Question

Default printer changes on logon

Asked by: tburick

I have a group of machines that are set up in the environment variables to have the "Defpt = PTR18", this setting works on all the machines with the same settings.  When this ONE computer is logged on, the user has to go to "Printers and Faxes" and change it from PTR9 to PTR18, every time without fail.  He does not have a script that assigns him a printer as it is based on which computer they logon, and it does not matter WHO logs in, the same thing happens.  i am thinking it must be a registry setting, but I am not sure.  Any takers on this one?
I have removed the Variable and re-added, I have removed the printers and re-mapped"  Nothing seems to keep this thing from going back to PTR9, and it is ALWAYS PTR9 after logoff and logon.

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Asked On
2009-07-31 at 06:30:19ID24616602
Tags

Windows XP Client

,

Printer

,

environment variables

Topics

Microsoft Hardware

,

Microsoft Operating Systems

,

Printers

Participating Experts
2
Points
0
Comments
5

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Answers

 

by: AielloJPosted on 2009-07-31 at 06:47:47ID: 24988717

tburick:

Are you running a thin client environment attached to an AS400 server or similar?  If so, the code to force a default printer exists on the AS400 and can be set to a particular user or machine upon login.

 

by: GoldsimPosted on 2009-07-31 at 07:09:47ID: 24988906

Here is a logon script that will set your default printer. Alter the "printer Server" and "Printer" to your specification and save with extension ".vbs" Run as a logon script via group policy. 

Dim NetPrint : Set NetPrint = CreateObject("Wscript.NetPrint")
Dim DefPrint : DefPrint = "\\print server\printer sharename,winspool,Ne00"
 
NetPrint.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\Device", DefPrint
 
NetPrint.Run "%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,UpdatePerUserSystemParameters", 1, True

                                              
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by: tburickPosted on 2009-07-31 at 08:07:29ID: 24989443

Aiello, I am not running a thin client environment, we are running Windows Active Directory. mulitple Domains.
Goldsim:
It is only happening to ONE machine, and I do not have the authority to run a logon script or add this policy.  is there just a way for me to make a change IN the registry of the ONE machine that continues to point to the wrong printer?  

Thanks for your help

 

by: AielloJPosted on 2009-07-31 at 08:10:45ID: 24989488

tburick:

It still sounds like it is some form of policy that is configured for that particular machine.  Active Directory can do this.  What do your System Administrators have to say about this?

 

by: tburickPosted on 2009-08-03 at 12:28:55ID: 25007767

user preiviously had a local printer attached to the machine, the environmental variables still had the entry LOCALPRINTER = 1
This was overiding the DEFTPTR = (NETWORK PRINTER SHARE NAME)
Removed LOCALPRINTER = 1 entry, rebooted problem solved.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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