Mapping to a IP address printer via Script

[BenDonaldson]

Hello

 

At present I am using a script through GP to all users, the script simply connects a printer that is shared through the server, ie

 

maps \\server\hpprinter

 

However the print spooler seems to be stopping on the server

 

I would like to change it so that each computer maps direct to the printer (as it has a network card)

 

Is there anyway of doing this?

 

Thanks

[srochford]

Should be able to do it with a combination of prnport.vbs and prnmgr.vbs (both in the standard windows build). First will add the port and the second can connect a printer to it.

 

I really, really, wouldn't do this - it's a nightmare to maintain if ever the printer changes and it would be much better to find out what's wrong on the server!

 

Can you (even temporarily) put this particular printer on a different server?? that might help you to isolate the fault.

[Gerry]

Spooler service could be affected by the printer driver - I've had problems in the past with some HP PCL drivers, but fine with the PS equivalent. I've had to use older drivers in same cases too. Also, by default, I think services are set to twice restart after 1 minute, but subsequent failures are set to "Take No Action", which resets after 1 day.

[SYNACK]

I agree with the others that it is a much better solution to fix the issue on the server if you can. The quick dirty fix is to have a scheduled task stop and start the print spooler service every half hour or so but it is probably a dodgy driver so the first step would be to upgrade all of the printer drivers to the latest versions and see if that helps.

 

If you do decide to go ahead with the local printer mapping there is another thread here http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows/36683-odd-one-shared-printer-ip-port.html which details a simmilar solution.

[MicrodigitUK]

Spooler service could be affected by the printer driver - I've had problems in the past with some HP PCL drivers, but fine with the PS equivalent. I've had to use older drivers in same cases too. Also, by default, I think services are set to twice restart after 1 minute, but subsequent failures are set to "Take No Action", which resets after 1 day.

 

I had this problem with a HP Color LaserJet CP1510 Printer series where the PCL6 driver would just crash the spooler on the server and desktops but the PostScript driver was fine. Every now and then we get the ode print where the fonts are different but the users can live with that. I did loge a call with HP about the PCL6 driver and was basically told the printer was not designed for large network use and aimed at small biasness and home market, that was that.

[BatchFile]

For a while I had an (awful) Xerox network printer that did this - my pragmatic solution was to have a scheduled task running that restarted the spooler service every 10 mins IIRC...

 

in the end it ended up connected to a workstation - then as soon as the warranty expired it died anyway:mad: