Windows 2003 R2 Printer Management

[Simcfc73]

Hi,

 

Just started messing with this and wondered if anyone has found a switch to set the default printer.

 

We've got Flash Paper installed locally which which is always the default printer on the computer.

 

Also, I can't get Con2Prt to work in the computer startup script to delete existing printers. Should this work? The script works when you click it but it doesn't work in the startup script.

[Ric_]

Printers a re user-based so aren't connected until somebody logs on... hence a startup script won't work.

[mrforgetful]

I'm going to be implementing this over the summer, will have a look then but I'm sure someone will answer you before!

[Simcfc73]

Update for anyone trying this.

 

Its pretty simple really but it took me a while to work it out and many hours messing around with defprint and other remote printer utilities.

 

All you have to do is delete the local version on Macromedia Flash Paper and install the printer on the server. Macromedia has a driver on their website so you don't need to install contribute.

 

Assign the printer as normal and the printer default is assigned as the first printer assigned to the OU.

 

Hope this helps although its pretty obvious really.

[mrforgetful]

Yeh, the way Windows works, any locally installed printer will always be default over a network printer.

 

I believe the official line is something about local printers are always available, whereas network printers are more likely not to be.

[contink]

I'm curious as to just how much difference you get in functionality with the R2 printer management features... I did a google and search on MS for details but couldn't find much aside from sales patter.

 

Anyone care to enlighten the unwashed masses... or at least me ?

[mrforgetful]

You get a snap in that will let you assign printers to OUs.

 

So, depending how good your AD structure is.

 

You have seperate OUs for room R1, R2 and R3

 

and you have seperate OUs teachers of specific subjects IT, Maths, English

 

You can assign the Office PC for Maths, to the Maths people, and the Printers for the rooms to the Room's OU.

If the Maths teacher logged in to his office PC, he'd get just that Printer, if he then went and logged into R3, he'd get his office printer, and the R3 printer.

 

If he was teaching in R3 but wanted to print something confidential, of for later in his office, he could send it to that printer and wouldn't need to worry about it printing in the classroom.

 

I'm sure there are loads of other scenarios.

 

My advice if you want to find out more: Download Virtual PC/Virtual Server, and the trial version of R2, install it and take a look.

[contink]

Ah... Ok... thanks for that info..

 

If I read this right the main benefit here is that you can essentially do away with a lot of the login script tomfoolery that's otherwise essential for assigning printers.

 

On that basis it seems like it's not much worth the upgrade for the primary school I support given the small number of printers, but useful to know... Guess I should take some time with the trial version like you said... thanks again.

[mrforgetful]

Yeh pretty much give you a GUI to use instead of having loads of scripts.

[tarquel]

sounds good, but i guess it dont help still when you have to install the printer driver manually first then change the port from LPT1 to \\servername\share...

 

Samsung ML-6040 - the only bane of my network printers

 

hehe

Nath

[ChrisH]

Why would you install the printer driver manually? I assume a driver issue?

[tarquel]

As in the only thing they provide is a setup.exe type - not extractable as i recall, or even if it is, its just files that arent your usual driver files / dll's / etc.

 

Might be able to make it silently install if thats the case, but still lots of faffing about even if i cud make it silent. Still have to configure the driver afterwards etc...

 

Just a bit of a PITA... but im used to that.

 

Nath

[Gatt]

OK i'm trying to get Print Management working..

I've deployed the printer in PMC on a per-machine basis

added PushPrinterConnections.exe to the startup scripts section in the same GPO

But when I reboot the XP Box to test it - it reboots at "Running Startup scripts"

[plexer]

@tarquel: Don't you just run the setup.exe on your server to install the driver there then it will be available as a printer and you can share it i.e \\print-server\ml-6040 so the clients can connect then they will install the drivers from the driver share?

 

Or is it nastier than that?

 

Ben

[mullet_man]

When installing printers on the server, I always use the add printer wizard and browse to the print driver located on the CD for the printer.

 

Or if like most of our printers are HP use their JetDirect software, really easy to use!

[Gatt]

Temporarily given up on PMC and gone back to my VB Script!!

[Simcfc73]

Got mine working perfectly now.

 

Well, its working when I log on a few machines, hopefully it will work when 30 machines switch on.

[Gatt]

^^ How did you manage it - cos i could never get the PushPrinterConnection utility to work - it either reboots the PCs at "Running Startup Scripts" or doesnt push any printers thru

[Simcfc73]

It just worked for me to be honest.

 

Created a OU for each room then a GP in each OU.

 

Pasted the exe file into the startup script for each GP. (I didn't link it to another folder, I just copied the file to each OU's Startup folder).

 

And then deployed the printer with Printer Management.

 

Thats how I got mine working.

[Gatt]

Did the exact same thing but no joy

[Norphy]

Sorry to ask the obvious here

 

Have you extended the AD schema? It won't work unless you do that first.

[Gatt]

This was the bit I'm unsure of here - I upgraded to R2

Checked the Schema version - its showing Version 31 - which as i understand it - is correct for PMC to work

 

Or is there something else I must do?

[thom]

I used to use the Windows PrintUI.dll built-in method to add network printers but it was still quite manual and caused lots of headaches.

I have been trying to get the PMC working since the the R2 beta started... and it is finally working!

Here's what I did.

1) Upgraded Windows 2003 Server SP1 to R2 (including the Schema update).

2) Upgraded the Server Roles to include the PMC.

3) Right-Clicked a printer in the console and selected "Deploy with Group Policy".

4) Used the interface to create a new GPO in the OU containing the Library PCs called "Printers-Library"

5) Selected the per machine setting

6) Clicked "Add" (this is very easy to forget!)

7) Create a new "Push Printer" GPO and assigned it to the Library OU

8) Copied the pushprinterconnections.exe file to \\Server\Shared share

9) Added a startup script to the "Push Printer" GPO. This was a batch file containing only "\\Server\Shared\pushprinterconnections.exe"

10) Using the Group Policy Management Console (downloaded from Microsoft) I moved the Push Printer GPO above the Printers-Library GPO.

11) On a library PC I ran "GPUpdate /force" and rebooted.

12) It appeared the next time I logged on although the FlashPaper printer was still the default.

 

I didn't understand the earlier post about how to solve this so if someone could re-explain that would be great.

 

To find out this info I searched "Print Management Console" on TechNet and it came up with two step by step guides which were quite useful.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/312b10cb-73ec-40c7-a4df-63dd7248d93d1033.mspx?mfr=true

[Simcfc73]

With reference to the Flashpaper problem.

 

You need to install Flashpaper as normal on the machine then delete the local printer.

 

Go on the Macromedia/Adobe website and download the Flashpaper printer driver which gets installed on the Print server.

 

Then you just deploy that printer as you have the other printers. It sets the first printer deployed as the default printer.

[thom]

Thanks,

I already have flashpaper printer installed on 250 PCs

Is there a way to delete them through a log on script

(In fact, I would like all local printers to be deleted so the network has complete control)