Windows Forum

Ask something
Discussion Locked

Printer Setup for Multiple Profiles?

0 helpful
9 replies

by bradq

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

Hi. We have 8 Windows 2000 Professional computers setup with about 7 user profiles on each one.

There is a network printer that needs to be added to all profiles. I can successfully add the printer to each profile individually by logging in on the workstation as a user and setup the printer.

However, when I log off and log on as one of the other users thats setup on the workstation, the printer isn't installed there and I have to add it again for that user. So, unless I figure out how to do it, I'm going to have to go to all 8 computers and log in 7 times on each one to setup the printer for everyone. Is there a way I can just add the printer once and have it available for all users?

9 replies

by erikbutler

The easiest way for setting up a new computer is to add all the printers to the administrators profile and then copy the profile to the default user profile. This will copy all the networked printers to any user that is added onto the printer in the future. However it seems that you already have the pc's setup and i do not know of an option around

Thanks
Erik

by bradq

Thanks for your response and I am aware of that process but this is a new printer that wasn't there when the computers were setup. So without wipeing out their current profiles by copying a new profile, is there another way?

by jerrya

Couple of different options, but my favorite, is to log on with admin rights, go to add printer, and select local printer. Then in the port settings, create a new local port, enter the url for the printer \\printserver\printer, then load the drivers. That way, all users will see it as a local printer and will not require loading for each user.

by mjkqb

Is this a true network printer, that appears on the net as a node(IP address etc.)? If everyone has permission to connect to this printer, it should be visible in all profiles. If it is just a shared printer, you'll have to set it up for each profile.

by thee loopster

I agree w/answer #2 that is the easiest way because this after installing the printer on the server if there is one or on one WS. than sharing the printer the other WS will just see it as another shared resource.

Hope this helps.

This discussion is closed to new replies.