Deploy printer using group policy - won't work

[KevWCFE]

Hi all,

 

I am trying to deploy a printer (starting with just one) to a group of PCs in a computer lab. For the moment I have taken one PC to the server room and set it up with a test name. I have created an OU and added the PC into it. I should say its a Windows XP client with SP3 installed

 

To deploy the printer I have installed it on the server (server 2008) and I have added the x86 drivers under the "additional drivers" button. I then deployed the printer through print management and created a group policy object. I have linked the group policy object to the OU containing the test PC.

 

I have set the Point and Print Restrictions so that its enabled but I have not ticked either option and set all warnings to hidden.

 

When I reboot the client PC it does not have the printer installed. When I do a GP result it shows that it is in the correct OU and that the printer group policy oibject is associated with this test PC.

 

My question...what have I missed. The theory of deploying printers through Group Policy sounds perfect for our needs in the school and seems reasonably easy to implement but I'm getting nothing. I'm hoping its just something I've missed, some step or option I haven't ticked?

 

This is my first entry into Group Policy and any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Domino]

first hurdle - the 'list this printer in the directory' on the printer settings needs to be ticked for Group policy deployment to work

[localzuk]

Do you have the 'pushprinterconnections.exe' file set up? Deploy printers by using Group Policy

[KevWCFE]

Thanks Domino,

 

I went to the printer on the server, right clicked, went to printer properties and sure enough "list this printer in the directory" was not ticked. So I ticked it, ran gpupdate /force on the client and rebooted the client.

 

Although I had many things, including my fingers, crossed it didn't work. No sign of the printer in the printer and faxes folder.

 

Any more things I should tick?

[Domino]

Do you have the 'pushprinterconnections.exe' file set up? Deploy printers by using Group Policy

 

Shouldn't be necessary from a 2k8 server - even to a xp client, as long as it has the Group Policy Updates installed

[KevWCFE]

Thanks localzuk. OK. Had a quick read of the link and I see that I have to deploy pushprinterconnections.exe to a machine startup. As I mentioned I'm new to group policy so how would I do that....or do you concur with Domino that I don't need to from a 2008 server?

 

Domino, is it worth trying anyway?

 

Thanks guys, appreciate the help

[Domino]

Just a quick thought, what domain functional level are you running at?

[Domino]

Also, are you deploying as a machine policy to a machine OU? or a user policy to a user OU?

[KevWCFE]

Domain functional level - Windows Server 2003

 

I am deploying on a per machine basis and the OU only has one thing in it which is the test PC.

 

Is the functional level of 2003 the problem? Can I upgrade it and if I can will it cause any problems or server down time?

 

Thanks for all this, appreciate it

[Domino]

I'd try Localzuk's method if the DFL is 2k3.

 

In most cases raising the domain functional level won't cause any issues - but I can't comment on any legacy systems you might have in place.

[KevWCFE]

Cool, I'll try Localzuk's option and let you know how I get on. Thanks to both of you for the help so far.

[simpsonj]

As much as I hate self promoting, you might want to read my blog entry (found here: EduGeek.net - simpsonj - Blogs), whilst it says for Windows 7, you only need to install Group Policy Preference Client Side Extensions for that method to work with XP clients as well.

[KevWCFE]

HI Domino,

 

Me again. I searched the internet looking for pushprinterconnections.exe and got directed to Microsoft download centre to download pmcmgmt.exe. I did that and I added it to the start up script as per instructions in Localzuk's post. I get an error that "update\update.exe" is not a valid 32 bit application

 

I then realised that I have to extract this on the server first and maybe that would give me the correct file to use but when I try and extract it on the server it gives me "not enough storage is available to run this command".

 

I'm a little confused now. What should I do with that pmcmgmt.exe file...polite answers only

 

Thanks

Edited March 4, 2011 by KevWCFE

[sted]

pushprinterconnection.exe is easiest found form a 2003r2 server iirc i can send you a copy easy enough it on the pendrive at the side of me

does the xp pc have group policy client side extensions update installed? (not sure its relevant be worth a shot)

also id tick "users can only point and print to machines in their forest box" seems to work for me

[Bruce123]

I know this has been expressed already, but I would personally forget about using pushprinterconnections.exe and use the Group Policy Preferences section in 2008/R2 to deploy your printers, instead.

 

This is probably best done on using User preferences but targetted to computers (and linked to a OU contain computers). You do need Client Side Extensions on your XP machines for this to work (approval in WSUS).

 

It is (by a long way IMHO) Microsoft's most elegant method yet for printer deployment and also gives you a lot of control/flexibilty of what printers are mapped/unmapped and setting defaults etc.

 

Thanks,

 

Bruce.

Edited March 4, 2011 by Bruce123

[KevWCFE]

Hi everyone,

Meant to post last week when I sorted the problem but was busy implementing it through all the labs and testing it.

 

To Domino and Localzuk, thanks for all your suggestions and help. You got me going in the right direction. To all who posted after my last post thanks for taking the time to help out and I'm sorry I didn't get back sooner to say its sorted.

 

As it turned out I found an older version of pmcmgmt.exe on the Microsoft site which was about 745KB instead of the 1MB version I was talking about in my post. When I ran this on my XP laptop it installed itself and then finished. I was a little perplexed but I did a search of my laptop for pushpushprinterconnections.exe after the install and I found it in C:\WINDOWS\pmcsnap and copied it to the server. I then setup the the pushprinterconnections.exe as per localzuk's post (the link gives instructions):

Do you have the 'pushprinterconnections.exe' file set up? Deploy printers by using Group Policy

 

Once this was done I rebooted my test PC and it worked!! Thank God for that. I deployed the test printer to one of the computer labs not in use that afternoon and rebooted a few of them and sure enough they had the new printer installed when I logged in. There was a mock exam the following morning so I left it set up and the report back was everything worked.

 

So thanks again to Domino and to localzuk.

 

To Bruce123 who said

I know this has been expressed already, but I would personally forget about using pushprinterconnections.exe and use the Group Policy Preferences section in 2008/R2 to deploy your printers, instead.

I think this would be correct except the domain functional level is at server 2003. Could I upgrade that without any bad things happening? I'll have to look into that.

 

Thanks to Sted who offered to send me a copy, I had obtained the right one by then but the offer is appreciated.

 

Great forum! I will try to help other here but as I'm only starting out in the server world I don't have much experience.

 

I'll be back

[PeteLong]

Now you can use GPP, Here's some more information that might be helpful,

 

Deploying Printers with Group Policy Preferences

 

Pete

[Domino]

Now you can use GPP, Here's some more information that might be helpful,

 

Except he can't cause the domain is 2k3

 

 

I think this would be correct except the domain functional level is at server 2003. Could I upgrade that without any bad things happening? I'll have to look into that.

 

To upgrade the domain functional level, you'll need all DCs to be running 2008 or 2008 r2.

 

The only trouble you might have is with any linux boxes you have knocking around - depending on the version of samba they're running they might not be able to authenticate.

[Michael]

I was under the impression 'pushprinterconnections.exe' was still needed for XP with a 2008 R2 server, but Windows Vista and Windows 7 uses gpprnext.dll, so it literally is a case of installing a printer, sharing it and deploying it per user, per computer or both where required.

[sted]

Except he can't cause the domain is 2k3

 

 

 

To upgrade the domain functional level, you'll need all DCs to be running 2008 or 2008 r2.

 

The only trouble you might have is with any linux boxes you have knocking around - depending on the version of samba they're running they might not be able to authenticate.

 

you can do it without upgrading the domain im sure ive got gpp printers working somewhere that hasnt got an 08 server just did it via a win7 pc

[williamcp]

I know this has been expressed already, but I would personally forget about using pushprinterconnections.exe and use the Group Policy Preferences section in 2008/R2 to deploy your printers, instead.

 

This is probably best done on using User preferences but targetted to computers (and linked to a OU contain computers). You do need Client Side Extensions on your XP machines for this to work (approval in WSUS).

 

It is (by a long way IMHO) Microsoft's most elegant method yet for printer deployment and also gives you a lot of control/flexibilty of what printers are mapped/unmapped and setting defaults etc.

 

Thanks,

 

Bruce.

 

do you have a microsoft tech bulletin on how to do this without pushprinterconnections.exe?

[flashsnaps]

Also, are you deploying as a machine policy to a machine OU? or a user policy to a user OU?

 

Sorry to bring this up, I am struggling to get a printer working in the same fashion.

 

I am deploying a printer to a workstation ou. Anything I am missing?

 

E.g.

 

IT Suite has 10 workstations, I only want this printer rolled out to those 10 workstations.

[Domino]

For GPP to work attaching the printers, the printer needs to be listed in the directory - something to check.