Windows 7 printers not connecting at logon - "The Specified Port is Unknown"

[Ruan]

Hi all,

 

We've currently got a single print server running 2003 R2 with all of our printers on, the printers are deployed via GPO, though on some machines, often certain machines, but generally random, the printer won't be added...

 

Sometimes you can just go to the Directory and add the printers and they will be fine, but most of the time it'll start adding and come up with "Windows cannot add this printer, The Specified Port is Unknown" - usually the user has to do a restart and sometimes the printer will come back, other times they'll have to use a different machine to even print...

 

It does it to all sorts of printers - Kyoceras, Canons, HPs, Epsons, it doesn't seem to be just one printer which makes me think it's not a driver issue, however I'm not going to rule it out...

 

Any help would be amazing!

 

Thanks,

 

Ruan

[Ruan]

No ideas on this?!

 

I'm completely stumped with regards to this now, I know a few teachers are getting a bit upset at there often being no printers installed!

[maark]

Only got a few win 7 machines but on mine that works - have got a group policy object linked to computer OU - in computer part of GP have windows settings - printer connections with path to printers and in user part of GP - preferences - printers - shared printer name (create)

[sukh]

Hi

 

1. Is this issue only when deploying printers via a GPO?

2. Do you get the same error when installing from the directory?

3. Can you reproduce this issue?

4. Does it happen to certain users? Or Certain PC's? Or a certain user on a certain PC?

5. Are there any errors in the Event Log?

6. Has this ever worked without the error or this a new set-up?

 

Sukh

[Ruan]

1. It seems to error out when it connects via GPO, then will not connect via directory either.

2. Same as above, gives the error when you try and add it via the directory, or even if you add it via the UNC path.

3. Not readily, seems to be random.

4. Fairly random, some machines are worse than others, but I think that might be co-incidence that people print and therefore notice it from those machines more.

5. Not that I can see, server nor client.

6. Definitely works at times but then will randomly break again, restart the machine and it'll usually be OK, but might require 2 restarts to make it work.

[sukh]

1. What OS is on the clients?

2. How often does it happen, what I'd like to do is try to reprouce the issue, do you think this is possible?

3. Has this worked without issues, for a constant period, i.e more than say 1 month?

4. When did you realise this issue?

5. Are you targeting the printer deployment at PC;s?

 

Sukh

[Ruan]

1. Only ever windows 7, we have XP machines on the same network, but these never get this problem.

2. Probably once a day, I could probably replicate it with logging on and off a few times!

3. Usually less than a week, it's fairly common.

4. A while ago, probably a few months, but nothing really seemed to set it off?

5. Printers are deployed to OUs with the machines inside of them.#

 

Thanks for your help so far!

[sukh]

1. Set the below on a PC where will try to reprouce the issue.

 

Value Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

 

Value Name: UserEnvDebugLevel

 

Value Type: REG_DWORD

 

Value Data: 10002 (Hexadecimal)

 

 

 

Restart the computer, try to log on again to reproduce the problem. Then send the %Systemroot%\Debug\UserMode\Userenv.log file to me.

 

Sukh

[Aethon]

We've come across a few issues with Windows 7 and networked printers on Server 2003 so much so that we're creating a new print server built on 2008 R2 to try and resolve these issues.

 

But anyway, this link should hopefully help you: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;2388142

[Ruan]

1. Set the below on a PC where will try to reprouce the issue.

 

Value Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

 

Value Name: UserEnvDebugLevel

 

Value Type: REG_DWORD

 

Value Data: 10002 (Hexadecimal)

 

 

 

Restart the computer, try to log on again to reproduce the problem. Then send the %Systemroot%\Debug\UserMode\Userenv.log file to me.

 

Sukh

 

I'll definitely give that a go now... Though I'll admit our Print Server is due for upgrade to 2008R2, we'll give this one last go, if we still get issues then I expect we'll just go straight for an upgrade and pray that helps.

 

Thanks for everyone's help.