bhettler
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Adding a networked printer to a workstation for ALL users!
There must be a simple way for a network administrator or the administrator to a local workstation to add a networked printer for all users of that workstation to use without each of them to add it themselves???? Help please.
use a login script
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1st ...for Mike.
one situation we have is a classroom with 4 workstations and the printer is installed locally on one of those machines...and then shared by the other 3.
Are you saying that all I have to do is to do your suggestion on each of the other 3 machines ONCE only and the printer will show up for any user that logs onto that machine?
ie....type: \\workstation\printer<ENTE
2nd....for Mike also.
Does the same thing work if in a lab invironment we type "type: \\workstation\printer<ENTE
for the other suggestions...I'm not sure if I am making any sense, but we are trying to get away from loading the printers with a script because in doing so it is becoming necessary to actually load 3 to 4 different printers for each group we create because during the day they may be logging onto computers in 3 to 4 different rooms. They should only be using the printer in that particular room. Needless to say that isn't happing always...they get confused and don't use the printer in that room and their stuff gets printed in different parts of the builiding.
What I was hoping for was a way to load just one particular shared or networked printer onto a specific computer so it shows up as the default for that machine no matter who logs onto that machine. Maybe Miike's reply already answers that...I'll have to try tomorrow???? thanks.....I'll let you know.
one situation we have is a classroom with 4 workstations and the printer is installed locally on one of those machines...and then shared by the other 3.
Are you saying that all I have to do is to do your suggestion on each of the other 3 machines ONCE only and the printer will show up for any user that logs onto that machine?
ie....type: \\workstation\printer<ENTE
2nd....for Mike also.
Does the same thing work if in a lab invironment we type "type: \\workstation\printer<ENTE
for the other suggestions...I'm not sure if I am making any sense, but we are trying to get away from loading the printers with a script because in doing so it is becoming necessary to actually load 3 to 4 different printers for each group we create because during the day they may be logging onto computers in 3 to 4 different rooms. They should only be using the printer in that particular room. Needless to say that isn't happing always...they get confused and don't use the printer in that room and their stuff gets printed in different parts of the builiding.
What I was hoping for was a way to load just one particular shared or networked printer onto a specific computer so it shows up as the default for that machine no matter who logs onto that machine. Maybe Miike's reply already answers that...I'll have to try tomorrow???? thanks.....I'll let you know.
The first suggestion only works for users versus machines. You would have to do that command for each user logging in on that machine. Afterwards it would be set.
You can however use a script and apply it to a machine account versus a user account. That way each machine has the script applied regardless of what user has logged on to it. Based on the scenario you've described, that sounds like it will be your best fit.
Mike
You can however use a script and apply it to a machine account versus a user account. That way each machine has the script applied regardless of what user has logged on to it. Based on the scenario you've described, that sounds like it will be your best fit.
Mike
ASKER
Yes, the solution which seemed obvious to us was to create a group for the computers in a particular room and then run a 'startup script' for that group of computers to load the printer we wish loaded. Do you have an example of such a script? The script which works for a users group didn't seem to work.
Thanks
Thanks
The \\workstation\printer<ENTE
Logon scripts are useful in their own ways but why complicate the issue of setting up a few printers? Personally, I wouldn't.
Printservers vary. In most cases, you will need to have both the port driver and printer driver available. Installation will be config dependent but in most cases, it's a one-off per box.
Logon scripts are useful in their own ways but why complicate the issue of setting up a few printers? Personally, I wouldn't.
Printservers vary. In most cases, you will need to have both the port driver and printer driver available. Installation will be config dependent but in most cases, it's a one-off per box.
If you create a OU and place the appropriate machine accounts into the container, then create a Printer GPO for the OU that should work. Apply the printer startup script to the GPO. The same script should work for machines and users equally well. What's the client OS?
ASKER
For mgrass:
I've created a OU and placed a couple of test machines into it.
I used your suggested script and placed it into the OU "startup script' location. When I reboot the machine it tells me that it's running the startup script ...I get excited...:-) but then it says there is an error ...the error being that it cannot find the file. I follow the same procedure as when we are adding a scrpt to the 'login script' area for a user OU. I know the file is there on the server...but it says it can't find it.
By the way....If I place your vbs script on the actual workstation and then use the registry 'run' area to run that file on startup ....it works fine. I just would rather be able to creat a group of MACHINES for each individual room and then run that script for everyone or anyone when the machines in that room boot up.
I've created a OU and placed a couple of test machines into it.
I used your suggested script and placed it into the OU "startup script' location. When I reboot the machine it tells me that it's running the startup script ...I get excited...:-) but then it says there is an error ...the error being that it cannot find the file. I follow the same procedure as when we are adding a scrpt to the 'login script' area for a user OU. I know the file is there on the server...but it says it can't find it.
By the way....If I place your vbs script on the actual workstation and then use the registry 'run' area to run that file on startup ....it works fine. I just would rather be able to creat a group of MACHINES for each individual room and then run that script for everyone or anyone when the machines in that room boot up.
Sorry that didn't take you any further. I'm all out of suggestions... That, in my opinion, should have worked.
ASKER
I ended up using your script and just locating it on the harddrive of each machine. Then added a line in the registry of each machine in the "run" section to run that script for all who log on. It works well....so thanks! I still can't figure out why we couldn't make the script run after placing each machine for a room into a group and then having a "startup script" for that group. I kept getting an error message. But a belated thanks to you anyhow!
Thanks for the points. I'm glad you were able to use the script for the workaround - goodluck!
Simplest way to set it up is to click on Start, Run in the run box, type: \\workstation\printer<ENTE
where 'workstation' is the name of the box sharing the printer and 'printer' is the share name of the printer itself. <ENTER> means press the Enter key.