VM start but I wait long. Then is not possible to connect VM

Question

VM start but I wait long. Then is not possible to connect VM

Got Transport Ltd 0

Hi. Please help: VM start but I wait long then is not possible to connect VM. I am user of VM for short time. I am still learning. To Monday this week my VM let me practice and using it. But then I change something and now I am stack for few days. FIrstly when I start VM I have to wait long abount 10 min. Secondly when VM start and I try connect via RDP file there is said:Remote access to the server is not enabled, The remote computer is turned off, Yhe remote computer is not availeble on the network.

Please advise me.

Thank you

0 comments

3 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Andreas Baumgarten 132.3K MVP Volunteer Moderator

Hi @Got Transport Ltd ,

please take a look here and follow/verify the steps: Troubleshoot Remote Desktop connections to an Azure virtual machine

(If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

Regards

Andreas Baumgarten

0 comments

Answer 2

Got Transport Ltd 0

In the VM blade, under Help, open Resource health and confirm the VM is Available : yes there is said :2 health events

Sujitha Lakkireddy 0 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-30T13:46:39.7133333+00:00
Hi Got Transport Ltd,

Thank you for reaching out on Microsoft Q&A forum.

Based on the error message, this appears to be an RDP connectivity issue with the Azure Windows VM. This can happen if RDP is disabled, Windows Firewall is blocking RDP, the Network Security Group rule for port 3389 is missing or changed, the public IP has changed, or the VM OS is not booting properly.

Please follow the below step-by-step resolution plan:

Step 1: Verify VM status

Go to Azure Portal → Virtual Machines → Select the affected VM.

Confirm that the VM status is Running.

If the VM is stopped or deallocated, start the VM and wait until it shows Running.

Step 2: Download a new RDP file

Go to Azure Portal → VM → Connect → RDP.

Download a fresh RDP file and try connecting again.

This helps if the old RDP file is pointing to an old or changed IP address.

Step 3: Verify Public IP

On the VM Overview page, confirm that the VM has a Public IP address assigned.

If there is no Public IP and you are connecting directly over the internet, RDP will not work unless access is through VPN, Azure Bastion, or a private network. Step 4: Check NSG inbound rule

Go to VM → Networking → Inbound port rules.

Confirm that TCP port 3389 is allowed from the required source IP.

Recommended rule:

- Source: Customer/client public IP

- Destination port: 3389

- Protocol: TCP

- Action: Allow

Please avoid allowing port 3389 from Any/Internet unless it is only for temporary testing.

Step 5: Reset RDP configuration

Go to Azure Portal → VM → Reset password.

Select Mode: Reset configuration only.

Click Update.

Wait a few minutes and try RDP again.

This resets the RDP configuration and Windows Firewall rules.

Step 6: Reset local admin password, if required

If the RDP connection reaches the login screen but credentials fail, go to VM → Reset password.

Select Reset password.

Enter the local admin username and set a new password.

Retry the RDP connection.

Step 7: Check Boot diagnostics

Go to VM → Boot diagnostics.

Review the screenshot and serial logs.

Confirm whether the VM has reached the Windows login screen or if it is stuck during boot, Windows update, recovery, or an error screen.

Answer 3

Follow these steps in order and test RDP after each one:

Check that the VM is really running
- Go to the Azure portal and open the VM.
- On the Overview page, confirm the Status is Running (not Stopped/Deallocated or Updating).
- If it is stopped, click Start and wait a few minutes before trying RDP again.
Use Azure’s built‑in RDP reset This fixes cases where “Remote access to the server is not enabled” or Windows Firewall is blocking RDP.
- In the Azure portal, open the VM.
- In the left menu, scroll down to the Help section.
- Select Reset password.
- Set Mode to Reset configuration only.
- Click Update.
- Wait 1–2 minutes, then try connecting again with your RDP file.
Verify RDP (TCP 3389) is allowed in networking If something was changed in networking, RDP may be blocked.
- In the VM blade, go to Networking.
- Check the Inbound port rules for the NIC and subnet NSG.
- Ensure there is an Allow rule for:
  - Protocol: TCP
  - Port: 3389
  - Source: your IP (or Any, depending on your setup)
  - Priority lower (higher precedence) than any Deny rules.
- If there is a Deny rule with a lower number (higher priority) that matches your traffic, RDP will fail with the error you see.
Check VM health and boot state If the VM takes a long time to start, it might be stuck during boot.
- In the VM blade, under Help, open Resource health and confirm the VM is Available.
- Check Boot diagnostics (screenshot/logs) for signs the OS is stuck (for example, on updates or errors). If the screenshot shows “Working on features” or similar for a long time, the OS may still be applying changes.
Check that the network interface inside the VM is enabled (if you changed networking) If the NIC inside Windows was disabled, no RDP or network connections will work.
- Use the Serial Console from the VM blade (if available) to open a CMD session.
- Run:
```
     netsh interface show interface
```
- If the main interface shows as Disabled, enable it:
```
     netsh interface set interface name="<interface name>" admin=enabled
```
- Run netsh interface show interface again to confirm it is Enabled, then try RDP.
If still failing, verify routing and local firewall
- Use Network Watcher tools such as IP flow verify and Next hop (from the VM’s region) to confirm that:
  - Traffic to TCP 3389 from your client IP is allowed and correctly routed.
- On your own PC/network, ensure outbound TCP 3389 is not blocked by a local or corporate firewall.
As a last resort
- If all the above are correct and RDP still fails with the same message, consider Redeploy from the VM blade (moves the VM to new Azure hardware while keeping disk and config) and test again.
- If the problem persists, open an Azure support request from the portal so support can check platform‑side issues.

These steps specifically address the general RDP error: remote access not enabled, computer turned off, or not available on the network, and the long start time suggests the VM may be stuck during boot or misconfigured networking/RDP.

References: