Only An Administrator Can Print

[Tech1]

Hi, There is probably a very simple solution to this but as it's Monday morning, I don't think my brain is quite in gear yet.

 

I am trying to share a printer between XP machines. I have installed the USB printer onto the teacher's PC, and shared it. I then login on a student PC, add the shared printer, and can print to it fine.

 

Problem is, when I login as a student or a teacher, they can't even see the printer?

 

Anybody have any ideas why this may be?

 

Thanks.

[jamesreedersmith]

Security permissions on the share of the printer?

[Tech1]

Security permissions on the share of the printer?

 

Within the security permissions I have added Everyone. And also the user that I am testing. This still has no effect.

[Mark-Vital]

Are these domain machines or standalones?

[Tech1]

Are these domain machines or standalones?

 

The machines are on a domain.

[Mark-Vital]

If you log on to the teacher's PC as a student/staff user can they see and print to the printer? Is there anything policy-wise that would be preventing normal users from seeing/accessing the share on the other PC?

[Tech1]

If you log on to the teacher's PC as a student/staff user can they see and print to the printer? Is there anything policy-wise that would be preventing normal users from seeing/accessing the share on the other PC?

 

Yes, when a teacher logs in, then can print to it fine, it's just when they login to the student PC, both teachers and students are unable to see the printer, but administrators can.

 

Also, as far as I am aware, there is nothing in group policy blocking this. We have another printer setup and shared out which is working fine.

[imunro01]

OK guys, I think I must be missing somethign in the question here.

 

network printers (including those shared off another PC) are added on a per-user basis, so whilst you've added it under the admin profile it will also need adding in each other profile. Alternatively, install it on one profile and copy that into the default user profile, so each new profile created after that will have it.

[LiamH]

Or add a vb script on login to install the printer.

 

We use mandatory profiles and its the only way we can get around it.

 

Set WshNetwork = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Network")
WshNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\pc\printer"
WshNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter "\\pc\printer"

[elsiegee40]

I'm with imunro01 and LiamH. This printer needs to be added to each user profile individually; adding to the admin profile on the PC isn't enough... script necessary if everyone needs it. Edited November 22, 2010 by elsiegee40

[Tech1]

I understand where you are coming from when adding it to each user account but surely there is another explanation. We have another workstation that shares out its USB printer, and I have successfully installed it onto another PC for a completely different user to use, and it works fine. Only problem is, I installed it that long ago I can't remember exactly what I did.

 

I'm not sure if it helps or not but i've been doing some research regarding this, and a few other forums say that full control for Everyone needs to be added to System32Spool and Windows Temp folders. I have obviously tried this but it doesn't resolve the issue.

[LiamH]

Hmm, another way of doing it is to add the printer as a local printer on the machine. Then when it asks for port use a network share like \\pc\printer, I think that works off the top of my head

[glennda]

I might be wrong but if you map it as the local administrator account i think it stays - as i say i could be making this up. But logging in as a domain admin and connecting it will remove it on logout.

 

Otherwise scripting/gpo etc is they way to go

 

Toby

[witch]

Must admit, the local install and then pointing to a network share or whatever is what I was thinking but isn't that just for a network printer, not a locally installed shared one?

[glennda]

Must admit, the local install and then pointing to a network share or whatever is what I was thinking but isn't that just for a network printer, not a locally installed shared one?

 

Well technically it is a network printer if I'm reading it right but its server is just another XP machine rather then one shared off a server with an IP print port.

[Tech1]

Well technically it is a network printer if I'm reading it right but its server is just another XP machine rather then one shared off a server with an IP print port.

 

It is a locally installed USB printer shared out out to other machines.

[glennda]

but is it not the other machines you are having a problem with? not the one with it locally attached?

[Tech1]

but is it not the other machines you are having a problem with? not the one with it locally attached?

 

Yes, it is the other machines that we are having difficulties with. The PC with the printer locally installed works fine. You can login as any type of user and the printer works. It's when you add the printer to another machine, an administrator can print to it, but if you login as any other user, you can't see the printer within Printers & Faxes.

[glennda]

so its a network printer, just not networked using an ip port. its the same as if you plugged the usb lead directly into a standard print server. I think if you login as the local administrator and add the printer i might keep it. if not you need to put a script. I am at home today with only my ubuntu laptop so cannot test sorry.

[elsiegee40]

Yes, it is the other machines that we are having difficulties with. The PC with the printer locally installed works fine. You can login as any type of user and the printer works. It's when you add the printer to another machine, an administrator can print to it, but if you login as any other user, you can't see the printer within Printers & Faxes.

 

That doesn't and won't happen automatically with a Local Shared printer.

 

You must login as the user, go to 'Add a printer' and add a shared printer. The wizard then scans the network to look for all shared and betwork printers and you can then add it complete the process.

 

Alternatively use a script.

 

If you are sat at the machine with the local printer, the printer is added automagically while you are working on that machine, but does not stay there if you move elsewhere.

Edited November 23, 2010 by elsiegee40

[LiamH]

Network printers are installed on the User profile. You will need to install it locally or create a script to install it on login for users.

 

To install a printer locally, When it asks you if its local/network select local and untick automatically detect.

When it asks which port create a new local port with the share name ie \\pc\printershare

 

This should install it for all users.

 

If its still having problems the vb script i posted before should work.

[Tech1]

I have a spare print server in stock so I'm thinking the easiest way of resolving this is to just make the local printer a network one, and install it on each of the machines one at a time.

 

I just can't understand why it isn't working as we have another setup in another part of the school with it working fine. On the other setup, as far as I can remember, I logged in as a local admin, installed the printer, teacher logs in, the printer is viewable and it works fine. I then shared the printer, logged in as a local admin on the workstation next to it, found the share, and connected it, printer works fine for the admin. A teacher logs in, and it works fine for them, but now I'm trying to do the same thing again in another room, and I'm getting this probelm.

 

Thanks for all the help anyway.

Edited November 23, 2010 by Tech1

[LiamH]

And you tried adding it as a local printer on the remote machine?

[Tech1]

And you tried adding it as a local printer on the remote machine?

 

On the remote machine I am just going to the PC that it is installed to, start, run, \\machinename then right clicking the printer and clicking connect. This then adds the printer to the remote machine, where I can print fine from as an administrator. Just not from any other account that logs in.

[elsiegee40]

On the remote machine I am just going to the PC that it is installed to, start, run, \\machinename then right clicking the printer and clicking connect. This then adds the printer to the remote machine, where I can print fine from as an administrator. Just not from any other account that logs in.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows/66226-only-administrator-can-print-2.html#post592573