The Final Guide

Using Remote Assistance the Novice users can request help from Expert users on Windows XP machines over the Internet. With this tool, one user, called the “Expert,” can view the desktop of another user, the “Novice.” With the Novice’s permission, the Expert can even share control of the Novice’s computer to resolve issues remotely.

Requirements for Remote Assistance

• Same version of Windows XP operating system must be installed on the both novice’s computer and the expert’s computer or either Windows Server 2003 on both novice’s computer and expert’s computer.
• Expert’s computer and Novice’s computer must be connected using a common network, Internet can serve as this common network.

Sending a Remote Assistance Invitation

1. Novice user can send Invitation to an expert user by clicking Start, and then clicking Help and Support.
2. Click the Invite a friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance under Ask for Assistance.
3. Click Invite someone to help you when the Remote Assistance page is displayed.
4. Available options for sending the Remote Assistance invitation: Windows Messenger, email, or saving the invitation as a file.
5. Using the email or Save as Invitation methods, Expert’s connecting session will be provided with a password. Noice user must give a time period within which the invitation will be automatically expired and the Novice user can expire any invitation (invitations which are valid also) by clicking the View invitation status.
6. Expert will be able to connect to Novice’s computer when he/she receives the invitation. While connecting the Expert has to enter the password which was set by Novice. When the connecting credentials are authenticated the Expert can initiate the Remote Assistance session.
7. The Invitation status is made sure by the Novice computer whether the invitation is still open, otherwise session will be terminated. If the invitation is open and the password is correct, the Novice receives a notification stating that the Expert wants to start the session now and the Novice is prompted to start the Remote Assistance session.
8. If the Novice user accepts to start the session then the Remote Assistance Novice chat dialog box will open on the Novice’s computer and the Remote Assistance Expert console opens on the Expert’s computer. At this point, the Expert can see everything on the Novice computer, in real time.
9. The Expert can request to take control of the Novices computer at this point by clicking the Take Control button on the Expert console which sends a message to the Novice’s computer notifying the Novice that the Expert is requesting to take control of the computer. The message provides the following three methods by which the Novice can stop the Experts control of their computer:
   Press the ESC key.
   Hold down the CTRL key, and then press the C key.
   Click the Stop Control button next to the Novice’s chat window.
10. If the Novice chooses to give control of the computer to the Expert, the Novice and the Expert share control of the keyboard and the mouse. It is best if the Novice does not move the mouse or type when the Expert has control because the session responds to both users inputs, which causes the mouse to behave erratically. If the Novice stops control, the Remote Assistance session continues and the Expert can still see the Novice’s desktop.