Question

How to change printer settings from another user's account?

Asked by: jltari

Hi all,

I have to find a way to modify a user's printer settings from an administrative account under Windows XP.
Today our computers are set up in a standard mode, where the drivers information is stored in hkey_local_machine and the printer shares (as for regular network shares) are stored under hkey_current_user.
I now need to chage printer queues from a unique administrative account and don't know how.
So either I make sure this data is written under hkey_local_machine or I find a way to access each user's hive from a central account (I'd rather user solution #1).

Any help?

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Asked On
2004-06-04 at 02:44:23ID21013275
Tags

printer

Topic

Windows XP Operating System

Participating Experts
2
Points
400
Comments
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Answers

 

by: MartinBertonPosted on 2004-06-04 at 03:14:27ID: 11231015

Hello
The best way to do this should be to create a logonscript for all users. Make a script to change the mapped printerqueues using the methods;
WshNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection "\\printserver\printer"
WshNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\printserver\printer"
and if you are an advanced scripter you can use;
WshNetwork.EnumPrinterConnections
to only remap connected printers. For help on how to use these methods, check out;
http://www.winguides.com/scripting/reference.php?id=131

This will not use the admin account as you requested, but should work.
Good luck!

 

by: gemartiPosted on 2004-06-04 at 03:23:45ID: 11231062

There are a few way's to do this. MartinBerton offers a scripting solution which is basically the same as what I post here: (PRINTERS USED HERE ARE FOR EXAMPLE ONLY)!

++++++++++START REG STUB FILE HERE+++++++++
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\,,SERVERNAME,PRINTERNAMEP1 HP DeskJet 1220C]
"Server"="\\\\SERVERNAME"
"Provider"="win32spl.dll"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\,,SERVERNAME,PRINTERNAMEP2 Minolta Di351f PS]
"Server"="\\\\SERVERNAME"
"Provider"="win32spl.dll"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\,,SERVERNAME,PRINTERNAMEP3 Minolta Di351f PS]
"Server"="\\\\SERVERNAME"
"Provider"="win32spl.dll"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\,,SERVERNAME,PRINTERNAMEP4 HP DesignJet 755CM]
"Server"="\\\\SERVERNAME"
"Provider"="win32spl.dll"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\,,SERVERNAME,PRINTERNAMEP5 HP LaserJet 4]
"Server"="\\\\SERVERNAME"
"Provider"="win32spl.dll"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\,,SERVERNAME,PRINTERNAMEP6 HP LaserJet 2100TN]
"Server"="\\\\SERVERNAME"
"Provider"="win32spl.dll"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\,,SERVERNAME,PRINTERNAMEP7 Minolta Di351f PS]
"Server"="\\\\SERVERNAME"
"Provider"="win32spl.dll"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\DevModePerUser]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Settings]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Settings\Wizard]
"Test Page"=dword:00000001
"From Web"=dword:00000000
"Use Existing"=dword:00000000
"Set As Default"=dword:00000000
"Driver Name"=""
"Local Printer"=dword:00000001
"Shared"=dword:00000000
"Additional Drivers"=dword:00000001
"PnP Autodetect"=dword:00000001
++++++END STUB FILE HERE+++++++++++++

 

by: gemartiPosted on 2004-06-04 at 03:27:30ID: 11231082

I have another method, but it is more complex. Try the script or registry stub first, then if you want a different way I'll post it as well.

 

by: gemartiPosted on 2004-06-04 at 03:32:55ID: 11231113

 

by: jltariPosted on 2004-06-04 at 03:55:32ID: 11231227

Thanks all, but, as I was saying, I need to do this from a unique account, for it has to be done instantly, without the user being on site, not knowing his/her password, and, to top it all, the change has to be tested before it can be validated.
That's why I imagined those 2 ways to do it :
1. Modify the place where this information is stored for all computers (current_user --> local_machine)
2. Be able to access and modify another user's registry hive.

If any of you find another way, I'd be happy to hear about it.

As a side note, we're talking about 12,000 computers

 

by: jltariPosted on 2004-06-06 at 01:36:53ID: 11242674

I think I didn't make myself clear : I've thought of 2 ways to do this, but I have no idea of how to technically solve the problem.
I've tried to copy the hkey_current_user information to the same path in hkey_local_machine, but it's impossible, because the "printer" branch doesn't exist. I don't know either how to access another user's registry hive.
That's why I'm asking for help.
Any idea?

Thanks

 

by: gemartiPosted on 2004-06-06 at 05:20:22ID: 11243180

>>I don't know either how to access another user's registry hive
That is the more complex method. Here you go:

++++++++++++
Modify NTUSER.DAT

NOTE: STEP 4 MUST BE COMPLETED

++++
Step 1.
++++
Open Windows Explorer
Click TOOLS | FOLDER OPTIONS
Click the VIEW tab
Scroll down the List to "Hidden Files and Folders"
Select "Show hidden files and folders"
Remove the check next to "Hide Extensions for Know File Types"
Click Apply
Click OK

++++
Step 2
++++
START | RUN | REGEDIT
Left click HKEY_USERS  (so that it is selected)
Click FILE | LOAD HIVE
Navigate to c:\Documents and Settings\Default User    or c:\Documents and Settings\User Name
Double Click on NTUSER.DAT
Enter a Recognizable Key Name; like: PROFILE_EDIT

++++
Step 3
++++
Open HKEY_USERS\PROFILE_EDIT  
Make necessary changes to the registry.  In the example I used above We could modify the registry stub file (PRINTERS.REG) and double click it to import the printers into the user's registry. DO NOT FORGET THAT YOU WILL STILL HAVE TO DO STEP 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>PRINTER.REG<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_USERS\PROFILE_EDIT\Printers]

[HKEY_USERS\PROFILE_EDIT\Printers\Connections]

[HKEY_USERS\PROFILE_EDIT\Printers\Connections\,,SERVERNAME,PRINTERNAMEP1 HP DeskJet 1220C]
"Server"="\\\\SERVERNAME"
"Provider"="win32spl.dll"

[HKEY_USERS\PROFILE_EDIT\Printers\DevModePerUser]

[HKEY_USERS\PROFILE_EDIT\Printers\Settings]

[HKEY_USERS\PROFILE_EDIT\Printers\Settings\Wizard]
"Test Page"=dword:00000001
"From Web"=dword:00000000
"Use Existing"=dword:00000000
"Set As Default"=dword:00000000
"Driver Name"=""
"Local Printer"=dword:00000001
"Shared"=dword:00000000
"Additional Drivers"=dword:00000001
"PnP Autodetect"=dword:00000001
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>END<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
++++
Step 4
++++
Click on HKEY_USERS\PROFILE_EDIT (so that it is highlited)
Click FILE | UNLOAD HIVE



 

by: jltariPosted on 2004-06-06 at 12:11:14ID: 11244599

Alright. Now let's say that I have to do this from either a VB script or the command line (using something like reg.exe from the R Kit), how do you think I could load that hive?

 

by: gemartiPosted on 2004-06-06 at 12:34:45ID: 11244695

If you are on a remote machine you can map to the machine you want to work on and perform the above steps as long as the user is not logged on. If you want to use a script then the link above provides you with scripts to add printers. With REG.EXE you can create a batch file that can be started when the user logs on that will write the key to thier profile.

 

by: jltariPosted on 2004-06-06 at 13:14:47ID: 11244799

Alright. I'm gonna try that out and let you klnow.
Thanks

 

by: jltariPosted on 2004-06-10 at 00:42:46ID: 11276881

Hi again.
I've been working on this and now have a working script that modifies each user's printer settings.
But, even though keys under hkey_users are modified, a new user doesn't get the information.
Any idea why?

 

by: gemartiPosted on 2004-06-10 at 03:35:54ID: 11277825

New Users that log onto the system get profile information from the NTUSER.DAT file that is located in c:\Documents and Settings\Default User . This is a hidden folder:

Open WIndows Exporer - START | RUN | EXPLORER  
Click TOOLS | FOLDER OPTIONS |
Click the VIEW Tab
Scroll down the list of items until you find : "Show hidden files and folders" and select it.
Click OK

So you have to use the registry editing trick I posted above to add the registry keys to the default user's NTUSER.DAT File.

 

by: jltariPosted on 2004-06-10 at 05:07:17ID: 11278356

You are great. Thanks.
One last thing, if you'd be so kind : What is the difference between the hkey_users\.default key and that ntuser.dat file? I thought the first was stored in the second, which is not the case, as I see...

 

by: gemartiPosted on 2004-06-16 at 03:38:33ID: 11322952

ntuser.dat is unique to each user. It is used to create the user's logon environment and can later be modified specifically for that user, no other user logging onto the system can see the same thing as another user unless the never adjust the settings that were set the first time they logged on to the system. Those settings come from c:\documents and settings\default user\ntuser.dat.

The HKU\.DEFAULT key has overall system settings that are seen before any user logs on to the computer. Say you wanted to have a different color behind the Logon Screen (If you use CTL ATL DEL) instead of the standard Blue color. You can change that color in this key to affect the appearance before anyone logs on. You could also put a picture behind the logon scree if you wanted. that is all done in the .DEFAULT key.

 

by: gemartiPosted on 2004-06-16 at 03:38:56ID: 11322955

Thanks for using EE>

 

by: jltariPosted on 2004-06-16 at 04:28:46ID: 11323207

Thank YOU for being so helpful.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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