Printer Connections - I NEED HELP PLEASE

[Mr_M_Cox]

hi all, we run a 2003 server domain with xp client. i have just renamed the priniters on ther server but not changed the share name or port etc. our printer are connected to clients using a VB script in a Group Policy. This is all working well. the problem i have is that now i have chaged the name there is the old name which wont work any more AND the new one which does work. how can i delete the old printer connection across the whole network of clients. do i have to go to each work station and delete the profiles?

cheers :?

[BKGarry]

try this code

On Error Resume Next



Set objNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")

Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

Set colSystemEnvVars = objShell.Environment("Process")


objNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection "\\pserver\room32"
objNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection "\\pserver\room32C"


but use your server and printer name

[Mr_M_Cox]

thanks for the help but i dont think i explained it very well. the problem is not with the server the problem is the Xp clients having 2 printer connections showning but it is the same printer one with an old name and one with the new name. how can i delete the old name from the clients across all users.
cheers

[BKGarry]

use the script about to remove the printers before your script runs by just adding the lines in the have it add them afterwards.

We have the same problem with it being the profile remebering the printer thats why we use the remove printer connection first.

[Mr_M_Cox]

thanks for the help but i did not work, is there no way to get windows to delete printer connections which are offline or dead

[contink]

Originally Posted by Mr_M_Cox

thanks for the help but i did not work, is there no way to get windows to delete printer connections which are offline or dead

Your best bet is to use one of the printer scripts as a login script to remove all networked printers on workstations and then add the current ones.

Works fine for me and would resolve your problem in a heart beat.

[plexer]

That should work I use:

dim wNet
set wNet = createobject("wscript.network")
'Remove ALL old printers
'Enumerate all printers first, after that you can select the printers you want by performing some string checks
Set WSHPrinters = WNet.EnumPrinterConnections
For LOOP_COUNTER = 0 To WSHPrinters.Count - 1 Step 2
'To remove only networked printers use this If Statement
If Left(WSHPrinters.Item(LOOP_COUNTER +1),2) = "\\" Then
WSHNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection WSHPrinters.Item(LOOP_COUNTER +1),True,True
End If
'To remove all printers incuding LOCAL printers use this statement and comment out the If Statement above
'WSHNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection WSHPrinters.Item(LOOP_COUNTER +1),True,True
Next
'end delete existing printers

Which does the same thing but will just loop through all the printer connections itself.

Ben

[BKGarry]

There is the old con2prt.exe that was included in the nt4 admin kit, but i have never used it on nt4 (never even used it) and running that with the /f command deltes all connections.

[mattx]

Will do the same as BKGarry's script - it will remove all installed printers first...

rem ** Next line must not be deleted **
Set WshNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")

rem ** This will delete existing printers **
On Error Resume Next
Set oPrinters = WshNetwork.EnumPrinterConnections
For i = 1 to oPrinters.Count - 1 Step 2
WshNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection oPrinters.Item(i)
Next

Set WshNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
WshNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\YOURSERVER\PRINTER"
WshNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\YOURSERVER\PRINTER"
WshNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\YOURSERVER\PRINTER"


rem ** Setup default printer **
WshNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter "\\YOURSERVER\PRINTER"

[BKGarry]

Just a thought, the old one isn't installed through the method of adding a local port on the machine pointing to the server and then installing the drivers.

That could be why it is still there because we are all trying to delete a network printer, not a local printer that prints to a network port.

[plexer]

Mattx your script does the same as the one I posted excpet that mine has the option in it to only delete network printers or to delete all printers like yours does.

Ben

[mattx]

Someone should write a book:

101 ways to install a printer..... ;-)

[BKGarry]

and 6000000000000000 isues when dealing with, maintaining and deleting them

[snrweb]

I use CON2PRT /F and it will do the job of removing any attached printers that are not local.

[Ric_]

You could also try running the script as a startup script if the printer connection has some how got stuck in there as a local printer.