How to Use Windows XP Remote Assistance

Posted on July 14th, 2009 by Marck

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Before the days of Remote Assistance, system administrators usually had to go to the workstation to fix a problem. There are some situations where the physical presence of a system administrator is needed, but most problems in Windows XP can be resolved using the Remote Assistance utility.

What is Remote Assistance?

Remote Assistance is a utility in Windows XP used to troubleshoot computer problems using network resources and functionalities. Instead of troubleshooting the computer by going to the physical location, the system administrator can instead repair your computer over the network.

To enable Remote Assistance, you need the following:

Computers wired together in a local area network
Both computers must run genuine Windows XP with Remote Assistance
Both computers must have Windows Messenger installed (if you’re going to run Remote Assistance via a messenger service)

Using Remote Assistance

There are two ways to use Remote Assistance:

Messenger Service

Windows Messenger is the fastest way to use Remote Assistance. If you use a messenger service, it makes it easy for the system or network administrator to temporarily take control of your computer, and fix the problem. To enable Remote Assistance through Windows Messenger, follow these steps:

Sign in to your Windows Messenger account.
Click the “Tools” menu on the menu bar, and click “Ask for Remote Assistance.”
Select the e-mail contact of your system or network administrator.
A dialog box will prompt you to say that the administrator wishes to temporarily take control of your computer. Follow the steps, enter the password, and let the administrator perform the rest of the tasks needed to resolve your computer problem.

E-Mail Invitation

If you don’t have Windows Messenger installed on your computer, you can enable Remote Assistance by sending an e-mail notification to the system administrator. The e-mail message acts as a “ticket” by which the administrator can repair your computer remotely. To enable Remote Assistance through an e-mail message, follow these steps:

Go to the Start menu and click “Help and Support.”
From the dialog box, click the option labeled “Invite a friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance.”
Click the option “Invite someone to help you,” and select a contact from Microsoft Outlook.
Fill in the details, set a password, and send the e-mail invitation.
Once the e-mail invitation has been set, the administrator will then prompt you to ask if he or she can temporarily take control of your computer. Confirm the permission, and let the administrator repair your computer.

Remote Assistance is very useful utility that maximizes your network resources to perform all troubleshooting tasks for your computer. With these steps, you don’t have to go to your system administrator’s office to have your computer repaired.