Server 2003 Print Server Help 1

[sman26]

Equipment:
Server with Server 2003 Standard (Config as DC, DNS and Print Server)
Wkstation running XP SP2 logged into the domain
HP LaserJet 2430dtn networked printer
All have static IP addresses and ping one another fine

Problem:
The Print Sever portion when the client tries to install a network printer from the server is where I am having an issue. The Print Server was set up through CONFIGURE YOUR SERVER WIZARD and had the HPLJ 2430 set up on a standard TCP/IP port and Shared.
When I go to the workstation then and go to ADD PRINTER --> NEXT --> A NETWORK PRINTER OR PRINTER ATTACHED TO ANOTHER PRINTER --> FIND A PRINTER IN THE DIRECTORY --> FIND NOW --> sometimes the printer that is shared on the print server shows up, sometimes it doesn't. When it does show up and I go to add it I get the error message saying, "WINDOWS CANNOT CONNECT TO THE PRINTER. EITHER THE PRINTER NAME WAS TYPED INCORRECTLY, OR THE SPECIFIED PRINTER HAS LOST CONNECTION TO THE SERVER". It found it though and it can ping it so I'm not sure what to do.
Any help in this matter would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Shawn

 

[porkchopexpress]

Have you created an A record for the printer share in DNS?

 

[sman26]

I have not created an A Record yet in DNS. Honestly I am not fully up on my DNS knowledge. Is an "A record" required to setup a networked printer? If so can you share how.
Thanks.

 

[porkchopexpress]

If you are using 2k and XP ideally you will need an A record to point to the IP address.

Open DNS console on your DNS server under forware lookup zones you should see your domain name highlight this and in the right hand pane you will see a list like the one below. Right click the domain name and select New Host (A) and create the record this will be the name of your printer i usually make it the same name as the share and the IP address of the printer port.

Computer1 Host (A) 192.168.0.1

 

[porkchopexpress]

I really should have punctuated that post sorry.

Post back with any problems.

 

[sman26]

porkchopexpress,

I tried what you had mentioned then restarted the server and I really wish it would have worked but I had no luck. That advice seemed like a winner. If you could point me in any other directions...thanks.
Another thing I might mention is that the workstation doesn't see the printer when I hit FIND NOW at first but if I wait about 30 minutes or so and hit FIND NOW again then it shows up but I get the error message listed in my first post.

Shawn

 

[porkchopexpress]

Can you see the print server in network neighborhood? If so double click it and you should see the shared printers double click one of them and and see if it installs.

Also we need to check your DNS setup. Do your XP clients point to your DNS server for name resolution not to your ISP?

 

[sman26]

Okay Porkchopexpress,

You opened my eyes to the DNS side of things so I looked at the workstation's dns setting and it was not present. I guess that may help huh?

Can I ask you though...is there a diference in these 2:
On the workstation, going to My Network Places --> Entire Network then I double click on the shared printer and it is added to the workstation's list of printers.
Or like I had tried before with Add printer wizard --> ADD PRINTER --> NEXT --> A NETWORK PRINTER OR PRINTER ATTACHED TO ANOTHER PRINTER --> FIND A PRINTER IN THE DIRECTORY --> FIND NOW? Seems like the "print wizard" uses DNS because I could before just go to my network places and see it in there and add it.
My other questions are:
Is this how a print server works? No drivers are put on the workstation when these networks printers are added it is just using the print drivers that are on the server?

Also...how would you set up your network if you wanted a certain group when they log on for the first time to receive certain printers and that are set up automatically and will show under PRINTERS AND FAXES. Through group policy manager probably?

And finally, I appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to help me. I am a Netware guy now moving to Server 2003. Is there any good books (or any good tools for that matter) that helped you obtain some of your knowledge in Server 2003? Writing logon scripts, working with Group Policies, etc.

Have a good one!

 

[porkchopexpress]

Most services in an active directory domain use DNS so it's key that you get this right. The two options that you specify use similar processes when you double click the printer in network neighbourhood you are just pointing it in the right direction just the same as using the wizard.

When you install a printer on the print server it adds the drivers for the clients, when the client connects it loads the drivers across the network. This allows all of the printers settings and page rendering to be done on the client, this is then sent to the print server which then finally sends it to the physical print device.

 

[porkchopexpress]

As for books i like this for advanced reading

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735615772/102-5947506-9046537?v=glance&n=283155

and pretty much any of the MCSE Active Directory books will get you going on the basics.


There are many ways to add printers i tend to use VBScript it's pretty straight forward if you have any programming knowhow. Here is an example of a basic printer logon script.

WSHNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\Server\HP5si"
WSHNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter "\\Server\HP5si"

Here's a couple of links to look at.

faq329-5798

And this is a general Windows site it's pretty good, i've linked direct to the logon scripts section.

http://computerperformance.co.uk/Logon/index.htm

Post back with any other questions.

 

[porkchopexpress]

As far as tools go i'd advise getting the hang of the GPMC this is a handy console that makes managing group policy easier it's well worth a play.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/gpmc/default.mspx

And if you haven't used 2003 servers remote desktop feature so you can manage your servers from anyware on your network then take a look at that as well.

http://www.petri.co.il/enable_rdp_windows_2003.htm

 

[sman26]

Thank you again for all of your valuable help. It is greatly appreciated.

Have a good weekend.

 

[sman26]

porkchopexpress,

One more thing if you are still there....I have created a script file, .vbs, now where do I place it on my Server 2003 machine so the user will pick it up on login?

Thanks again.

 

[porkchopexpress]

You will need to place the users in an Organisational Unit then create a policy attached to that OU. You then add the script to the logon scripts area of the policy.

Here's a great link on assigning logon scripts to OU's.

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/ar...Pure-Mixed-Active-Directory-Environments.html

 

[porkchopexpress]

You want to be following the instructions in the Using Logon Scripts in a Windows 2000 or Later Environment section about halfway down. That's unless you have any Win9x boxes and if you do then get rid of them ASAP.

 

[sman26]

porkchopexpress...I know this should be new thread but didn't know how to contact you and your expertise directly. If you have any ideas on my problem below please let me know.
THANKS.

I am mapping an HP Laser Jet printer using vbs and group policies.

Here it is:
Set objNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
UserString = objNetwork.UserName

objNetwork.MapNetworkDrive "Z:" , "\\capitolserver\" & UserString,True
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\capitolserver\ISHPC3700"

When I log on the first time with the script works great with no errors so the script it correct. However the second time I log in I get the "The Local Device Name is Already In Use" and the error points to the vbs line referring to the printer mapping. I even tried to delete the printer and try again I get the error that it is in use. Do I need to write a DISCONNECT PRINTER script to take the printer off of the PC everytime so that the error won't occur. I have never seen anyone else have to do this but maybe people do? Don't seem to have to disconnect Drive mappings everytime.

Thanks for any help.
Shawn

 

[porkchopexpress]

Not a problem glad i can help.

Here is a section from Markdmac's logon script it will clear all network printers at logon, ensure that it is near the top of your script.

'Remove ALL old printers
'Enumerate all printers first, after that you can select the printers you want by performing some string checks
Set WSHPrinters = WSHNetwork.EnumPrinterConnections
For LOOP_COUNTER = 0 To WSHPrinters.Count - 1 Step 2
'To remove only networked printers use this If Statement
    If Left(WSHPrinters.Item(LOOP_COUNTER +1),2) = "\\" Then
      WSHNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection WSHPrinters.Item(LOOP_COUNTER +1),True,True
    End If
'To remove all printers incuding LOCAL printers use this statement and comment out the If Statement above
'WSHNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection WSHPrinters.Item(LOOP_COUNTER +1),True,True
Next

 

[sman26]

porkchopexpress,

I have to ask this question, is this a common thing that everyone has if they map a network printer? The script is ran and no errors occur because the printer has not been added yet...the next time the user logs in and the script is ran an error message occurs because the printer is already under "printers and faxes". This doesn't seem to be the case with mapped drives even though they are set up the same way and after a second log-on there is no error message saying the drive is already in use.
Does everyone have to include a "Remove all old printers" line in their scripts?
If there is another way to do it without the "Remove all printers" script line I would be happy to try it.

Thank again and again.

Shawn

 

[porkchopexpress]

Yes the script will error if the printer already exists many people use a script to delete printers at logoff or logon expecially in a roaming environment so you don't end up with loads of printers following you.

Does the script still error if you put "On error resume next" near the top of the script (without the quotes)?

I don't recommend that you do this permanently as it's bad practice to mask problems with this.

 

[porkchopexpress]

In the past people used to call an MS util called CON2PRT at logoff to delete all printers but since the advent of VBScripts i imagine few use this anymore.


\\SERVER\\Utils\printerremove\CON2PRT /F

http://www.ss64.com/nt/con2prt.html