Use the Manage Add-ons dialog in Internet Explorer to enable the Terminal Services ActiveX Control. For more information, refer to article You cannot connect to a remote computer when you use Terminal Services Web Access or Remote Web Workspace on a Windows XP SP3-based computer

If the ActiveX control is not listed in Manage Add-ons dialog, follow Method 2 below.

Method 2

1. Click Start, Run. Type Regedit.exe and press ENTER

2. Navigate to the following branch:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Ext \ Settings

3. Double-click Settings to expand the branch

4. Right-click {7584c670-2274-4efb-b00b-d6aaba6d3850} and choose Delete

5. Click Yes when asked for confirmation.

Close all instances of Internet Explorer and re-run Remote Desktop Web Connection.

Registry Fix

To automate the above, download tsweb-enable.zip and save to Desktop. Extract the contents and run the file tsweb-enable.reg file. To reverse the changes, run tsweb-disable.reg.

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27 Comments

Imran

said this on Monday, October 19th 2009 8:49 pm

I deleted the both registry keys from HKCU and added the site to my Trusted sites list and still receiving the same prompt. Is there anything else I can try?
Eric

said this on Wednesday, September 30th 2009 11:37 pm

I delete the file from the registry but i still can’t install the active x add on. I’m running XP SP3 and IE 7.

Thanks
Jose Lopez

said this on Wednesday, September 9th 2009 12:52 am

Thanks a bunch !
Doug

said this on Thursday, August 13th 2009 7:55 am

What if this key wasn’t present and your still experiencing the issue.
Paulo

said this on Wednesday, August 5th 2009 6:05 pm

Tanks a lot!!!

You saved my life!!!!
RS

said this on Friday, July 3rd 2009 10:18 am

Ramesh, thank you. And PLEASE do everyone a favor and get hired by Microsoft. They must really, really need you.
Steve

said this on Tuesday, May 19th 2009 1:25 pm

Well done-works fine.
Lotta

said this on Friday, March 13th 2009 3:34 pm

Thank You! It worked at onece, great
Miguel

said this on Wednesday, March 11th 2009 9:21 pm

Thank you, this works perfectly after 2 days of research and testing…
david

said this on Sunday, March 1st 2009 9:02 pm

brilliant works 100%