Dual Core Workstation Not Adding [Some] Printers

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12th August 2008, 05:28 PM
DaveP

Dual Core Workstation Not Adding [Some] Printers

I have a dual core workstation for which I am developing a new image. I intend this image to be a ‘generic’ image for all station types [dual core/single core/Dell/Viglen/RM/Unbranded/...] but I have hit a slight problem.

When I try to add network printers to this station some of the printers will not install. The printers that will not install tend to be HP 1320, HP 1302n and HP p2015. This is rather frustrating as other dual core stations already on the network and all of the single core stations in school access the printers quite happily. No matter how I try to add the printers I get the same error. It says it could not access the named printer [or similar message, I can’t remember exactly now as I am not at work.] The local Print Service then stops. If I restart the service it goes through the same cycle again.

Things not causing the problem:

Viglen Remote Learning [Rebadged NetSupport] This has been uninstalled.

Printer share name. Printers and share names have been changed in an experiment to rule this out.

Printer IP address. These have also been changed/swapped.

Printer driver. The printers all pick their shares up from the same server.

Printer model. This station will add ‘Printer A’ but not ‘Printer B’ even though A and B are the same make and model and the printer settings have been adjusted at the server so that ‘Printer A’ [the one that does get added] matches ‘Printer B’

What I am going to try tomorrow:

Run CCleaner [or something similar] to check that there are no residual parts of Viglen Remote Learning after uninstall.

Any other ideas? I don’t want to waste another whole day on this and this is already a clean start image. I don’t have time to begin another image before term starts.

Help!
12th August 2008, 05:44 PM
Michael

Creating a generic image sounds fine in principle. Adding/Removing printers does require local print services to be running. The fact that you mentioned services are stopping (for whatever reason), is most likely the problem.

Have you checked the event log? This should tell you why services are stopping. How are you adding the network printers? Manually, using GPOs or using scripts?

Have you tried re-imaging this workstation? It does happen time to time that you can get a duff image causing all kinds of problems.
12th August 2008, 05:47 PM
maniac

Definitely check the event log, it should give you an code recorded when the error message is displayed. I've seen this sort of problem before, but I can't for the life of me remember how we solved it, I think it may have been a driver issue.

Mike.
12th August 2008, 05:58 PM
DaveP

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael

..The fact that you mentioned services are stopping (for whatever reason), is most likely the problem..

The service only stops when I try to add one of these 'problematic' printers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael

Have you checked the event log? This should tell you why services are stopping.

I can't remember exactly what the Event Log says, but it does mention that it stopped unexpectedly [Error ID 7032, I think]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael

How are you adding the network printers? Manually, using GPOs or using scripts?

It is the same no matter what I do: I have tried running a script which works for other stations [single core and dual core]. I have tried browsing to the printer share and double clicking it and I have tried adding the printer through Control Panel/Add Remove Printers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael

Have you tried re-imaging this workstation? It does happen time to time that you can get a duff image causing all kinds of problems.

I am still in the process of preparing the image. If I re-image it I will lose all of the work I have done so far. :( I am going to put a fresh copy of XP after swapping the HDD out. Perhaps it is one of my installed applications?
12th August 2008, 06:13 PM
Michael

If you haven't already, try updating the drivers of the problematic printer (on the server). Are you deploying XP or Vista machines?
12th August 2008, 06:17 PM
DaveP

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael

If you haven't already, try updating the drivers of the problematic printer (on the server). Are you deploying XP or Vista machines?

XP I am not going anywhere Vista for some time yet [I am running it at home and it is giving me several issues]

I think that the drivers are up-to-date, but I will check tomorrow. Thanks.
13th August 2008, 12:01 AM
Michael

If it's been a while, chances are there will be new drivers. The reason I mentioned Vista, is because in 99% of cases it requires new drivers. Some manufacturers create updated universal 2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008 drivers, whereas some companies create separate XP/2003 and Vista/2008 drivers.

If you're still experiencing problems, try deleting the printer on the server and re-create it with the same name, sharename and IP.
13th August 2008, 07:26 AM
DaveP

So first test today was to run File Mon and Reg Mon to see where the process failed. File Mon detected a failure when the Domain Administrator tried to access C:\Spoolerlogs and C:\Spoolerlogs\spooler.XML. Permissions were different on file vs. folder. The difference was Creator Owner was missing from the permissions for spoolerlogs.xml and I could not add them. Comparing this to my station [where all printers work] I cannot find c:\spoolerlogs or spoolerlogs.xml. On the problematic [Dual Core] station I cannot force permissions for Creator Owner onto the file.

I guess I am starting another new image now, even though I don’t have the time.
13th August 2008, 07:37 AM
DaveP

2 Attachment(s)

Here are the relevant Event Log entries [attached]
13th August 2008, 12:43 PM
Michael

I took a look at the first error and all I could find was the driver in question isn't completely certified to run on XP and it's this which is causing the spooler to crash. The problem only seems to happen when adding a network printer.

Could you try creating a local port (following the printer wizard) and see if this works successfully?
13th August 2008, 01:56 PM
azrael78

This might be a long shot - but double check your NIC drivers. If these are a bit flakey then they could cause issues.

But it is a long shot, we've had issues here with drive mappings, printers and such and it boiled down to a select few PCs with old NIC drivers.

Updated them and the problem went away.

Az
13th August 2008, 02:35 PM
DaveP

Resolved? Dual Core Workstation Not Adding [Some] Printers

It looks like I might have cracked it now. The dual core station is now adding ALL of my network printers.

After a LOT of work I found that some of the queues which were declaring the drivers as PCL 6 [HP 1320 and HP p2015] were actually downloading PCL 5 and PCL 5e drivers. I have systematically tested each queue in turn deleting and recreating those with drivers which were not truly PCL 6.

What threw me originally was that some stations had no problems with this combination of drivers and when it was working on those stations I did not spot that some of the queues were not truly PCL 6.

Time now to add the new software and then to make this image generic.

Lots to do yet then. :(