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[Help] Network Printer Privileges


bigfatroundguy

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I have tried what I believe to be everything. I have a home network (all PCs DHCP to a broadband gateway and the network printer is static IP). One PC is Win98 and works nicely with the networked printer. My WinXP pc is the problem. I have successfully installed the printer (HPK80) as an administrator and confirmed with a print test page. Having completed my software installations, I plan to use the PC amongst a number of users - I set up myself and another as a Power User and 2 other User accounts.

When I logged off and back in as a Power User, I could see the printer, I could ping the IP address of the print server, I could see the print queue, I could print a test page but the test page was always deleted before anything ever got transmitted to the print server (smelled like a privileges issue...maybe not though).

I reset everything (short of deinstalling the printer software). I was using simple file sharing...switched that over to classic file sharing to get the security tab back on the printer properties tab. checked the printer properties, nothing unusual, everyone (all users) should have been able to print.

I even logged back in as admin to add my specific username to the permissions list of the printer without any further success.

Having done all of this, I decided to include my username into the administrator's group. By doing this, I can now print to the networked printer but it defeats the purpose of the having groups if every user needs to be in the administrator's group to print.

I should point out that I also have an Adobe PDF printer that works properly in the environment.

Has anyone got any other suggestions short of junking the HP printer and buying something newer?

Title edited -- Please, use [TAGS] in your topic's title.

Follow new rules

--Sonic

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gpedit.msc

Computer Configuration
Windows Settings
Security Settings
Local Policies
Security Options
Devices: Prevent users from installing printer drivers
- Disabled
User Configuration
Administrative Templates
Control Panel
Printers
Point and Print Restrictions
- Disabled
Prevent addition of printers
- Disabled
Prevent deletion of printers
- Disabled

Edit - wrapped in code, the only way I can keep formatting :)

Edited by cluberti
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Can you get a network trace of the print job failing? Install the support tools off of the Windows XP CD and then run netcap /? to give you an idea of how to get a capture.

It may also be prudent to get a regmon and filemon capture at the same time (both tools from www.sysinternals.com). One of these three tools should show us where the ACCESS DENIED error messages are coming from.

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Here is a link for a script that shares the network printer

Hey Scripting Guy!

Here is the Script

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

Set colInstalledPrinters = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
("Select * from Win32_Printer Where Network = FALSE")

i = 1

For Each objPrinter in colInstalledPrinters
objPrinter.Shared = TRUE
objPrinter.ShareName = "Printer" & i
objPrinter.Put_
i = i + 1
Next

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Cluberti - your suggestions were extremely helpful. filemon correctly identified that all users accept Administrators were denied access to C:\windows\system32\config\systemprofile. by adding Power Users and Users (actually, i can probably get away with Users alone) and giving these groups Read&Execute, List Folders Contents, Read & Write permissions, i am able to print successfully logged onto a Power User or User account without being a member of the Administrator's group outright.

i don't know what this systemprofile folder is or why it is required althought it bears a striking similarity to Documents and Settings\Administrator folder - any thoughts here? i suspect i need to contact HP and ask them why their OfficeJet software is insisting upon using this folder and not using something under the user profile.

i also noted that as a user i am denied access to c:\windows\shell32.dll - is this a concern? it doesn't seem to impair my ability to print.

regarding the use of the programs you suggested - the sysinternals progs were amazing - netcap is another story, i got them all working and capturing data, however, the data captured by netcap is nothing but jibberish - apparently netcap is not able to view the data it captures - have you any suggestions as to how to view the data (as in free viewers - i presume microsoft has an ability to read this data captures)?

Gunsmokingman - regarding your suggestion, i have not tried it yet. i went to the "hey scripting guy" website and from reading the material, the script you suggest would enable me to share locally attached printers across a network. i have no locally attached printers only one rather stubborn network printer and my other Win98 PC can reach it no problem. my issue is the allowing Power Users and regular Users on my WinXP PC to access it. i have sent an email to "hey scripting guy" to confirm my thinking. they might have a further suggestion. thank you anyways.

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Ethereal can read .cap files, as can Microsoft's Network Monitor utility. You should also not be getting errors on shell32.dll, so that is a concern, and needing access to a systemprofile folder may be necessary for 3rd party printers (although you may still want to contact them, you likely won't get anywhere). I've seen that before on HP printers.

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