Printer not appearing on all clients within an OU when deployed via GPO

[IT_Man_Dan]

Good Morning,

I have setup a printer on our 2008 print server and set it to deploy to an OU via GPO. When I set it up it worked a treat and it has been working well for other printers and OU's across our network.

Now one of our rooms (OU) has developed a problem where suddenly the printer isn't showing up on the clients. I've checked the GPO and checked the printer is fine (successfully printed test page from server) but the clients don't seem to install the printer?

I've logged onto multiple clients within the room and forced a gpupdate, some of them then had the printer listed and others didn't???
I logged onto each one as the same user and each client is the same image (only difference is computer name).

When I try to connect to the printer manually on one of the ones where the printer isn't showing I get a 'Windows cannot connect to printer' error message?

Does anyone have any ideas what might be causing this to happen as it's rather confusing?

Many thanks

[notalot]

When we first changed over to windows 7 we had quite a problem simular to yours with printers.

In the end we changed the GPO's to use the fully quantified domain name of the printers EG \\Server.Domain.Local\Printer.

That resolved our problems.

[IT_Man_Dan]

Hi Notalot,

Sorry for delayed response, got caught dealing with another issue.
I will check the full path is used by the GPO when I get in tomorrow.

I just can't get my head round why it's working on some and not others, they're all the same spec, in same OU, etc. only difference is computer names.

[marsdenprimary]

Hi Notalot,

Sorry for delayed response, got caught dealing with another issue.
I will check the full path is used by the GPO when I get in tomorrow.

I just can't get my head round why it's working on some and not others, they're all the same spec, in same OU, etc. only difference is computer names.

How far did you get with this? I've been having a similar problem although mine could be the fact we're running mixed OS's (XP and 7) and using server 2003 + RSAT :/

[jonathon28]

Have you checked event viewer to see if there's any errors in there for printer deployment?

[IT_Man_Dan]

Hi marsdenprimary.
I've just gone in and changed the deployed printer in the GPO from \\servername\printer to \\servername.domain.local\printer and I will see if it makes any difference.

A class is now using the room so I can't run any immediate checks.
Once I can get into the room I will run checks and also check event viewer.

Regards
Dan

[IT_Man_Dan]

Ok it appears to be a printer specific problem. I tried deploying another printer in another room through the GPO to the room with issues and it worked fine.

The printer that has the problem is HP1320 with universal PCL5 print driver running through tplink print server (I couldn't find a win 7 specific driver for it).
I tried removing and reinstalling the port and printer on the 2008 R2 server, the port added fine but the 'Add printer wizard@ hung when trying to install?!

We have other 1320's across the school with tp link running without any issues and deploying ok.

Does anyone have any ideas please?

Thanks
Dan

[marsdenprimary]

Ok it appears to be a printer specific problem. I tried deploying another printer in another room through the GPO to the room with issues and it worked fine.

The printer that has the problem is HP1320 with universal PCL5 print driver running through tplink print server (I couldn't find a win 7 specific driver for it).
I tried removing and reinstalling the port and printer on the 2008 R2 server, the port added fine but the 'Add printer wizard@ hung when trying to install?!

We have other 1320's across the school with tp link running without any issues and deploying ok.

Does anyone have any ideas please?

Thanks
Dan

Have you checked to see if the TP Link is working ok? Also (and i know this might seem obvious) but is the printer ok or could it be time for a new one?

[Davit2005]

Are you logging in and getting the printer drivers installed because your an admin and normal users don't get the printer because they don't have permission to install the driver, this can be done by a policy allowing driver install by standard users.

[IT_Man_Dan]

Nope not a driver install issue as other printers can be assigned with no issues, including ones that use the same driver.

TBH, I was considering a new printer for this suite anyway so have just ordered a new network ready one.

Will install that and deploy it and let you all know how it goes.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

Regards
Dan