If you cannot use remote connection software such as RDP and rdesktop to connect to a Windows instance, you can use the VNC Connection feature in the console to log on to the instance and view the real-time status of the instance operating interface.

Prerequisites

A logon password is set for the instance.
Note If you have not set a password or forget the password, you can reset the password for the instance. For more information, see Reset the logon password of an instance.

Background information

The following passwords are involved when you use VNC to connect to an instance:
  • VNC password: the password of management terminals used to connect to the ECS console.
  • Instance logon password: the password used to log on to the instance operating system.

By default, a remote VNC connection session lasts for about 300 seconds. If you do not perform operations within these 300 seconds, the connection to the instance is disconnected. You must connect to the instance again.

If you cannot use remote connection software to connect to your instance, you can use the VNC Connection feature in the ECS console to connect to the instance and view the status of the instance. The following table describes the related scenarios.

Scenario Solution
The instance starts slowly due to self-check on startup. Check the self-check progress.
The firewall of the operating system is enabled by mistake. Disable the firewall.
The ECS instance is hacked into, which causes a high CPU utilization and high bandwidth usage. Troubleshoot and terminate abnormal processes.

Procedure

The following figure shows the workflow.Procedure
  1. Log on to the ECS console.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Instances & Images > Instances.
  3. In the top navigation bar, select a region.
  4. On the Instances page, find the instance to be connected and click Connect in the Actions column.
  5. Connect to a VNC management terminal.
    Note The VNC password is used in this step.
    • For the first time:
      1. Change the VNC password. For more information, see the Change the VNC password section.
      2. In the Modify VNC Password dialog box, enter the new password.
      3. Click OK.
    • For the second or later time:
      1. In the Enter VNC Password dialog box, enter the password.
      2. Click OK.
  6. In the upper-left corner of the VNC page, choose Send Remote Call > CTRL+ALT+DELETE.
    Windows shortcut combination
  7. Select an account, enter the instance password, and then press the Enter key.
    By default, the Administrator account is available.

Change the VNC password

When you connect to the VNC management terminal for the first time, you must change the VNC password. You can also change the VNC password when you forget the password or want to update the password.
Notice After you change the VNC password for a non-I/O optimized instance, you must restart the instance in the ECS console for the new password to take effect. Before you restart the instance, you must stop it. This can lead to service interruption. Proceed with caution.
  1. On the Instances page, find the instance to be connected and click Connect in the Actions column.
  2. In the Enter VNC Password dialog box, click Modify VNC Password.
  3. In the Modify VNC Password dialog box, enter and confirm the new password, and then click OK.
  4. Optional:If the instance is a non-I/O optimized instance, restart the instance.
    For more information, see Reboot the instance.

Copy long commands

If you want to copy a long-text item such as a download URL from your computer to the instance, you can use the command copy feature.

  1. On the Instances page, find the instance to be connected and click Connect in the Actions column.
  2. Connect to a VNC management terminal.
  3. In the upper-left corner of the interface, click Enter Copy Commands.
  4. In the Copy and Paste Commands dialog box, enter the content to be copied and click OK.

References

If you want to adjust the resolution of the Windows desktop, see How do I adjust the desktop resolution of a Windows instance?.