GPO Printer deployment

[itgeek]

Hi we are in the process of deploying printer with gpo and the loopback enabled feature. Please could you tell me how you deploy printers on your networks and set default printers?

Thanks

[Michael]

Have a read here

As for setting the default there's no simple way of doing this, so I use a reg file which works well.

[mac_shinobi]

Have a read here

As for setting the default there's no simple way of doing this, so I use a reg file which works well.

R2 for both 2003 and 2008 set the default printer based on the name of the printer as it chronologically sorts the printers out and the alphabetical one gets set as default so for example

3 printers named as such

AA Printer
AB Printer
AC Printer

AA Printer would be set as default ( as it alphabetically sorts them out ) - at least from what I gathered from peoples feedback - other then that either as above reg hack or maybe a script ( ie vbscript ) to set the default printer so ie

pause for 10 seconds to allow for printers to be added via pushprinterconnection.exe and then set the default printer.

[asblack]

We use GPO with loopback that runs a simple login script..... something like this:



Option Explicit

Dim network

rem maps printer
Set Network = CreateObject("Wscript.Network")
Network.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\ServerName\PrintShareName"

rem this next line makes a default printer
Network.SetDefaultPrinter "\\ServerName\PrintShareName"


Hope that's helpful.

[Michael]

I think this is Microsoft's official recommendations but in practice it doesn't work. Typically when you install a new printer it decides to be default. Not always the case, but this can happen. I've also found some driver upgrades can affect which printer is the default too.

[FN-GM]

Have a read here

As for setting the default there's no simple way of doing this, so I use a reg file which works well.

Please can you share your .reg file

[sparkeh]

Group policy prefs is a great way to deploy printers and lets you set default printer and use item level targetting.
Good guide here

[AyatollahPies]

Pwetty Pwease can you share your reg file? :-)