By default, remote desktop connections to a Windows Server 2008 get Windows Classic theme. Enabling Aero or Windows 7 Basic theme requires a couple of steps, and here are the relevant settings (for next time I'll have to do this again)
On server:
1) Add the Desktop Experience feature from the Server Manager.
2) Set the Themes service to autostart, and start the Themes service.
3) Enable the �Allow desktop composition for remote desktop sessions� policy from gpedit.
The policy path is �ComputerConfiguration\AdministrativeTemplates\WindowsComponents\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Remote Session Environment�
4) Enable 32bpp for RDP connections - In Server Manager, go to �Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration� under �Remote Desktop Services� role, right-click on the connection to bring up �RDP-Tcp Properties�, uncheck �Limit Maximum Color Depth� from �Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.�
More details on the steps above here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2009/06/23/aero-glass-remoting-in-windows-server-2008-r2.aspx
5) Since the defaul theme is Classic and can't be changed from Display Properties while connecting through RD, you need to force Aero as a default theme. Again use gpedit, under User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Personalization\Force a specific visual style or force Windows Classic, set it to Enabled and type in the Path to Theme file "%windir%\Resources\Themes\Aero\aero.msstyles".
More details on this here: http://windows7themes.net/windows-7-theme-group-policy.html
On the client machine:
1) In Mstsc's options, the color depth of the remote session must be set to 32-bit
2) �Desktop composition� must be enabled on the Experience tab
(If the above are not set, the Windows 7 Basic theme will be used instead of Aero)
On server:
1) Add the Desktop Experience feature from the Server Manager.
2) Set the Themes service to autostart, and start the Themes service.
3) Enable the �Allow desktop composition for remote desktop sessions� policy from gpedit.
The policy path is �ComputerConfiguration\AdministrativeTemplates\WindowsComponents\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Remote Session Environment�
4) Enable 32bpp for RDP connections - In Server Manager, go to �Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration� under �Remote Desktop Services� role, right-click on the connection to bring up �RDP-Tcp Properties�, uncheck �Limit Maximum Color Depth� from �Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.�
More details on the steps above here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2009/06/23/aero-glass-remoting-in-windows-server-2008-r2.aspx
5) Since the defaul theme is Classic and can't be changed from Display Properties while connecting through RD, you need to force Aero as a default theme. Again use gpedit, under User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Personalization\Force a specific visual style or force Windows Classic, set it to Enabled and type in the Path to Theme file "%windir%\Resources\Themes\Aero\aero.msstyles".
More details on this here: http://windows7themes.net/windows-7-theme-group-policy.html
On the client machine:
1) In Mstsc's options, the color depth of the remote session must be set to 32-bit
2) �Desktop composition� must be enabled on the Experience tab
(If the above are not set, the Windows 7 Basic theme will be used instead of Aero)
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