Hello, this is driving me nuts. I have a Windows 2003 sp2 server that is a print server. It has about 40 some printers shared with no issues. Recently, I deleted a printer and recreated it and since then, about 5 times a day, it will be unshared. I re-share it and it's fine for a while. I've tried to figure out if what is triggering it but haven't found out much so far. I have made sure that no one has the Manage printers box check in the Security permissions area. So I don't think anyone is purposely doing it. No other printers have this issue and I have others identical printers with the same exact driver installed. And ideas?
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Shared printer keeps un-sharing itself!
- Thread starter exel2000
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #3
Hi there,
I have the same issue.
W2K3 st SP1, about 40 printers shared, and one keeps "unsharing itself".
There's an exact same printer on the server. The only difference being the TCP/IP port they use.
Nothing in the EventV, no pattern in the type of jobs submitted before we realize it is unshared again.
exel2000, did you go any further with this issue?
Thanks
I have the same issue.
W2K3 st SP1, about 40 printers shared, and one keeps "unsharing itself".
There's an exact same printer on the server. The only difference being the TCP/IP port they use.
Nothing in the EventV, no pattern in the type of jobs submitted before we realize it is unshared again.
exel2000, did you go any further with this issue?
Thanks
- Thread starter
- #5
Hello, I was just actually still banging my head against the wall on this one. I'm at the point of creating a script to share this printer and have it run every half hour. Tonight I am going to try deleting the port and recreating the printer from scratch. Extremely frustrating! I'll keep you up to date if I learn anything new.
-Sam
-Sam
- Thread starter
- #7
Hello, just wondering if you had any success with the audits. I had deleted this printer and it's port and recreated it with now success, still does it. What's strange is not all clients are unable to print. Only some clients report that they cannot print when this happens. Thanks!
Hi there,
Audits didn't bring anything interesting.
But, I gave some more thoughts about the situation and here is what I did.
We have several DC spread over several locations.
All our printers are listed in the AD. Synchronisation occurs to keep all DCs with the same copy of AD.
Let say: our problematic printer was deleted then recreated on one DC. it gets a new SID, but if the synch didn't work well between DC, you end up with a kind of ghost printer conflicting with the one resinstalled.
It may be a bit far fetch, but based on that: I connected myself on all DCs of the domain, search for the printer, deleted it along with the port.
Only after, I reinstalled both ports and printer, same name and all.
Now,I am.... waiting!!!! I'll be called by the customer if the printer gets unshared again!
But so far, so good (I did it 5 days ago, for information).
I don't know if our network config matches, and therefore if you can apply my method to your organisation...but at least you know what I did!
Good luck!
Of course if something happens, i'll tell you
Audits didn't bring anything interesting.
But, I gave some more thoughts about the situation and here is what I did.
We have several DC spread over several locations.
All our printers are listed in the AD. Synchronisation occurs to keep all DCs with the same copy of AD.
Let say: our problematic printer was deleted then recreated on one DC. it gets a new SID, but if the synch didn't work well between DC, you end up with a kind of ghost printer conflicting with the one resinstalled.
It may be a bit far fetch, but based on that: I connected myself on all DCs of the domain, search for the printer, deleted it along with the port.
Only after, I reinstalled both ports and printer, same name and all.
Now,I am.... waiting!!!! I'll be called by the customer if the printer gets unshared again!
But so far, so good (I did it 5 days ago, for information).
I don't know if our network config matches, and therefore if you can apply my method to your organisation...but at least you know what I did!
Good luck!
Of course if something happens, i'll tell you
- Thread starter
- #9
Hmmm, that is interesting because we have noticed for a little while now that we are seeing duplicate printers listed in the AD. Our printer server is not a DC but I think you may be on to something. I'll see what I can find within our AD structure. Thanks!
- Thread starter
- #10
Another little tidbit on my issue, I am using a program called PrintUsage Pro that monitors my print jobs and keeps logs and reports. I stopped this service and then deleted the duplicate printer objects listed under the print server itself using the ADUC tool. I then restarted the prinusage service. The printer then went the longest is has without going offline. But alas, this morning it was offline again and whenI checked the print server for duplicate entries, sure enough, the problem printer is there again as as duplicate. So, now I am trying to turn off monitoring on this one printer and see if that makes any difference. The monitoring software may have nothing to do with it but I figured it's worth a try.
-Sam
-Sam
- Thread starter
- #11
arrrrgh! I'm at my wits end with this problem. I completely deleted any trace of this printer, from the printers folder and from Active directory, deleted it's printer port and then restarted the print server. I then waited about 20 minutes before doing anything. I then recreated the printed from scratch. I come in this morning and sure enough, it is unshared again. I'm going to try using a much older driver and see if that helps.
- Thread starter
- #12
Hi there,
I haven't replied much, have i?
Must be becasue I had nothing to say. Nothing worked here either.
It's still getting unshared out of the blue now and then.
I'll consider the batch option as well, and transfer the problem to Level3 heldesk.
I'll post if something interseting comes around...
I haven't replied much, have i?
Must be becasue I had nothing to say. Nothing worked here either.
It's still getting unshared out of the blue now and then.
I'll consider the batch option as well, and transfer the problem to Level3 heldesk.
I'll post if something interseting comes around...
Have you tried anything suggested here
No!
But I am not convinced about a driver issue.
The other similar one would have the problem as well, I guess.
I am more thinking about a conflict with an application running on one of the client using that specific printer. That woulsd explain why the other is doing ok.
but it's the kind of investigation i don't really have time for, so, I don't know...
But I am not convinced about a driver issue.
The other similar one would have the problem as well, I guess.
I am more thinking about a conflict with an application running on one of the client using that specific printer. That woulsd explain why the other is doing ok.
but it's the kind of investigation i don't really have time for, so, I don't know...
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