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Users are asked to install driver for shared printer via print server

Posted by mSumo
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Printers, Copiers, Scanners & Faxes Xerox Hardware

Hi all,

I've recently added a new printer (Xerox DocuCentre SC2020) to our network. Was 1st time I was adding one, so dont have much experience with it...

Anyway, I've found some guidence online and all seemed to be working fine - I've added the printer to Print Server and deployed via GPO, and was able to print. When I was adding the printer to server, I had to download and install the driver to the print server as it was not available there.

Now, users (using Win 10 or 11) can see the printer, however some of them are asked to install a driver when trying to connect to it. 


I expected that the driver would be somehow deployed to users from Print Server? ... or what is the step that I missed here? 

thanks ;)

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mSumo

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  • mSumo wrote:

    Hi all,

    I've recently added a new printer (Xerox DocuCentre SC2020) to our network. Was 1st time I was adding one, so dont have much experience with it...

    Anyway, I've found some guidence online and all seemed to be working fine - I've added the printer to Print Server and deployed via GPO, and was able to print. When I was adding the printer to server, I had to download and install the driver to the print server as it was not available there.

    Now, users (using Win 10 or 11) can see the printer, however some of them are asked to install a driver when trying to connect to it. 

    I expected that the driver would be somehow deployed to users from Print Server? ... or what is the step that I missed here? 

    thanks ;)

    We have been doing the following on the GPOs.

    https://anthonyfontanez.com/index.php/2021/08/12/printnightmare-point-and-print/

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    13 Replies

    • From my experience, users also need the driver somehow, it isn't automatically there for them.

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    • well.... those guides that I've found were mentioning that when users add the printer, it should download the driver from print server automatically.... It actually worked that way when I was adding the printer to a testing computer - driver was installed automatically.... Maybe because I was logged in as administrator and some users are missing permissions or smthing? Not sure.... :/

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    • It looks like what you're looking at, is the deployment of the driver from the print server. The computers ARE downloading the driver for install by the looks of it. However, the snag you'll run in to is that if they've got standard user privileges, they will not have sufficient permission to install the driver. Some people may already have the driver installed for one reason or another, and as such, they can just add the printer (not the same as installing the driver).

      If you've got admin permissions, the act of adding a printer, and downloading the driver from the print-server first before adding the printer, will look like pretty much the same process

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    • mSumo wrote:

      Hi all,

      I've recently added a new printer (Xerox DocuCentre SC2020) to our network. Was 1st time I was adding one, so dont have much experience with it...

      Anyway, I've found some guidence online and all seemed to be working fine - I've added the printer to Print Server and deployed via GPO, and was able to print. When I was adding the printer to server, I had to download and install the driver to the print server as it was not available there.

      Now, users (using Win 10 or 11) can see the printer, however some of them are asked to install a driver when trying to connect to it. 

      I expected that the driver would be somehow deployed to users from Print Server? ... or what is the step that I missed here? 

      thanks ;)

      We have been doing the following on the GPOs.

      https://anthonyfontanez.com/index.php/2021/08/12/printnightmare-point-and-print/

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    • Keep in mind if you are using V4 drivers they have to installed on the workstations before connecting to the print server. Drivers are not automatically downloaded from the server.

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    • The Repairatrooper​ - I've just checked it and it is Type 3 driver

      SamGates1​ - yea... looks like this may be the issue. 

      dbeato - I will have a look at your link and test it, thanks.... Thought it will be easier - just to "tick" something somewhere :D... Also looks like Point and Print could pose some security issue as MS tries to   locked down that feature...

      Just wondering - is there a way to deploy Type 3 driver directly via GPO to users? Looks quite crazy that the driver has to be installed on machines only with administrator permission :? 

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    • mSumo wrote..

      Just wondering - is there a way to deploy Type 3 driver directly via GPO to users? Looks quite crazy that the driver has to be installed on machines only with administrator permission :? 

      I've tended to use scripts to install the driver packages in silent mode, and attached the install script to a computer level GPO.

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    • gosh... what a nightmare.... I'm not good at scripts :/

      Anyway, I've tried to add the printer as administartor on user's laptop (via administrator account) - printer was added sucessfully. However, when I switched the account back to the user, the printer was not there and again got message below. The printer doesnt have "executable" driver so can't just download and install as administrator in users account....ahhh...  


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    • dbeato​ ... I've just configured the GPO as per your link... Will test it tomorrow ;)

      • local_offer Tagged Items
      • dbeatodbeato
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    • dbeato​ - so I've tested it... spent hours trying to solve it, but still not working :/... I've done some additional research online and added few extra things to GPO, but didn't help either.... Below is what I have configured and results:

      • Configured extra
        • Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options. Find the policy Devices: Prevent users from installing printer drivers -> DISABLED
        • Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > System > Driver Installation > Allow non-administrators to install drivers for these device setup classes {4658ee7e-f050-11d1-b6bd-00c04fa372a7} and {4d36e979-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
      • then configured from your link
        • Point and Print Restrictions for Computers and also Users
        • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PointAndPrint\ RestrictDriverInstallationToAdministrators =0
      Results:

      • When I use printer server name only (like "abc") then I get message that "We can't install this printer at the moment. Try again later or contact your network admin for help"
      • When I use FQDM of printer server, I get message "Printer isn't available because your network administrator has restricted access to it"
      • When I set Point and Print to DISABLED, I get again "Printer isn't available because your network administrator has restricted access to it"

      When I check the registry on testing machine (WINDOWS 11), I can see all the setting there under " HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PointAndPrint\" ... soo it seems to be applied correctly

      From what I've read, I should be getting some warnings when adding printer - like "Do you trust this printer" or asked for Admin credentials when adding printer. But all I get is are those messages above,,,

      What am I missing here??? 

      Here is my GPO




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    • mSumo​ I am going to check today the GPO I have setup for this. 

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      • mSumomSumo
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    • so... I've spent another severa hours on this.... Looks like the issue is the driver (it's Type 3)... When I tried to use another one - Xerox WorkCenter driver for example - which is type 4, the printer was added to users via GPO with no issue.... However, as it is not the proper driver, it is causing some issues when printing... :/

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    • finally found V4 driver for my printer and all is working fine now. Cloud not make it work with v3...
      thanks all for your help
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