pushprinterconnections.exe

[AdamK]

Hi.

 

I have a problem with removing deployed printers from an XP machine using group policy on 2008 server with the pushprinterconnections utility.

Apparently, using the Server 2003 R2 version of it should fix my problem, according to the technet MS forums.

 

So could someone please send it me?

 

Its located in %windir%\system32

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Adam

[Michael]

Interesting - I can send you a copy later this evening if you like, unless someone beats me to it! What problems are you having deploying to XP machines?

[AdamK]

The printers deploy fine. Then when I remove the printers from the policy, update it and restart a couple times, the printers are still there. Then if you delete them manually and restart the computer they come back again.

 

According to this topic it could be down to the newer version of the utility.

[Michael]

That is a little strange as you have to ask what exactly is creating the printers without pushprinterconnections.exe running at logon/startup?

 

I will send you the file later as promised

[Psymon]

What i found with push printer connections is that if you dont remove the printer from the deployed printers list before deleting the printer in the printer list, it will dstill deploy a blank printer in accordance to the policy (no drivers, no settings, doesnt print) that you cannot delete even as admin.

 

Simon

 

Edit - solution was to create a printer of the same name (even if its not same drivers etc..) then click "Deploy with Group Policy" and remove the printer from the list instead of adding the fake one.

 

edit2 - pm me your email addy and ill send you it zipped now.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Psymon
my solution

[Netman]

What about using 'User Config - Prefs - Control Panel Settings - Printers' to deploy them instead. It works really well and you can choose to set as default as well. Only thing is you need the client side extensions on the clients, but that's easy if you have WSUS. Particularly nice is the item-level targeting in it. If you want more info, just ask... I could probably run off a quick how-to as I've just changed over to this last week...

[AdamK]

What about using 'User Config - Prefs - Control Panel Settings - Printers' to deploy them instead. It works really well and you can choose to set as default as well. Only thing is you need the client side extensions on the clients, but that's easy if you have WSUS. Particularly nice is the item-level targeting in it. If you want more info, just ask... I could probably run off a quick how-to as I've just changed over to this last week...

 

I was trying that originally, but the printers didn't get deployed. Then I found a post about using the pushprinterconnections.exe utility, so I followed the instructions for that and it worked straight off with several printers.

 

Then I go to remove the printers and do it properly, but all the removed printers just come back every time I log back on or restart. Why can't things just work for a change!

 

Adam

[6Foot2]

Hi,

 

I am using KIX to deploy printers to students and staff at logon. I have an issue that I have not been able to resolve. The issue is that the network insists on adding a printer for all users which is not the printer I want for that room/user. I have put a command at the top of the KIX script for all users which deletes the 'random' printer. Now it adds another printer instead.

 

Scenario:

 

Staff/student user logs on in Room 1. They should get the Room 1 printer [which they do] but they also get the Room 96 printer. KIX for all users now deletes the Room 96 printer. Now when any user logs on in Room 1 they get the Room 40 printer. Add a command for all users to delete the Room 40 printer [which now may or may not work] and they then get another network printer [Room 2 perhaps] They DO get the printer I want them to get in the room they login but they also get A-N-Other printer I do not want them to be able to print to.

 

How can I prevent this?

 

What is happening?

 

Help?

 

TIA.

[AdamK]

Hi,

 

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

After a good nights sleep and a bit more research I found that the cause of the problem was that when the printers are removed from group policy it wasn't updating the registry on the assigned machines due to an error. Apparently there is a hotfix on the MS website, but they only seem to have one for Vista and Server 2008, not XP.

 

So I came up with my own solution. I modified a vbscript on the technet website to to delete all the registry entries for the printers:

 

On Error Resume Next

Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002

strComputer = "."
strKeyPath = "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Connections"

Set objRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & _
   strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")

DeleteSubkeys HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeypath

Sub DeleteSubkeys(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath)
   objRegistry.EnumKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath, arrSubkeys

   If IsArray(arrSubkeys) Then
       For Each strSubkey In arrSubkeys
           DeleteSubkeys HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath & "\" & strSubkey
       Next
   End If

   objRegistry.DeleteKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath
End Sub

 

I then added the script to the group policy and set it to run before the push printers exe.

 

I've tested it deploying the printer and that works fine. I've also removed the printer and the script does the job of removing it.

 

I'm not sure if that was the best solution to my problem, but at the end of the day, it works, so I'm happy again

 

 

Adam

[ICT_GUY]

Wow, that actually worked, a constant head ache gone at last.

 

W00HOO!

[BryanDavidWilliams]

I am still having no luck with this even. I put the VBS script in right before pushprinterconnections.exe I put a question in with MS. This is driving me crazy. I was trying to make our printer deployment more compatible with Windows 7 and this is the headache I get.. lol..

[Psymon]

I am still having no luck with this even. I put the VBS script in right before pushprinterconnections.exe I put a question in with MS. This is driving me crazy. I was trying to make our printer deployment more compatible with Windows 7 and this is the headache I get.. lol..

 

Pushprinterconnections is only needed for Windows XP, its not needed for Vista / 7.

 

You will have better success pushing the printers out with group policy using Windows Print Management console.

 

That way you avoid all the scripting.

 

The only script we have running is the default printers, everything else is group policy.

 

Simon