Remote desktop shortcut for shadow/console session

The microsoft KB article suggests a way to connect to the console session http://support.microsoft.com/kb/278845. So even if you are disconnected or you want to connect to the active physical desktop session, then you can do so by specifying '/console' option to mstsc. Unfortunately there is no check box or any other way from mstsc GUI to specify to connect to a console session. A simple workaround is to change/create a shortcut for mstsc by adding '/console' as arguments to mstsc.exe in the 'Target' field.

Add/remove programs windows is blank/waiting

I have had problem of Add/remove programs being stuck, in creating list of applications. After searching through microsoft site none of the solutions offered fixed the problem

Finally a solution on tom's hardware had the fix, which is was due to invalid path of java

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/85414-45-remove-programs-program-open

The exact key may be different, but in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Uninstall there should a key for java which has '\\' instead of a single slash. Once this has been changed add/remove dialog opens fine.