The MRC Mirror Driver is a Video Driver that allows the MRC program to retrieve the screen information and updates of the remote machine directly from the Kernel. Without using the MRC Mirror Driver, the MRC program scrapes the screen of the remote machine by reading the remote Video Card's Memory via Microsoft API calls.
The MRC Mirror Driver increases the performance of the MRC connection and decreases the CPU load for the MRC Client Agent Service on a remote machine. To use the MRC Mirror Driver for an MRC connection, enable the "Use MRC Mirror Driver" option in the Remote Connect dialog prior to the MRC connection attempt.
The first time an MRC connection is made to a remote machine, a message is displayed stating, "Configuring for first time use. This may take up to 2 minutes." Once completed, subsequent MRC connections to the same remote machine will occur without this message being displayed.
The MRC Mirror Driver, along with the keyboard driver and the smart card driver, can also be installed prior to establishing an MRC connection by using the MSI Builder. Simply enable to option to "Install the mirror driver" prior to building the MSI package. For more detailed information and instructions regarding the DameWare MSI Builder, see the Help Topic entitled, "MRC Client Agent Service Installation Methods" in the Additional Information and Instructions section.
The MRC Mirror Driver is supported on the following 32-bit and 64-bit Operating Systems:
- Windows 2000 Workstation or Server
- Windows XP
- Windows 2003 Server
- Windows Vista
- Windows 2008 Server
- Windows 7
Using the MRC Mirror Driver is not required to successfully establish an MRC connection. The "Use MRC Mirror Driver" checkbox can be un-selected prior to attempting an MRC connection to disable its use. It can be removed as would other device drivers through the Operating System's Device Manager interface.
Notes on limitations:
1. The MRC Mirror Driver supports multiple monitor systems, however, due to a documented flaw in Windows Operating Systems prior to Vista, negative coordinate monitors are not supported by the MRC Mirror Driver. Negative coordinate monitors are secondary monitors that are installed above or to the left of the primary display. When the MRC program detects a remote monitor that has a negative beginning coordinate it will drop out of Mirror Driver mode and revert back to standard MRC behavior.
The remote machine's multiple monitor configuration can be easily adjusted through the Operating System's Display Properties dialog. In order for the Mirror Driver to work properly, the upper left monitor must be the primary display with all other monitors installed directly below it, or to the right.
2. Desktop wallpaper is not supported by the MRC Mirror Driver on multi-monitor sytems prior to Windows Vista, due to the same flaw mentioned previously. The MRC program will automatically disable the background image when using the Mirror driver to connect to a remote machine that has multiple monitors attached. The background image will be restored on disconnect.
3. The MRC Mirror Driver is not supported when connecting to remote machines with the "Media Center" portion of Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) running. A connection can be made to a remote machine running Windows XP MCE without using the MRC Mirror Driver or with the MRC Mirror Driver when "Media Center" is not running.
4. If an MRC connection is established to a remote machine that has a Java, OpenGL, or DirectX program running on it, a black, gray, white, or clear portion of the screen may be displayed in the place of these applications. Whether or not the MRC program can display some of these applications depends on how information from these applications are being displayed on the screen. Applications that use non-standard methods of drawing information on the screen may potentially be displayed through the MRC connection by disabling the use of the MRC Mirror Driver.