Non Admin users cannot print from dos Applications

[Almorga]

Non Admin users printing from dos Applications. I am running a dos app that we will eventually get rid of but for now it needs to stick around. I am currently replacing some desktops but if the user is not a admin then they are unable to print to a network printer through lpt1: the net use command does not work, it prompts me for a USER/Password. I have tried all local admin, domain admin. nothing works. Does anyone have any ideas?
The OS is XP pro.

 

[JJoey]

not quite sure, but did you check the permission of the printer?

 

[ricpinto]

See whether this one will help:

http://www.ntfaq.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=23979

 

[bcastner]

Under Windows XP non-administrators cannot net use lpt1 if there exists a physical port lpt1. This is by "design" according to Microsoft.

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=313644

So, you need to remove this restriction.

. Download the Microsoft SDK tool Devcon.exe from Microsoft at this site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;311272

Devcon.exe is a sort of command line Device Manager on steroids. Place this in an accessible directory to the user during login.

. Copy and paste the below into notepad, and give it a .CMD extension:


REM remove local lpt1 assignments on client
REM *PNP0401 is the local lpt1 assignment
devcon disable *PNP0401

REM do the redirection to a network/local printer. Persistant is optional
net use lpt1: \\printerserver\printername /persistant:yes

REM the client is now using a network printer on lpt1
REM a Dillinger99 trick to set the default attribute
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /in /n\\printerserver\printername /y

REM End of the batch file

In the alternative, if this is the case of a single workstation, you could always disable the device under Device Manager to remove the restriction. This can make things confusing and/or difficult if you have a large number of users.

 

[Almorga]

Thank You All... I had already tried the above steps and none of them worked, including the Devcon utility. Apparently the dos app I am using NEEDS to have a physical lpt port in order to function.