Deploying printers - XP/Vista compatible method

[OverWorked]

I need a method of deploying printers to users that will work for both XP and Vista.

 

I have vbs user logon scripts that work for XP to connect them to printers.

 

The trouble is, if these scripts run when the users logs onto Vista, all they see is a blank screen with no way out of it.

 

I found out that if I log on as local admin and run the script manually (to see what's happening) a dialogue box appears asking the user if they want to install the printer driver. This is what's happening for the users (I think), except they don't get to see the dialogue box.

 

Is there a way of automatically accepting the driver installation for them so the script runs to connect their printers?

 

At the moment I'm investigating the Deployed Printers section in the new Vista GPOs, but not having much success.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks.

[OverWorked]

Just tried it again, and the users now get the dialogue box asking them if they want to install the printer driver.

 

I couldn't get it to work for the past two days, now it is - it must have been something else causing the problem.

[SYNACK]

There is an option in GP (under computer config - windows settings - security - local policys - user rights assignment - load and unload device drivers) to set which users are allowed to install drivers, you could try adding your users group to that.

 

edit: looks like you fixed it anyway, I really should refresh the page before I post

[jkuzo]

While the above posters method may work there is actually a better solution if we are just dealing with printers. Again it will resource GP. Under user config, admin temp, control panel, printers. You want to enable point and print restrictions. Enter the fully qualified domain name where the printers will be installed from. Then there are two drop down menus. You want to change those to "not prompt for elevation". This will fix your problem.

[OverWorked]

There is an option in GP (under computer config - windows settings - security - local policys - user rights assignment - load and unload device drivers) to set which users are allowed to install drivers, you could try adding your users group to that.

 

edit: looks like you fixed it anyway, I really should refresh the page before I post

 

Thanks. The problem came back, so it wasn't what I thought it was. I'm still working on it, building a new GPO from scratch and testing frequently to try and find the cause.

[OverWorked]

You want to change those to "not prompt for elevation". This will fix your problem.

 

I'll have a look at that too. Thanks.

[Michael]

You can deploy printers using GPOs with Windows Server 2003 R2 or Windows Server 2008. They can be deployed per user or computer.

 

I've only done this at lots of sites with 2003 and XP, but not Vista (as yet).

[OverWorked]

I've found that with GP I can deploy printers to the computer no problem, but if I use GP (either the new Vista method or a vbs script) it's a disaster. Either they can't logon or they just get no printers (just occassionally they do get them, though).

 

I've also found that in Vista, Admins can esaily add their own printers. But, if non-admins try to do anything with printers they get a dialogue box saying "the local spool service is not running".

 

This gets worse. I wanted to get this sorted before everyone get back on Monday.

[OverWorked]

While the above posters method may work there is actually a better solution if we are just dealing with printers. Again it will resource GP. Under user config, admin temp, control panel, printers. You want to enable point and print restrictions. Enter the fully qualified domain name where the printers will be installed from. Then there are two drop down menus. You want to change those to "not prompt for elevation". This will fix your problem.

 

It didn't! Sorry, it had no effect on the problem. There must be another cause. Thanks anyway!

[OverWorked]

I think I've narrowed it down. The print spooler service on the client is probably stopping because of a driver that is incompatible with Vista. I'll have to go through all the printers on the network, getting Vista to connect to each to find it. I'll leave it until Monday.

 

I may be talking to myself here. Comes from spending a week locked in a school alone with just me and Vista. Edugeek has been my only friend... Must go home... See outside world...

[Michael]

You're right, it might be to do with drivers themselves. On your print server if you right click a printer, choose Properties and then the Sharing Tab. By clicking the Additional Drivers button, you can see what drivers you have available for distribution.

 

I would also recommend you stick to using GPOs rather than scripts.

[OverWorked]

It was the drivers. I had old drivers on our networked Toshiba copier/scanner/printer.

 

I've upgraded our print server to use the new Print Management console (available from Server 2003 R2), and upgraded the drivers on there.

 

At the moment most of our machines are XP. I've read about installing PushPrinterConnections.exe on XP clients to make them read the Vista GPOs for deployed printers. I'll look at that later; but for now, scripts work.

 

Thanks everyone!

[farmerste]

i added a shared network printer onto a machine running windows visturd, and the server rebooted !!!

[Michael]

You don't actually install PushPrinterConnections.exe. You simply set it as a logon script (the exe itself) within Active Directory. This exe then dynamically adds the printers each time a user logs on. This is a requirement for Print Management to work correctly.

[OverWorked]

You don't actually install PushPrinterConnections.exe. You simply set it as a logon script (the exe itself) within Active Directory. This exe then dynamically adds the printers each time a user logs on. This is a requirement for Print Management to work correctly.

 

Thanks. I hadn't read about it in too much detail! I'll note it for when I do get round to doing it.

[gshaw]

Just bear in mind the GPO Deployed Printers have no way of setting which is default, still trying to figure out how Microsoft managed to miss that out

[Michael]

It does, it works alphabetically.

[gshaw]

It does, it works alphabetically.

 

Hardly a proper solution though is it

 

So if one department doesn't want the printer beginning with a as their default they're a bit stuffed really

 

Poor design imo

[OverWorked]

It does, it works alphabetically.

 

This is not good. However, if a user manaually selects their default printer, does it stay as default for the next session, or does it get reset?

 

This would only be beneficial for the admin staff who don't move around. For the rest I want to set their default printer to the cheapest printer in their room every session.

 

I might just stick to using scripts for this reason.

 

BTW, I've worked it out now, but this is a good page from Jeremy Moskowitz.

[gshaw]

Good guide that but the lack of control over default printers means I'm staying with scripts, using alphabetical order is just lame

[OverWorked]

... using alphabetical order is just lame

 

I've done some experimentation just now and it's not as simple as that. I think it selects the default printer from the printers initially deployed to the user. Deploying more printers afterwards doesn't change the default printer. It's up to the user to manually change it.

 

I've got a test user account whose default printer is the MS XPS Document Writer, because that was there first. Changing the default is recorded in the user's profile, so it roams with them; but there's no way to set it in GP.

 

I'm sticking with scripts as well.

 

Another annoyance: I've got two printers I can't get to work with Vista, despite the manufacturer's stating that the native drivers are included in Vista: Epson AcuLaser 900c and HP Deskjet 1220c. If the Epson gets deployed to a user on Vista it completely stuffs up the print spooler service, preventing any printing. I've got to be careful about who it gets deployed to.

[wickit]

I too have had nothing but trouble with Vista and printer scripts

 

It seems so random and i cant find the fix

 

i currently use a vb script using addwindowsprinterconnection and its works 90% of the time.

 

ITS DRIVING ME NUTS

[OverWorked]

It seems so random and i cant find the fix

 

i currently use a vb script using addwindowsprinterconnection and its works 90% of the time.

 

I had this prob before I updated the drivers. It would work occasionally.

 

I wrote scripts to connect printers one at a time, rebooting between each one. It may be just one printer causing the problem. Two of the printers are supposed to have drivers built-in to Vista, but they still have problems, so I've made sure these printers will never be connected to Vista by deploying them to computers, not users.

 

This approach worked for me.

[wickit]

This is driving me nuts

i have tried all sorts now

deploying via policies, tried user and computer and both still intermittent on the workstations

 

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH:mad::mad: