asked on

Installing network printers to all profiles in Windows XP

Hi,

I work in a schoolboard in Montreal,

I'd like to know if it's possible in Windows XP to install a network printer in all the profiles at the same time.

We have public computers (ex. in a teacher local)

I have to install a new network printer.

I know I can install the printer in a profile, and then copy the profile to Default User, and then delete all the profiles under C:\documents and settings.

But I don't wan't to do this because the teachers save things under My Documents, and they have their own shortcut.

And I don't want to log with all their username / password to install the printer.

Is there a way to do in one step???

Thanks,

Yan

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Member_2_1334455

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

mikeleebrla

all you have to do is set up one user with all the printers in that users profile (not the admin account). Restart. log in as administrator. view hidden files. delete the "default user" profile. rename the user account that you used to setup the printers with to "Default User". Now what you have done is created a new default user account that has all of the networked printers on it. Now whenever a new user logs in for the first time they will be given a profile from the default user template. Since the default user template has the printers in it, the newly created users will have the printers also. Done.

mikeleebrla

sorry,, i didn't read that you didn't want to use this method. please disregard my post.

craylord

I'd have to agree with dj ludachris with pointing you in the direction of scripting. You should look at developing a script that will help you do these simple tasks. When the user logs on, the script is run at that time with their credentials. I would like to suggest KiXtart as an option. It's powerful, easy for those new to scripting and has a very low learning curve.

go to www.kixtart.org and download kixtart.
On your domain controller there should be a share called netlogon. Extract the kixtart program files there. This is where the user will run the kixtart.exe from. If you don't have that share, you can create a share elsewhere and point to it in Active Directory (described at the end).

Here are some examples of scripts.
http://www.adminscripteditor.com/scriptlibrary/view.asp?id=263
http://www.adminscripteditor.com/syntax.asp?act=v&id=208

Next step? Create groups that users are associated with (Floor1) to connect them to printers (Floor1Printer)

Play with some of the scripts above. Put them into a .txt file and rename it as a .kix file i.e. login.kix
Or, set notepad to open .kix files.
A useful tip is to add "break on" in the beginning of your script.
break on will let the script be cancelled by pushing ctrl + c without logging the user off. helpful for testing. Place this login.kix with the kixtart programs in the share.

In the user properties under the profile tab enter this into the login script box.
kix32.exe login.kix
If you don't have a netlogon share you can create a share elsewhere. Put the kixtart program in that share as well as the login.kix

\\server01\kix

If you place the share elsewhere, you will have to put the path in the login script box instead.
\\server01\kix\kix32.exe "\\server01\kix\login.kix"

yanbergeron24

ASKER

dj_ludachris, the .VBS part look interesting...

Yan

Member_2_1334455

Doesnt hurt to try new things :p

yanbergeron24

ASKER

dj_ludachris,

I made a .VBS file.

Works fine.

I still have a problem.

If I need to change the path of a network printer, instead of adding one.

net.AddWindowsPrinterConnection works fine adding the new printer, but is there a function "net.DeleteWindowsPrinterConnection" or something like that to delete the old printer connection???

Thanks,

Yan

yanbergeron24

ASKER

Ok, I found the function on the internet: net.RemovePrinterConnection

But It shows me another problem.

Supposing that I leave the .VBS in the all users startup folder, I will be run each time the user opens a session.

If the printer is already disconnected, there will be an error message: The printer xxx doesn't exist.

Is it possible to add to the script a line that disable error messages???

Or is it possible to add to the script a "if printer xxx exist, net.RemovePrinterConnection"???

Thanks...

Yan