How to find out if a computer has a printer mapped to it

[Gaz]

As the title suggests, is there any way to find out if a computer has a network printer mapped to it without physically going to the computer or remoting into the computer.

 

Sorry if this isn't the best forum for the question, feel free to move it.

[Michael]

You can't as the printer is mapped either via a script or GPO dynamically. You need to look at where the script or GPO are applied from the server itself. You also need to bear in mind printers can be mapped per user, per computer or a combination.

[Gaz]

Hmm thanks.

[sonofsanta]

Check the application/system/Group Policy logs when someone has logged on? Assuming you have relevant ports open in your firewall for remote management (they're closed off by default in a 2008R2/Win7 domain).

 

Or just mstsc into it and see what's in Devices and Printers? just saw the bit about not remoting in...

Edited February 7, 2013 by sonofsanta

[Michael]

If it's deployed via GPO, have a look at Administrative Tools > Print Management on your server. If there's nothing there they'll be a script running somewhere. Have a look in your netlogon share. This could be a logon or a startup script.

[sonofsanta]

If it's deployed via GPO, have a look at Administrative Tools > Print Management on your server. If there's nothing there they'll be a script running somewhere. Have a look in your netlogon share. This could be a logon or a startup script.

 

Or just run Group Policy Modelling (in your GP MMC) against the computer and check the resulting report.

[Gaz]

Arh, I think I may have caused some confusion. I have printers mapped to a classroom its just that 1 of them didn't map and the user that reported it didn't know which computer it was, I was too busy at the time to go over and look and his explanation of which PC it was wasn't clear. So I was wondering if I could find out, (without look at the event logs of every single pc) which one failed to map.

This is based off not knowing which computer hasn't mapped successfully.

[Michael]

Or just run Group Policy Modelling (in your GP MMC) against the computer and check the resulting report.

 

You could, but Print Management's better (if deployed via GPO) in my opinion.

[penfold]

Take a look at this thread which gives options for tracking users. We use Webmans Login tracker. While it is a little late now, it might be useful in the future for just these issues.

[sonofsanta]

You could, but Print Management's better (if deployed via GPO) in my opinion.

 

True, but GPMC will have you covered for GPP and scripting as well

[DT2]

WMIC?

It has several print management functions built in. But it will only tell you what's currently mapped.

Maybe compare one known good system with the target system...

[Gaz]

Just found out which PC was in question and there is nothing in the event logs as to why it wasn't mapped, despite the /gpresult saying that the policy had applied.

FYI the printers are mapped via Group Policy.

 

This is going to need a bit of investigating.

[ZeroHour]

I am pretty sure the older versions of Remote Support Software | DameWare could do this but I havent used it in a while, the software was pretty awesome back in the day.

[SYNACK]

Wmi will give you this information, even for a remote station, the wmi scriptomatic tool from MS can help you make a script.