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W2K and Printing

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by allan 1 view

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Does anyone know of a way to set a default printer for the "All Users" profile. We use system "policies" that prevent users from accessing the "Settings" folder.
In NT 4.0 you could log on as Administrator to the local machine and add printers.These would then be available to "All Users".
In W2K it seems that printers have to be added to each user profile as they logon for the first time.
So, if you know a way to add a printer to that will be avaiable to "All Users" I'd love to hear it.

4 replies

by calves

That is a hard one. The type a question that will get a lot people thinking.
Well, here is the answer. logon as admin, create the printer in the printer's folder, right click on that printer and create a shortcut. now open, c:\documents and settings, select the admin folder, select desktop, and copy the link for the printer. Open the folder for the regular user, and paste the link into his/het desktop folder.
Now, logon as the regular user, right click on the icon (link) for the printer and select "Set as default printer". The OS knows where the driver is located locally.

Good luck!

by allan

Tried it and it did not work.
FYI, it can be done by logging on as Administrator to the local machine and "add printer" When the choice comes for local or network, choose local but then use the IP address of the printer in the appropriate box. Thiswill install the printer and drivers and will make the printer available to all profiles for the machine

by guy

Firstly it has to be possible.
Secondly I see you like policies, so how about the configuring through a policy.
Group Policy:
Computer Configuration, administration templates printers.
There are also settings under the User Configuration.
Finally how about a script? e.g logon script net use lpt1: \\server\printer

by allan

Tried it and it did not work.
FYI, it can be done by logging on as Administrator to the local machine and "add printer" When the choice comes for local or network, choose local but then use the IP address of the printer in the appropriate box. Thiswill install the printer and drivers and will make the printer available to all profiles for the machine

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