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Printer installation for multiple users

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by hpoppe

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I'm the admin for a network in a school, we have 15 PC running Win2000pro which are shared between 170 students.
Since the PCs are in a school, and also used for educational pupouses (install & confic of the OS) they are frequently formatted and reinstalled.
Most of the users (about 120-130) are not able to install our networkprinter by them selves. The printer is locally connected to a Win2K server, which is sharing the print device via a USB cable.
These users all use all the machines, andthe demand for support with the printer installation is huge. Its driving me nuts!
Is there a way that the printer can be installed in such a way that it will be accessible to all authenticated users (we have a domain and a DC)users, without havingto install it in every single user profile? All the profiles are filling up the disk, and being a school, we do not have the money to buy new, larger disks. The number of profiles on the machines can total more than 2500. And I have to delete them. Roaming profiles are not a solution, because our server and networkgear (10MB hubs, not switches etc) can not handle this. When a class starts, 15 logons happen simultaneously, and that is too much.
On a bad day, I can have up to 40 or 50 calls for this problem.
Thanks for any help :-)

24 replies

by r. a. caluste

hi,

I actually learned this through a Technical Q&A answer. Try this:

syntax:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /c\\workstation /n\\printserver\printername /j"LanMan Print Services"

Enter this at the command prompt. You can also dothis with a batch file to simplify things.

To learn more about this syntax, run "rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /?"

by shmaltz

Since it's a school. Why can't you use Mandatory Profiles?
In any case if you can't use mandatory profiles. Just give everyone the same username and password to log on.

by hpoppe

This is not a solution at all. Give everyone the same username????? Of course not!! They would loose their homedirectory security and have to replace that with passwords on individual files. The students are age 16 to 18, and I can tell you, this would be worse than what we have now. This is not a question of mandatory profiles, I'd still have to set it up for all users on all PCs, roaming profiles are not acceptable as a solution either.

by shmaltz

If you have a domain controller, than Mandatory Profiles is done from there. You give everyone the same profile and you set the Security permissions to read only.
You did not mention in your question that they save files and they also connect to a home directory, thats why I suggested the one username solution. I thought that this is an environment like a liberery where no saves on the HD but on disks.

by hpoppe

Why have a omain and a DC, if you don't need individual log on?
Sorry Mac :-)

by gigelul

You can use roaming profiles with a System Policies which limit the profile size. You can obtain profile size less than 2Mb.

by hpoppe

Please, a solution like this is not acceptable. We _must_ have local policies. The DC cannot handle this, i've tried, as previously stated. Thanks :-)

by anujaswal2001

I agree with the above .Create Mandatory Profiles with the desired Printer Settings and assign it to all the users .Give the path to the shared Profile Location on every User's Object Profile tab

by anujaswal2001

I agree with the above .Create Mandatory Profiles with the desired Printer Settings and assign it to all the users .Give the path to the shared Profile Location on every User's Object Profile tab

by hpoppe

Our network wont't handle it. Profiles need to be local (build only once) on each client machine. The problem is that when a class starts, 15 students log on at once. This can take up to 10 minutes (of a class that lasts only 40 min)and that is toomuch. At the same time, we frequently need to format the disks, in order for a new group og studenta to learn how to install the OS, and use fdisk etc.

by andymck

I think you'll find an answer in Group Policies, possibly running a logon script for the group each time they log on which installs the desired printer.

by ndewhall

Jeapers...I am suprised no one recommended you go back to workgroups..lol.
As I can see it you have two options.
1. Write up detailed instructions for student s to installa printer on a machine they have not logged onto before. (I take it they dont always us the same computer and after a rebuild they all have to install their printers again.)
2. This may sound vague but I remember that the first time you set a printer if you copy it into the default users profile on the local machine it will then show up for all subsequent users. This is if the user profiles are on the local machines. Otherwise I would do as above.

by hpoppe

LOL!!
The question is: how do you install this (or copy the installation to "all users",
Sorry!!

by ndewhall

Jeapers...I am suprised no one recommended you go back to workgroups..lol.
As I can see it you have two options.
1. Write up detailed instructions for student s to installa printer on a machine they have not logged onto before. (I take it they dont always us the same computer and after a rebuild they all have to install their printers again.)
2. This may sound vague but I remember that the first time you set a printer if you copy it into the default users profile on the local machine it will then show up for all subsequent users. This is if the user profiles are on the local machines. Otherwise I would do as above.

by hpoppe

The 1.st answer to this question seems still to be the best, however I hav not had the time to try (it is exams-timet now)
Workgroup, printed instructions and roaming or mandatory profiles are OUT! Sorry :-)

by gigelul

I don?t have a Win2k box but for WinNT I found something interesting (I think that in Win2k is also available).
In resource kit exist a tool named ?SYSDIFF?. What can do this tool?
"Use Sysdiff to include applications with Windows NT installationson target computers. Sysdiff is a tool that creates and applies system difference packages, and generates installation. .Inf files and distribution directories.
The three main stages of using Sysdiff are:
Taking a snapshot of a system just before making changes, such as installing applications.
Creating a system difference package file of the system to record the changes since the snapshot was made.
Applying the Sysdiff package on another Windows NT installation to duplicate the changes made to the original system."
"You will need:
A reference computer that has the same platform as your target computers.
The %systemroot% directory must be the same on the reference and target computers.
Windows NT should be installed in the same directory on both systems.
A distribution directory where the files generated by the Sysdiff utility can be made available to target computers.
If you are using Sysdiff as part of an unattended installation, the distribution directory will also include all the files, and any other customization files that you want to include.
A network connection between the target computers and the distribution directory.
You must have a properly configured sysdiff.inf file available."
(continued..)

by gigelul

To apply a Sysdiff package during end-user setup
1.Make sure you have completed all steps in To create a Sysdiff package.
2.Create a temporary directory for the Sysdiff package file.
3.Copy diff_file to the temporary directory.
4.Add a script toCmdlines.txt that will include sysdiff /apply snap_file diff_file.
Note
Only use this method for small application packages since large packages may take a long time to apply.
(continued...)

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