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Label printer preferences keep changing on thier own

This issue is both urgent and bizarre. We are running Windows XP and on our label printers (Datamax E-4203) we are able to go into the Printer Preferences and choose the label type and edit the dimensions of the label we are printing. Currently the printers are set up on print server devices and shared to 3 computers. There are 2 separate print servers (one Hawking and one Linksys print server) hosting different label printers with different size labels in each one. Just recently, our print preferences started randomly changing to different label types. For example if we are using 1" X 2" labels then we check it later and it magically changed to 3"X5" or something like that. It happens randomly on 3 different computers and when the values change, they don't all change to the same value. I thought maybe the print server was causing the issue but then I discovered that it happens for the label printers on the other print server as well. The previous tech swears that he did not update or change any print drivers but I can't think of any other explanation. Does anyone have any idea why the printer preferences would suddenly not stick?

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johnb6767

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Lockesys

ASKER

I think this issue is now resolved. Troubleshooting different printer driver versions made me stumble upon an advanced section of the printer driver (Seagull Bartender printer driver settings) that had options for networking and security (different set from NT security options that were also normally on the printer properties). I locked down a section saying that users could not edit the settings or printer preferences. I also locked down the printer management in the NT security to only let administrators manage the printers. Normal users can only manage documents now and in the special section where there were networking options I set it so that network users had zero rights to update the configuration of the printer. Now the printer is not randomly changing preferences and I think that somehow one of the computers out there was causing the problem. I don't know which one but unless it starts happening again I think its fixed for now.

Lockesys

ASKER

While not the exact solution, it helped me stumble upon the real issue.

johnb6767

Glad youre fixed.....