making a printer as default for computers via gpo

[dibekem]

Hi guys.

 

What is the best way of making a printer as default printer for computers. Is there a gpo for that?

 

I'd like to avoid using a script for it.

 

We have 5 printers all deployed through gpo to the workstation. i have ust added another printer which became the default printer and that's not what I wanted

 

Any help would be much appriciated

 

 

Thanks

[LeMarchand]

Use item level targeting.

 

 

I run a delete job, then add the printers in. The Office get their default as part of that, but the curriculum machines can print to either end of the school (in case one breaks down) so I run an update to set the defaults as appropriate by location.

[dibekem]

Hi there.

 

Thanks.

 

The problem with this is that we have three floors and students using different laptops according to their year group. I notice that this setting is in user configuration.

Pupils use the same mandatory profile so it would be good to set the laptops and pc's to the printers rather than the users.

 

Would that be possible?

[halbaradkenafin]

That should be possible in the computer settings as well. If you've got groups for the computers then it's the same process.

[CyberDrac]

We use GPP and loop back processing instead of GPO and use it on top level computer OUs for most standard printers (follow you), room level computer OUs for local room printers, for printers for individuals regardless of location I apply directly without loopback (which generally works with a few exceptions which I'm investigating at the moment).

 

edit : I can layer printers by merging each loopback, and I tend to remove everything and then re-attach to get rid of the accumulation of printers that staff build up while moving around. We also set default printers through that mechanism.

Edited March 6, 2015 by CyberDrac

[Michael]

If you're using GPP, you can easily set the default or specify Item Level Targeting as suggested.

 

If using GPO, then the only method I've found is a regedit - set the printer as default manually, then search for it (by name) in the registry to get what you're looking for.

 

There's an old MS KB article here which tells you how to do it!

[dibekem]

Thanks will give it a go.

These are dell laptops with windows 8 installed. Very unreliable so not sure if it will work

 

Thanks anyway

[LeMarchand]

Hi there.

 

Thanks.

 

The problem with this is that we have three floors and students using different laptops according to their year group. I notice that this setting is in user configuration.

Pupils use the same mandatory profile so it would be good to set the laptops and pc's to the printers rather than the users.

 

Would that be possible?

 

I held off replying before I could check, but as far as I can tell this is working even though the OUs targeted are "Computer" ones. Can't remember why I set it up that way (probably found a suggestion that it worked better) but it seems to work. If not, like @halbaradkenafin said, you can use the same set up in the Computer Configuration.

 

What happens in the above example in order is:

 

1. Delete all shared printers (gets rid of any historical links)
   
2. Add Lower School Copier to all machines
   
3. Set LSC as default for all computers in Lower School
   
4. Add Upper School Copier to all machines
   
5. Set USC as default in Upper School and ICT Suite (ignore that "GPO Test" you can see!)
   
6. Add Office printer to all Office machines
   
7. Add Office Coiper to all Office machines and set as default
   

[LeMarchand]

Just imaged a couple of machines and inadvertently put them in the OU for the wrong end of the school. When I corrected this in AD the default printer changed accordingly, so the above set up does seem to work as expected.