Deploying Printers/Setting Default Via Group Policy
Hi folks!
I am the systems administrator at a junior college. We have several computer labs, all with workstations running Windows XP Professional SP3 (x86) on a Windows Server 2003 R2 (x64)-based Active Directory network.
I am trying to find the best way to use group policy and/or scripting to automatically deploy the proper printer drivers, connect to the proper printer, and set the proper default printer based upon the room the computer is in. Already, our computers are divided into OU's by room, so it's no problem applying a group policy to them based on their location. But I'd like suggestions on the best approach to take for this.
Thanks,
Ithizar
I am the systems administrator at a junior college. We have several computer labs, all with workstations running Windows XP Professional SP3 (x86) on a Windows Server 2003 R2 (x64)-based Active Directory network.
I am trying to find the best way to use group policy and/or scripting to automatically deploy the proper printer drivers, connect to the proper printer, and set the proper default printer based upon the room the computer is in. Already, our computers are divided into OU's by room, so it's no problem applying a group policy to them based on their location. But I'd like suggestions on the best approach to take for this.
Thanks,
Ithizar
You might neeeed to install the print managemnet console. If you have the disks for server 2003r2 its on the second disk.
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Oh, to do this you can take this approach:
You can create a policy and call it say Printers GPO. Then link it to the top OU that contained all Room OU's. Then go in and add each printer that you have print server. After adding these printers you would go into Item Level targeting and choose New Item then from the drop down Organizational Unit then choose the proper OU to target.
This is one way of achieving it, I am sure there are other ways but this should do the job.
A
You can create a policy and call it say Printers GPO. Then link it to the top OU that contained all Room OU's. Then go in and add each printer that you have print server. After adding these printers you would go into Item Level targeting and choose New Item then from the drop down Organizational Unit then choose the proper OU to target.
This is one way of achieving it, I am sure there are other ways but this should do the job.
A
ASKER
Most of the links provided here seem to be acting under the assumption that these are printers being managed by the server and/or available via UNC paths (e.g. \\server\printer). However, in our case, these are TCP/IP printers that the OS sees as local using a Standard TCP/IP Port. Any suggestions on how to best accomplish this given that?
Is this printer shared? If yes, try giving that as path
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http://theintegrity.co.uk/2010/07/how-to-deploy-printers-with-group-policy-windows-server-2008-7-vista-xp/