I have 3 2003 R2 print servers. I am trying to use the R2 Print
Management utility from my Windows XP workstation. I have 2 different
problems. Problem 1 is when I connect to print server 1, I see a list
of drivers, forms, and ports, but I do not see a list of printers.
Problem 2 is that when I try to connect to print server 2 or 3, it tells
me that "The specified server name cannot be added. The server name is
invalid or access is denied." I have verified that I can talk to the
server by name because I can ping it and get a response. I KNOW I have
full rights to it, and I can to UNC to C$. The firewall is off on all
the print servers as well. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Matthew

Add the File and Print sharing exception on the client to the Windows
Firewall (or equivalent if using another Firewall).

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Matthew Clark" <MD-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have 3 2003 R2 print servers. I am trying to use the R2 Print Management
>utility from my Windows XP workstation. I have 2 different problems.
>Problem 1 is when I connect to print server 1, I see a list of drivers,
>forms, and ports, but I do not see a list of printers. Problem 2 is that
>when I try to connect to print server 2 or 3, it tells me that "The
>specified server name cannot be added. The server name is invalid or
>access is denied." I have verified that I can talk to the server by name
>because I can ping it and get a response. I KNOW I have full rights to it,
>and I can to UNC to C$. The firewall is off on all the print servers as
>well. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
>
> Matthew

Already did that (Windows firewall). Any other ideas?

Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> Add the File and Print sharing exception on the client to the Windows
> Firewall (or equivalent if using another Firewall).
>

If you have an existing channel open to the remote machine, this needs to be
deleted.

Close PMC. CMD window

net use \\printserver\ipc$ /d


Launch PMC

For the machines you can't connect to, open the remote printers folder
before adding the server.

If you get prompted for security credentials, that's the failure point.
Just enter creds and then you can add the servers.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Matthew Clark" <MD-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Already did that (Windows firewall). Any other ideas?
>
> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
>> Add the File and Print sharing exception on the client to the Windows
>> Firewall (or equivalent if using another Firewall).
>>

1) net use \\printserver\ipc$ /d - I checked and I do not have any
existing connection to the server.
2) open the remote printers folder - Not sure where that is at...
3) prompted for security credentials - I do not get that error, and I
am a domain admin. Should be fine with Creds.

"remote printers folder"
Start
Run
\\printservername
OK

a new window will open. Open the Printers folder

Make sure the client firewall setting are for all subnets or just disable
the client firewall.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Matthew Clark" <MD-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> 1) net use \\printserver\ipc$ /d - I checked and I do not have any
> existing connection to the server.
> 2) open the remote printers folder - Not sure where that is at...
> 3) prompted for security credentials - I do not get that error, and I am
> a domain admin. Should be fine with Creds.

Ok, I did that and the firewall has been, both before and now, open to
the server subnet and my subnet. I hate to initiate a call to MS over
something that really isn't important, but I believe this SHOULD work...

Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
> "remote printers folder"
> Start
> Run
> \\printservername
> OK
>
> a new window will open. Open the Printers folder
>
> Make sure the client firewall setting are for all subnets or just disable
> the client firewall.
>

You don't have additional security that blocks anonymous authentication to
the client?

If the spooler on the server can open a spooler FindFirstChangeNotification
channel to the client, this does work. If the local client blocks this, the
client spooler goes into polling mode (when you open the remote printer
folder on a server with 100+ shared printers it flashes and updates and you
can't pick the remote printer fast enough before another refresh, it's very
annoying).

In Computer Management under Shared Folders, Sessions you should see the
printservername$ listed as a current connection. XP has a 10 connection
limit. If you hit the max on this you will also see dropped information.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Matthew Clark" <MD-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ok, I did that and the firewall has been, both before and now, open to the
> server subnet and my subnet. I hate to initiate a call to MS over
> something that really isn't important, but I believe this SHOULD work...
>
> Alan Morris [MSFT] wrote:
>> "remote printers folder"
>> Start
>> Run
>> \\printservername
>> OK
>>
>> a new window will open. Open the Printers folder
>>
>> Make sure the client firewall setting are for all subnets or just disable
>> the client firewall.
>>

[LeaUK]

Although this is an old post I thought I would add my 2pc, as I too have recently experienced this same issue.

In my case I realised there was no 'printers and faxes' share at all. In order to enable the remote connection to a new print server and for this share to be created you must create a printer on the new server first.

Attempting to connect to a new print server without any printers added will result in the aforementioned error message.

Hope this helps someone also.

Lea