Install Network Printer for All Users

[David]

We have a network printer, Windows 2000 Server domain, Windows 2000 and XP
Pro clients. When a user logs on to a computer for the first time, no
printers are installed. We'd like the network printer to be available to
anyone who logs on without having to install it every time. I've looked at
KB and GPOs, but haven't found a simple solution. Is there a way?
Thanks!
David

 

[Bill Peele [MS]]

--------------------
From: "David" <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.win2000.printing
Subject: Install Network Printer for All Users
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 11:00:40 -0600

We have a network printer, Windows 2000 Server domain, Windows 2000 and XP
Pro clients. When a user logs on to a computer for the first time, no
printers are installed. We'd like the network printer to be available to
anyone who logs on without having to install it every time. I've looked at
KB and GPOs, but haven't found a simple solution. Is there a way?
Thanks!
David
--

David,

You can do this one of two ways. You can use Bruce Sanderson's method listed at the link below. Since Network printers
are per user and Local printers are per system you can log into the system as the Administrator, add a printer telling it to
add a local printer, on the Ports dialog tell it to "Create a new port", select Local Port and when it askes for the ports name
give it the UNC, \\<server>\<print share> to the shared printer. The system will treat this as a local printer and it will be
available to all users even though when we print to it the redirector will send the print job to the shared printer.

http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/NetPrinterAllUsers.htm

Bill Peele
Microsoft Enterprise Support

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from which they originated.

 

[David]

Bill,
Thanks you very much!

--------------------
From: "David" <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.win2000.printing
Subject: Install Network Printer for All Users
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 11:00:40 -0600

We have a network printer, Windows 2000 Server domain, Windows 2000 and XP
Pro clients. When a user logs on to a computer for the first time, no
printers are installed. We'd like the network printer to be available to
anyone who logs on without having to install it every time. I've looked at
KB and GPOs, but haven't found a simple solution. Is there a way?
Thanks!
David
--

David,

You can do this one of two ways. You can use Bruce Sanderson's method

listed at the link below. Since Network printers

are per user and Local printers are per system you can log into the system

as the Administrator, add a printer telling it to

add a local printer, on the Ports dialog tell it to "Create a new port",

select Local Port and when it askes for the ports name

give it the UNC, \\<server>\<print share> to the shared printer. The

system will treat this as a local printer and it will be

available to all users even though when we print to it the redirector will

send the print job to the shared printer.

http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/NetPrinterAllUsers.htm

Bill Peele
Microsoft Enterprise Support

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no

rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the

terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

Note: For the benefit of the community-at-large, all responses to this

message are best directed to the newsgroup/thread

 

[Jim Daw]

Dear Bill,

Followed Bruce Sanderson's directions and it works great for new
users. However, if the user has an existing profile, the new printer
doesn't appear. Any thoughts? Is there a way to get it to work with
an existing user.
The workstation is running Windows XP with all currect patches.
Jim

 

[Bruce Sanderson]

The process on my web site should work for all users, "new" or otherwise -
it always has for me.

If the user is logged on when the printer is added, it won't show up in that
user's Printers and Faxes right away. You need to stop and start the Print
Spooler service, then Refresh the Printers and Faxes folder - or restart the
computer (not necessary, but sometimes easier to explain what to do!).

If this doesn't work for you, please repost with the printer make and model.