Print queues/icons missing from Printers and Faxes when logged in as normal user
This question has been opened so I can contribute a solution to a problem I haven't found many references to.
A had a number of workstations running Windows XP Pro SP1 in a Windows Server 2003 domain. Although we had made no changes to the local workstations or domain Group Policy, a small number of machines exhibited a problem with Printers and Faxes. The print queue objects (icons) no longer appeared when a normal user account was logged in. It didn't matter if the queues were network printers or local devices like a PDF writer. Not only were the queues missing but the "Add a printer" link in the left column did nothing when clicked. Furthermore, the "Send a fax" link was missing. Windows applications could not print; Notepad presented an error message while PowerPoint would crash. The problem did not exhibit itself when logged in as an Administrator.
Our troubleshooting efforts included disabling domain Group Policies, removing the workstation from the domain, ensuring Local Policies were not set, applying all outstanding Windows Updates. One machine started working properly again when we applied the .NET 1.1 updates but the other machines still exhibited the problem regardless of the current level of Windows Updates.
A had a number of workstations running Windows XP Pro SP1 in a Windows Server 2003 domain. Although we had made no changes to the local workstations or domain Group Policy, a small number of machines exhibited a problem with Printers and Faxes. The print queue objects (icons) no longer appeared when a normal user account was logged in. It didn't matter if the queues were network printers or local devices like a PDF writer. Not only were the queues missing but the "Add a printer" link in the left column did nothing when clicked. Furthermore, the "Send a fax" link was missing. Windows applications could not print; Notepad presented an error message while PowerPoint would crash. The problem did not exhibit itself when logged in as an Administrator.
Our troubleshooting efforts included disabling domain Group Policies, removing the workstation from the domain, ensuring Local Policies were not set, applying all outstanding Windows Updates. One machine started working properly again when we applied the .NET 1.1 updates but the other machines still exhibited the problem regardless of the current level of Windows Updates.
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