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lpenrod

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Need uers to reset Print Spooler

We are running Citrix Metaframe 1.8a on Windows 2000 Adv server.  I have a bunch of people that work remote and print via Win2000/Citrix to their local printer.  Their printer print jobs hang at least once a day.  The fix is to stop and start the print spooler.

Is there a way to allow the remote users to reset the print spooler without giving them tons of rights?
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j_powers

A standard user (power user) can install on the PC.

I have seen documents regarding win2000 and citrix metaframe. I have not seen the suggestion to stop and start the spooler.

I do not know the error you are getting, but I would suggest making sure Win2k is on SP2 and your citrix is on SP3.

Please let me know more details, and I may have a better solution than stopping and starting spool services.
I don't know a method to give a user the special reight to start and stop a special service.

I Think j powers suggestions is right to solve the problem at the root
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ASKER

I have not installed SP2 yet.  I plan to do that in the next two weeks.

The printing problem happens only to remote users that are printing to a local (local to them) printer.  The printers are a variety of HP laser printers.

There is not a specific error.  What happens is that they print something, it does not print.  They try to delete it and it says "deleting" but never deletes.  If the send new jobs, they never print also.

They call IT, we stop and start the print services and all is well.

It is just anoying.

We are using AD & Group Policies to lock users down.  We are trying to protect them from themselves.  I do not remember the specifics of what a power user can do.  I will have to look it up.
Avatar of lpenrod

ASKER

Is there some utility that logs in using a specific account, performs a task (stop and start print services) and then exits.

A utility that comes to mind (I have not checked to see if it will work they way I want it to) is AT2000.  You can schedule tasks to occur at a specific time (or manually run them).  The tasks have their own login credentials.
can't you open a case via citrix regarding that problem?
Did you install HPs or Microsofts printer drivers?
any other printer management software?

BTW: you don't need AT2000 or something to schedule jobs. The build in task scheduler of NT and win2k does its job very fine and can of course use certain logon accounts.

What are the printers that are connected?

What properties do they have?

Are you using a RAW format print?
Avatar of lpenrod

ASKER

Never found a good way to do this.
FYI, we have the same problem w/o Citrix.
Printing via IP to network printers from W2K PCs causes simiarl Spooler problems & hung apps, etc.  Only fix we have is to stop/restart spooler as well.
We have latest SP.
Did you ever resolve your issue?
Avatar of lpenrod

ASKER

No.  I am using AT2000.  It is similar to task scheduler.  Security is still an issue.
We do have the same problem on many networks; It has nothing to do with Citrix. Same behavior on native environments. The solution is a lot of work: get rid of the "Standard TCP/IP Printing" Ports; Install Unix Printing and use the good old LPR port, all should know from NT4; What we are dealing with, is a bug in the "Standard TCP/IP Printing". SP2 does not fix it. We are not sure, if SP3 does.

Oliver
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lewiisward

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ASKER

Thanks, I will give that a try!
lpenrod,
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Avatar of lpenrod

ASKER

My issue was never resolved.  Lewiisward's suggestion of having the service automatically restart in the recovery tab of the spooler service did help with when the service just stops.  However it does not help with the users restarting the service when their printer has hung.
Avatar of lpenrod

ASKER

This did not solve my problem, but it did help.
I had the same problems with HP and Lexmark printers.
My solution is simple: only use microsoft certified drivers.
Make no exeption. If there is no certified driver, use this file as reference to map drivers:
http://www.thethin.net/wtsuprn.txt