Windows 8/8.1 Deleted Printers Reappearing Multiple Times

[RowlandoGloom]

Hi,

 

I'm wondering if anybody has the same problem I have, which I am tearing my hair out over.

 

Several Windows 8 and 8.1 machines (about 50%) have the issue where deleted printers suddenly reappear. When I say reappearing, I also mean multiple times too. Quite a few times, it will reappear 20/30 times on a PC!

 

I have unshared the printer, removed the printer and the queue from the print server, but it still keeps coming back. The server "SHARED" is 2012R2 - but I sometimes have the problem when the print server is 2008R2. Every single queue there doesn't exist - so how it's connecting to it, I don't know.

 

I have attached 2 example screenshots.

 

 

I have also searched the internet and can't find any answer, other than moving back to Windows 7 (which doesn't have the problem).

 

It is so frustrating.

 

I really appreciate any help and support anybody may have.

 

Paul.

[robjduk]

Sorry that I don't have an answer for you but that happens to me too. I was working on printer deployment anyway and worked out a crazy new way of deploying them. Add to that to a user policy which deletes every network printer and bob's your uncle, the problem stopped happening.

[william_tropico]

 

We also have that problem. In one example it has the same old printer over 40 times!

 

Still trying to figure out why it keeps doing this. Will keep you updated.

[RowlandoGloom]

Cheers for the updates.

 

At least in one way I know it's not me being daft!

 

If I have any breakthroughs - I'll keep everybody updates too.

[themightymrp]

Anything stuck in a roaming profile? Check in the NTuser.dat (or .man) for extra info under the HKCU\Printers\Connections key

[RowlandoGloom]

I've looked at profiles and reset several (through the CC4 system, which deletes the old version and copies a default)

I've then removed the profile from the PCs through "Advances System Settings" with no breakthrough.

 

It seems to be on a PC basis, not a profile - which is strange, because shared printers are profile based aren't they?

 

Thanks,

Paul.

[themightymrp]

Try disabling 'Client Side Rendering' under the sharing tab on the Printer Server.

 

Then on the client machine(s), delete references to that printer server under the following registry key:

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers\Client Side Rendering Print Provider\Servers

 

Then restart the print spooler.

[RowlandoGloom]

Cheers,

 

I had previously removed the queue from the server, so unable to deselect Client Side Rendering.

 

I'll try the registry settings and update you.

 

Paul.

[Michael]

Are you deploying printers using GPP or GPO?

[detjo]

We have exact same issue with basically the same setup - 2012R2 / Win 8.1 / RISO comcolor

 

I also have problems with the RISO printers not getting picked up via login script, and did have grief with print jobs getting lost in thin air!

Be interesting to know how you have your settings for the RISO on the server too.

[Michael]

One easy solution (to see if it works) is to add/deploy the printers to a 2008 R2 box and see if the problem's still there.

 

This sounds similar to the on-going issues some people have deploying shares from 2012/2012 R2. Deploying shares from a 2008 R2 server appears to resolve the issue.

 

I suspect again, the SMB is most probably the source of the problem. 2008 R2's is of course older than 2012/2012 R2, but it works.

[RowlandoGloom]

Cheers.

 

I have moved a few printers to a 2008R2 box, including the RISO mentioned above. Funnily enough, all of our shared drives etc. are hosted on the same server - which all work as expected.

 

On some occasions when printers reappear, they were on a server that no longer exists, show that in the path and still won't go away. (Removed both server and printer from domain, AD, ADSI, everything etc.)

 

Unfortunately we use RM CC4 for printer deployment, I believe this is via the RM Desktop Agent service - neither GPO or GPP (which I'd prefer one of the latter two anyway.....)

 

William, as you have the same problem, how do you deploy printers?

 

Many thanks.

Paul.

[william_tropico]

 

William, as you have the same problem, how do you deploy printers?

 

We have a vb script that runs at login and removes any network printers and adds them based on computer name.

 

The ones showing up are all from our old server 'prints2' or old printers on current server as we did have separate mono/colour printers to select for each physical printer.

[RowlandoGloom]

It is the RISO which is the biggest pain.

 

It was hosted on the 2012R2 server, it kept re-appearing, losing jobs, getting jobs stuck, plus not even connecting etc.

 

Moving it to a 2008R2 server, changed a few settings on the advanced tab fixed all of the problems, no problems printing to it at all (Untick "Print spooled documents first" and untick "Enable advanced printing features").

 

Annoyingly, the RISO keeps reappearing from the 2012R2 server, which is no more.

 

Edited May 22, 2014 by RowlandoGloom

[william_tropico]

Do you use print management software? If you do, which one?

[RowlandoGloom]

Yep, exactly the same problem. Ok deployed a different way.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Do you use print management software? If you do, which one?

 

We use RM CC4 which uses its own desktop agent service.

[RowlandoGloom]

We have a vb script that runs at login and removes any network printers and adds them based on computer name.

 

The ones showing up are all from our old server 'prints2' or old printers on current server as we did have separate mono/colour printers to select for each physical printer.

 

Ok deployed a different way, but exactly the same problem.

[RowlandoGloom]

We have exact same issue with basically the same setup - 2012R2 / Win 8.1 / RISO comcolor

 

I also have problems with the RISO printers not getting picked up via login script, and did have grief with print jobs getting lost in thin air!

Be interesting to know how you have your settings for the RISO on the server too.

 

It is the RISO which is the biggest pain.

 

It was hosted on the 2012R2 server, it kept re-appearing, losing jobs, getting jobs stuck, plus not even connecting etc.

 

Moving it to a 2008R2 server and changing a few settings on the advanced tab fixed all of the printing problems (Untick "Print spooled documents first" and untick "Enable advanced printing features").

 

Annoyingly, the RISO keeps reappearing from the 2012R2 server, which is no more, and another 2012R2 server hosting other printers.

 

 

Edited May 22, 2014 by RowlandoGloom
Layout

[Michael]

Just a thought - on a 2008 R2 box, re-create the printer share which was on 2012 or 2012 R2 using GPP, but set it to delete. Leave this in place permanently.

 

Now deploy a new printer share using GPO or GPP also from 2008 R2.

 

This should in theory fix the problem

[RowlandoGloom]

Just a thought - on a 2008 R2 box, re-create the printer share which was on 2012 or 2012 R2 using GPP, but set it to delete. Leave this in place permanently.

 

Now deploy a new printer share using GPO or GPP also from 2008 R2.

 

This should in theory fix the problem

 

Hi Michael,

 

Sorry for the late reply - broke my ankle so have been off work! Thank you for the advice.

 

I'll give that a try and let you know.

 

Paul.

[RowlandoGloom]

Just a thought - on a 2008 R2 box, re-create the printer share which was on 2012 or 2012 R2 using GPP, but set it to delete. Leave this in place permanently.

 

Now deploy a new printer share using GPO or GPP also from 2008 R2.

 

This should in theory fix the problem

 

Same thing I'm afraid.

 

Even with no printers assigned to the machine (via CC4, GPP, local - none!) - those keep coming back.

 

Just totally doesn't make sense.

 

Cheers.

[Michael]

In that case I'd say the RM CC4 printer deployment tool is at fault. You just don't get that sort of problem with GPP or GPO printers.

 

I do wonder whether the RM CC4 way has created a script and is running that script in the background? The printers you see are possibly entries within the registry that otherwise need deleting.

[HenryJr]

I have seen this on a laptop at one of my clients. They take the laptop home and connect into their wireless there. Bring it back onsite and the printers start to populate. Mine deploy via VBS script.

[RowlandoGloom]

I have seen this on a laptop at one of my clients. They take the laptop home and connect into their wireless there. Bring it back onsite and the printers start to populate. Mine deploy via VBS script.

 

It's just bizarre. So I'd assume it's not (unlikely to be) the RM software if it also happens via VBS deployment.

[Mayki5]

I appear to have developed the same issue today, regarding printers reappearing after removing then. Ours are also deployed by a VB script.

Of the ones that are doubled, one shows a location of Spooler Internal and only today's date in the event with device configuration and device started.. The others have a location of "\Users\S-1-5-21-58608881-1568765555-411725359-6110\Printers\^\^\DC2^\Copier" etc and the events tab shows the full history with device config, device started and a few device deleted.

 

From what I gather so far, the one copier showing the shorter information is I guess, the one being applied by the script, with the other two being populated from my user profile. I've not managed to turn anything up to prove or disprove it yet, but that's my guess so far.