Troubleshooting Missing RemoteApp Icons in Windows Server 2008 R2 RD Web Access


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When accessing RD Web Access at https://servername.domain.local/RDWeb after successful authentication, the RemoteApp Programs tab displays no application icons despite proper configuration in RemoteApp Manager. The environment consists of:

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 with RDS role installed
  • Multiple applications added and enabled for RD Web Access
  • Administrative privileges confirmed

Start by checking these critical components:

# PowerShell command to verify published RemoteApps
Get-RDRemoteApp -ConnectionBroker "YourServerName" | 
  Select-Object DisplayName, Path, CommandLineSetting, Enabled

Key verification points:

  • IIS application pool identity for RDWeb has proper permissions
  • Check Event Viewer under Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > TerminalServices*
  • Verify the XML feed URL: https://servername/RDWeb/Feed/webfeed.aspx

The most frequent root cause involves incorrect NTFS permissions on the icon cache. Try this repair script:

# Reset icon cache permissions
$iconPath = "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\RemoteApp"
icacls $iconPath /reset
icacls $iconPath /grant "NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users":(OI)(CI)(RX)
icacls $iconPath /grant "BUILTIN\IIS_IUSRS":(OI)(CI)(RX)

Check these critical registry keys (backup first!):

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\TSAppAllowList]
"fEnabled"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\TSAppSrv]
"ConfigurationPath"="C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\RemoteApp"

When basic checks pass but icons still won't load:

  1. Verify SSL certificate chain validity
  2. Check for mixed content warnings in browser console (F12)
  3. Test with IE compatibility mode if using modern browsers

Before considering server rebuild:

  • Restart IIS: iisreset /noforce
  • Restart Remote Desktop Services: Restart-Service TermService -Force
  • Clear browser cache and test with private session
  • Verify DNS resolution for server FQDN

When working with Remote Desktop Services (RDS) on Windows Server 2008 R2, you might encounter a particularly frustrating scenario: You've configured everything correctly in RemoteApp Manager, assigned permissions, enabled RD Web Access - but when you navigate to https://servername.domain.local/RDWeb, the RemoteApp Programs tab shows absolutely nothing. No icons, no applications, just emptiness.

First, let's confirm the fundamental requirements are met:

# PowerShell snippet to check RemoteApp configuration
Get-RDRemoteApp -ConnectionBroker "YourServerName" | Format-Table -Property DisplayName, Enabled

All applications should show Enabled = True. If they don't, you can enable them with:

Enable-RDRemoteApp -ConnectionBroker "YourServerName" -Alias "YourAppAlias"

Even with administrative privileges, certain security contexts might prevent icon display. Check these aspects:

  • Ensure you're accessing RDWeb with domain credentials, not local accounts
  • Verify the user/group has permissions in both RemoteApp Manager and IIS
  • Check the RD Web Access computer is in the same domain as the RDS server

The RDWeb virtual directory in IIS might be misconfigured. Verify:

# Check application pool identity
Import-Module WebAdministration
Get-ItemProperty 'IIS:\AppPools\RD Web Access' | Select-Object name, processModel

It should run under a domain account with proper permissions. You might need to recycle the app pool after making changes:

Restart-WebAppPool -Name "RD Web Access"

RemoteApp icons are cached on both server and client sides. Try clearing them:

# Server-side cache location
Remove-Item -Path "$env:windir\Temp\RemoteAppIcons\*" -Force

On the client side, clear browser cache or try accessing RDWeb in private browsing mode.

If the issue persists, examine these less common but critical areas:

  • Verify DNS resolution for the server name
  • Check for mixed HTTP/HTTPS content issues
  • Inspect IIS logs for authentication errors
  • Ensure proper SSL certificate binding

This comprehensive PowerShell script checks multiple configuration points:

# RemoteApp Configuration Checker
$server = "YourServerName"

# Check RemoteApp programs
Write-Host "RemoteApp Programs:" -ForegroundColor Cyan
Get-RDRemoteApp -ConnectionBroker $server | Select-Object DisplayName, Enabled, Alias

# Check IIS configuration
Write-Host "nIIS Configuration:" -ForegroundColor Cyan
Get-WebConfigurationProperty -Filter "/system.webServer/security/authentication/anonymousAuthentication" -Name enabled -PSPath "IIS:\Sites\Default Web Site\RDWeb"
Get-WebConfigurationProperty -Filter "/system.webServer/security/authentication/windowsAuthentication" -Name enabled -PSPath "IIS:\Sites\Default Web Site\RDWeb"

# Check service status
Write-Host "nService Status:" -ForegroundColor Cyan
Get-Service -Name TSGateway, TSSessionDir, TSWEB -ComputerName $server | Select-Object Name, Status