Printers - Sometimes Failing to install sometimes fine ?

[burgemaster]

We have been testing 9x Windows 7 machines in our library.

We have been having major trouble with the printers. Sometimes they install fine, sometimes only one installs. Sometimes none. We can log off as one test student and then they work fine with that user, then log off and back on with the same user and they not work.

They appear that they are installed, as they can be seen in the Printer list, but on close inspection they appear as:

Access denied, unable to connect. (see attachment)

if I right click on the printer choose "Run As Administrator" and then Properties, I see the printer properties.

Can anyone please suggest anything else I can please try?

Printers are added via group policy.
I have added "everyone" access to the printer security.

Sometimes they work sometimes they dont, which makes me think that its not a driver or print server problem.
We are using Mandatory Profiles, so I dont think its a profile issue.

Please Help !!
Thanks in advance

[chazzy2501]

When a machine shows that error again! see if resetting the print spooler service cures it. I've had this problem when a machine tries to map to the printer (in a previous attempt) but was unable (offline what ever) now it can't. If resetting the spooler service helps, maybe resetting the suite will cure most of your ills.

What I'm saying is I spent a day trying to fix this problem this (as my printer had been set to offline on the server) and I couldn't get the suite to reliably connect to it again. After resetting the whole suite they were all fine again! BAH!

[chazzy2501]

Oh. I now deploy using Client Side Extensions it's easier!

[waldronm2000]

There are two sets of permissions to consider: permissions on the printer object on the print server, and permissions on the Active Directory object used to publish the printer. Have you checked that Everyone has appropriate permissions on both?

[burgemaster]

When a machine shows that error again! see if resetting the print spooler service cures it. I've had this problem when a machine tries to map to the printer (in a previous attempt) but was unable (offline what ever) now it can't. If resetting the spooler service helps, maybe resetting the suite will cure most of your ills.

What I'm saying is I spent a day trying to fix this problem this (as my printer had been set to offline on the server) and I couldn't get the suite to reliably connect to it again. After resetting the whole suite they were all fine again! BAH!

Thankyou for the reply mate, I dont think this is a spooler problem as sometimes one printer works and the other does. When the next user logs in it maybe the other way around?
I will have a look at Client Side Extensions tomorrow. Thanks

[burgemaster]

There are two sets of permissions to consider: permissions on the printer object on the print server, and permissions on the Active Directory object used to publish the printer. Have you checked that Everyone has appropriate permissions on both?

Thanks for this, I have set the security on the printer to everyone manage printers/ manage documents/ Print. Is that what you mean by the printer object?
Could you please let me know what you mean by "Active Directory object used to publish the printer" ?

I have just grabbed 3 random student accounts and logged into the same computer, everytime I see both printers, but the first both failed with "Access denied, unable to connect", the second the colour worked and the mono didnt, and the third the mono worked but colour failed.
They are all from the same year and in the same groups?

Do you think it is a permission problem? when the printer has failed and says "access denied" if i right click and goto "Run as admin" and then try the printer properties i can see all the properties just fine?

Thanks in advance

[burgemaster]

Oh. I now deploy using Client Side Extensions it's easier!

I have been trying to use Client Side Extensions, and im now getting:

user
Library - Mono - Samsung ML-2855
Printers - Library (GPP) {6FA98555-06B3-4333-A5C8-DF8FDE6737A3}
0x80070bc4 No printers were found.

The handle is invalid

I have also now temp enabled students to be able to install and remove printers...
Ive logged in as a student and one of the two printers has failed. "Access denied, unable to connect", so i remove and added the printer successfully....
So frustrating!! any ideas?

[burgemaster]

At last sorted it !!!!!!!!

When the .v2 man profile was created the printers had been installed once, but then removed. When the profile was created it must have still had some links to the printers in the profile..