First login to Windows Server via RDP

Windows Server 2022 and 2025 are available when ordering at /hosting/vds/new and during reinstallation on the “Access” tab. The machine is created and boots in about a minute, but the first Windows installation inside takes longer — give it a few minutes before trying RDP.

Where to get the address and password

Both values are in the control panel at /hosting/vds/m/<id>:

• the IPv4 address is shown on the “Overview” tab;
• the administrator password is there too, masked, and on the “Access” tab via a button. It is stored encrypted, so it is only visible on request.

The account is Administrator. The connection string looks like YOUR_ADDRESS:3389.

Connection

Windows. Press Win+R, type mstsc, enter the address, then the login Administrator and the password. On first login, a certificate warning appears — for a fresh machine this is normal, the certificate is self-signed.

macOS. The Windows App (formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop) from the App Store.

Linux. The Remmina client or the console command:

xfreerdp /v:YOUR_ADDRESS /u:Administrator /p:'PASSWORD' /dynamic-resolution /clipboard

If RDP does not respond, use the “Console” tab in “Screen” mode — this is VNC, it works independently of the network inside the machine and of the remote desktop service. The text console on the serial port is useless for Windows.

The first fifteen minutes

1. Change the administrator password. Ctrl+Alt+End in the RDP session, then “Change password”. The control panel knows the password from the panel; only you should know the working password.
2. Check the time zone and time. Set-TimeZone -Id "Russian Standard Time" in PowerShell as administrator.
3. Install updates. A fresh image almost always lags by several cumulative packages, see Windows Server updates.
4. Set the machine name if it matters for your services: Rename-Computer -NewName app01 -Restart.
5. Restrict access to RDP. Port 3389 open to the entire internet starts being brute-forced within the first hours. How to close it — in the article RDP protection.

Common mistakes

• Trying RDP thirty seconds after ordering. Windows is still installing and reboots itself. Look at “Screen” in the console — there you can see what stage it is at.
• Copying the password with an extra space. Use the copy button in the control panel, not mouse selection.
• Thinking that an RDP session can just be closed with the X. That way the session remains hanging and takes up memory. End it via “Start” → “Sign out”.
• Opening RDP to the outside and leaving the password from the panel. This is the most common cause of Windows machines being hacked.

Keep in mind the resource requirements: Windows Server itself takes about 2 GB of memory. On VDS-1 (2 GB) it will boot, but working in it will be hard — for real tasks, take VDS-3 and higher.