A big reason to use an Admin RDP or Windows VPS is that it stays on when your own computer is off. Long downloads, automation, a remote work session or a trading terminal can keep running all day and night, as long as a few settings are right.
1. Disconnect instead of signing out
- Disconnect: close the Remote Desktop window. Your session and every program in it keep running.
- Sign out: ends the session and closes every program.
Check what is running before you leave: in Task Manager's Users tab your session shows as Active while connected and Disconnected after you close the window. Both are fine; a session that is no longer listed has been signed out.
2. Make sure disconnected sessions are not ended
By default Windows keeps disconnected sessions indefinitely, but a policy may have been set. Check it:
- Press Windows + R, type
gpedit.mscand press Enter. - Go to Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Remote Desktop Services → Remote Desktop Session Host → Session Time Limits.
- Set time limit for disconnected sessions and Set time limit for active but idle Remote Desktop Services sessions should be Not configured (or set to Never).
3. Turn off sleep
Servers normally never sleep, but if your desktop uses a client-style power plan, turn sleep and hibernation off:
powercfg /change standby-timeout-ac 0
powercfg /change hibernate-timeout-ac 0
powercfg /change monitor-timeout-ac 04. Plan for Windows Update restarts
Updates eventually need a restart, which closes every program. Set active hours to your busiest period and install updates yourself in a quiet window: Windows Update on a VPS.
5. Start programs again after a restart
- For programs with a window, add a shortcut to your Startup folder (
shell:startupin Windows + R). It runs when you sign in. - For scripts and background jobs, use Task Scheduler with an At startup trigger.
- For MetaTrader, follow Auto-start MetaTrader after a reboot.
Tip: After any restart, connect once and confirm your programs are running. A two-minute check beats finding out hours later that something did not start.
6. Leave headroom
Programs running for weeks can slowly use more memory. Check now and then with Task Manager (guide) and restart a program in a quiet moment if its memory keeps growing.
Troubleshooting
- Programs closed overnight: check Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System for a restart (event ID 1074 shows who or what started it).
- Session was signed out: check the session time limit policies in step 2.