Set default printer

[sgagne]

I have a windows 2003 R2 SP2 server and our network has a mix of xp and windows 7. I am trying to use a script to set the default printer on computers based on the OU the computers are in. I have tried applying it as a startup script and as a login script - with no success. I can log into a computer and manually run the script, so I know it isn't an error in the script. Can anyone help me with what I am missing?

 

I have also tried it with a copier named CopierC... in case it had something to do with the hyphens or the long name.

 

I have used different variations of the script, but this is the current one:

 

' Set default printer

Option Explicit

Dim objPrinter

Set objPrinter = CreateObject("WScript.Network")

objPrinter.SetDefaultPrinter "\\library-server\HPLJ-P2035n-C103"

[sted]

is the printers name and share name the same?

ive found them being diff can cause issues

[sgagne]

They are the same.

[sgagne]

I forgot to add... I am trying to run the script using group policies on the Win2003 server.

[glennda]

I forgot to add... I am trying to run the script using group policies on the Win2003 server.

 

Try Group Policy Preferences from a windows 7 machine works really well. To run on xp you need to put push printer connections on a login screen

[sgagne]

Try Group Policy Preferences from a windows 7 machine works really well. To run on xp you need to put push printer connections on a login screen

 

I have seen this suggested on several websites, however when I go into the local group policies on the Windows 7 Professional laptop, the options shown online are not available on this computer. They actually look like the XP group policies with the only options under User Configuration are: Software Settings, Windows Settings and Administrative Templates - I don't see the "preferences" option shown on the web.

 

Also, I do have pushprinterconnections.exe running at login on the XP machines, this however does not set up a default printer - not that I am aware of anyway. Printers are pushing out and installing okay. I just can't designate a default printer.

 

Our setup is awkward. Our DCs are Win2003, but my print queue that I am using is on a Win2008 server (Not an DC). Clients are a mix of XP (32-bit) and Win7 (32 and 64 bit). I don't know if this is adding to my problem. Printers are all pushing okay for the most part. I just can't find a way to set a default printer on either the XP or Win7 machines.

 

Thanks!

[sgagne]

I may have just found what I need - installing gp preferences on win 2003 domain. I will post back if this works!

[Guest TheLibrarian]

For Windows XP try con2prn.

[sgagne]

Thanks for the suggestion - I am not so concerned with the xp machines as the default profile holds this setting... and at this point, as we are phasing them out, I think I will stick to that for the xp. It is more critical in the Windows 7 machines which don't.

 

I was able to get the group policy management updated with client side extensions, but even after adding the printer as the default, it doesn't work. They seem to just default to XPS Document Writer.