Vista: Net Send is Gone; Use msg console Instead.

Filed under: Tech Stuff — Written by Chrissy on Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007 @ 3:59 pm

Today, I needed to net send a message to myself, but soon realized that it disappeared and is no longer supported in Vista. Then I found a a post on MSDN tipped me off to use msg instead. Msg is usually used for sending messages to terminal services users but, remembering that the console session has an ID of 1, I decided to try sending a message to the console user. As it turns out, msg 1 test worked both locally and remotely in Vista.

Then, I tried running the command on an XP machine, only to realize that XP's terminal services console ID was 0 and not 1. In order to msg the console in XP, I had to run msg 0 test. So what is session 0 in Vista? Well, according to the query session command, "services" use the ID of 0 in terminal services. Whoops. It appears that the best way for this to work across XP and Vista machines would be to use "msg console test" or "msg * test" or "msg username test". If you'd like to message remote machines, you can do so by pointing to a file that contains the names of multiple machines or by using the /SERVER switch ie. msg /SERVER:computername console "Message goes here".

If you need additional options or help, check out the TechNet article for more information.

Update: For those of you receiving the error message "error 5 getting session names", this appears to be a permissions error. Unlike "net send," you must be on the same Windows domain to send msgs to other computers. This is a good thing -- it means that msg is not prone to being abused by spammers.

29 Comments   -
  • Comment by Seba | May 29, 2007 @ 9:58 am

    Hi thank you for your post!!! It was very helpfull..

    but i am still stuck with something...you probably can help me?:)

  • Comment by Sindre | July 18, 2007 @ 8:45 am

    I only get an "error 5 getting session names". What am I doing wrong? I believe I've tried everything.. :(

  • Comment by Psokolov | July 25, 2007 @ 4:54 am

    Free netsend for Vista
    http://www.cezeo.com/products/netsend/

    Commercial replacement
    http://www.cezeo.com/products/lantalk-xp/

  • Comment by Chrissy | August 1, 2007 @ 3:22 am

    Hey Sindre,
    I cant duplicate the problem. Do you have proper permissions to access the other machine? Are you both on a domain?

  • Comment by Tony | August 16, 2007 @ 4:28 am

    I am having the same issue "error 5 getting session names". I can send messages to myself from my own computer but I cannot send messages to my remote clients on my domain.

  • Comment by Tony | August 16, 2007 @ 9:44 am

    Ok. Never mind ... I guess this is only for terminal servers...

  • Comment by Chrissy | August 16, 2007 @ 1:57 pm

    Tony,
    Vista and XP come with it built in (as well as servers). Are you on a domain? Do you have permissions to the other workstations?

  • Comment by Bac | September 14, 2007 @ 11:28 pm

    Great to know of such a tool. My Vista (notebook) is not logon to any domain, and my room PC (windows XP) is not logon to any domain too. Both have private IP. (eg. 192.168.0.2 and 192.168.0.3). Ping able bidirectionly. Wireless router 192.168.0.1. Can the msg work? Got the message Error 5 getting session names when i attempt to send to my room PC.

  • Comment by henk | September 26, 2007 @ 2:38 am

    I am struggling with the same (Error 5) Why is nobody responding here ?

  • Comment by Chrissy | September 26, 2007 @ 4:12 am

    Henk,
    My response is in the post. I only have Bac's response to go on, though.

  • Comment by jam | September 30, 2007 @ 11:59 am

    Hi folk,

    I too have been trying to get this one sorted out for 1.5 days (well in between bouts of pointless partying - it is a holiday weekend here in Sydney... Queen's birthday... thank you ma'am) and googling has led me to this url (nice one chrissy!) plus this other one http://www.elitehackers.info/forums/showthread.php?p=56178 both of which are unresolved. It's interesting from my point of view that they are both quite recent threads... usually I'm reading up on stuff that puts me way behind the times so it is worth me writing for once. By the way I only tried to accomplish this task a for the purposes of waking up my mate crashed out on the couch next to a computer plugged into the hi-fi with a msg and loud 'beep'! But I couldn't get it happening dagnabbit.

    Ok let me summarise my situation and observations:

    * PC1 is running XP SP2
    * PC2 is running Vista Ultimate
    * They are networked together and on the same Workgroup with a wireless router/switch in there somewhere - PC1 is wireless while PC2 is directly connected to the switch via lan cable (as well as directly connected to the stereo for extra loud beeps)
    * There is mutual ping-ability between them... I can remote desktop either way... I can access shared folders both ways meaning that I can browse to shared folders on PC1 (XP) "My network places\Microsoft Windows Network\WORKGROUPname\PC2name\share" and on PC2 "My Network Places\
    On PC1 (XP) command prompt:
    ENTER:
    msg * test OR
    msg 0 test OR
    msg /SERVER:PC1name console test
    RESULT:
    PC1 gets a message from PC1user
    PC2 gets nothing

    ENTER:
    msg 1 test OR
    msg 2 test
    RESULT:
    1 (or 2) does not exist or is disconnected

    ENTER:
    msg /SERVER:PC2name console test
    RESULT:
    Error opening Terminal server PC2name
    Error [1722]:The RPC server is unavailable

    On PC2 (Vista) command prompt:
    ENTER:
    msg 0 test
    RESULT:
    absolutely nothing... no error and no messages
    ENTER:
    msg * test OR
    msg 1 test OR
    msg /SERVER:PC2name console test
    RESULT:
    PC2 gets a message from PC1user
    PC1 gets nothing

    ENTER:
    msg 2 test
    RESULT:
    0 (or 2) does not exist or is disconnected

    ENTER:
    msg /SERVER:PC1name console test
    RESULT:
    Error 5 getting session names

    Interestingly (ok it is for netnerds possibly) I seem to be able to sit on PC2 (Vista) and map a shared network drive that exists on PC1 (XP) as expected but the other way rouund looks like it's going to fail... and then succeeds!?! i.e. If I sit on (or near) PC1 (XP) and try to map a shared network drive that exists on PC2 (Vista) it gives an error popup along the lines of "this is shared under a different username\password" followed by another one "you must disconnect your existing shared drive first" or something and then it succeeds anyway! I disconnected and re-mapped without any error boxes the second time which is why I'm just paraphrasing the two error boxes from memory. No problems re-mapping a third time or any other shared drives from then on. Weird. After that I hopefully tried to msg between machines again to no avail. grrrr....!!!

    Anyway there you go. Probably more confusing than anything but I really hope someone can figure this out so I can reliably annoy those with hangovers lying on my couch with loud msg beeps ongoing. Need a drink after that epic... my typing is poor and slow.

  • Comment by jam | September 30, 2007 @ 12:09 pm

    sorry cut and paste error in the scientific test regime above. it should have read:

    On PC2 (Vista):
    ENTER:
    msg 2 test
    RESULT:
    2 does not exist or is disconnected

    Do you think this is something to do with the permissions for making Remote Procedure Calls on a Vista machine? I urgently need to bug my guests before their headaches clear up!

  • Comment by jam | September 30, 2007 @ 12:33 pm

    hokey-smokes... and another typo...

    On PC2 (Vista)
    ENTER:
    msg * test OR
    msg 1 test OR
    msg /SERVER:PC2name console test
    RESULT:
    PC2 gets a message from PC2user
    PC1 gets nothing

    oh boy I'm going back to bed zzzzzzzzzzzzz

  • Comment by Marijus Šmiginas | October 4, 2007 @ 2:42 pm

    I have the same message "error 5 getting session names" when I'm trying send message via msg to another computer on the windows domain.
    DC Windows Server 2000
    connected to domain different computers (Vista Ultimate, XP)
    I'm logged on vista as domain admin and still getting the same error message either sending message to XP or Vista computer
    What is the problem? Could please anybody help with this error?

  • Comment by Pradeep | November 16, 2007 @ 2:58 am

    when i try to use msg command i get a message acess denied..

  • Comment by me | November 23, 2007 @ 5:21 am

    you have used the term domain, will it work on a workgroup?

  • Comment by KY | December 12, 2007 @ 2:30 am

    I do tried out all the possible command to MSG my domain members and yet error 5 keep on pop up .

    i have configure as Administrator in another Vista machine too (Both Vista Enterprise)

    Can anyone give me some light ? And i do find out in MSG do not have command such as /Domain in Net send .

    so how to send msg to my domain memebr?

  • Comment by Pete | December 20, 2007 @ 3:59 am

    thank you very much for this information!

  • Comment by mbd | December 26, 2007 @ 12:48 pm

    Omg I found it, thank you very much. I will be do this.

  • Comment by me | March 18, 2008 @ 3:08 pm

    When I use MSG, I get told "MSG is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file." Why isn't it working? And why can't I find anyone with the same problem?

    I am using Vista.

  • Comment by Joshua Xiong | April 8, 2008 @ 8:32 pm

    JoshuaLovePacheng@yahoo.com
    www.myspace.com/JoshuaXiong

    C:\Windows\system32>msg * test OR
    'msg' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
    operable program or batch file.

  • Comment by Christian | May 18, 2008 @ 3:03 pm

    I think it would be cool if anyone could answer ME's question, namely "you have used the term domain, will it work on a workgroup?".

    Maybe it's obvious, but I'm not very good at these things. If the answer is no, then I guess I'll just have to give up the idea of using msg.exe...

  • Comment by Thomaz | June 11, 2008 @ 8:50 am

    D:\Users\dgp>msg /server:beta Administrador "Please contact help desk immediatel
    y!"

    VISTA ULTIMATE + MICROSOFT WINDOWS 2003 ENTERPRISE OK

  • Comment by Lawrence | June 15, 2008 @ 10:19 am

    [quote]When I use MSG, I get told "MSG is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file." Why isn't it working? And why can't I find anyone with the same problem?

    I am using Vista.
    [/quote]

    same here

  • Comment by Neal | June 21, 2008 @ 8:40 pm

    Using msg with terminal server and thin clients. Read Controlling Connection Access on Microsoft Technet. January 21, 2005

  • Comment by Nathan | July 13, 2008 @ 9:19 pm

    I don't think windows vista HOME edition includes msg. General Tip: Don't buy the cheapest version of things!! Best of luck.

  • Comment by Tun | July 31, 2008 @ 2:44 am

    Hi

    Honestly, I don't know how to connect my mate machine. I used like that msg 192.168.2.31 and then type messsage.

    My one is 192.168.2.40

    How can we connect each other pls

  • Comment by Consoles | August 14, 2008 @ 4:00 am

    I found the solution to Access is Denied errors when using the above commands.
    That's caused by WinXP SP2.
    you need to add this registry entry:
    HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server
    Name : AllowRemoteRPC
    Type : REG_DWORD
    Value : 1

    Restart and then try sending and it should work.
    Worked for me on 3 out of 3 PC's so far.

  • Pingback message capability between peer-to-peer - Vista Forums | August 30, 2008 @ 4:16 pm

    [...] command There is more information about this command here:Msg: Management Services and here:

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Leave your comment