Printer Not Installed. Access is denied.

[Luiz Minas]

I can not install a printer from our network server in my
box. Even as administrator or privilegied user. I'm
getting the message "printer driver was not installed.
Access is denied". I've tried install as local printer at
the end I got the same message. Anybody out there have any
suggestion? thanks in advance..

 

[Paul Baker]

Are you adding the printer through the Add Printer Wizard or though a third
party installation program? Make sure you're using the Add Printer Wizard
add can add a local printer using the driver you need and the FILE: port
before any further troubleshooting.

You must be a member of the local Administrators group to add a local
printer. Conversely, if you are not a member of the local Administrators
group, you cannot add a local printer because the 'Local printer' option is
disabled/grayed out in the Add Printer Wizard. At least, this is the default
behaviour. I don't know if there is a policy setting that effects that.

Therefore, if 'Local printer' is enabled and you use it, the 'Access is
denied' is not happening because you are not allowed to add a printer. If
you are using the port FILE:, it cannot be anything to do with the port
either. Therefore, it must be the driver. Pay close attention to when the
error is happening and what its origin might be. Is it when copying files?
Is it after copying files is done?

Paul

 

[Luiz Minas]

Hi Paul, thanks for your prompted attention. I am using
The Add Printer Wizard. I am part of Administrators Group.
I have all privileges. I can even install the same printer
at any computer in our network without any problem at all.
But, in my computer. Actually, I can not install any
printer in my computer from our Printer Server. Regarding
to the error message, I can select the server and the
printer but when the wizard try to connect to printer I
got the message "The server on which the "RICOH Aficio"
printer resides does not have the correct printer driver
installed. If you want to install the driver on your local
computer, click OK". On this moment, the Wizard prompts me
to browse the file. I can select the "inf" file without
any prompt but I got the "Printer driver setup error.
Access is denied". If I copy the driver to my computer and
try to use I got the same message. If I install as local
printer and add a port I can select the printer from
the "INF" file but at the end "Press the finish button"
again I got the same error message. I've already check my
register file several times to see if something got wrong.
So far I do not have a clue. I am running Win 2000 SP 4.
My boss suggests reinstalling my Windows system. I go
crazy with this option. I have too many information in my
development machine. Again, thanks for your help. I hope
you have any suggestion.

Luiz

 

[Paul Baker]

It's not time to reinstall Windows yet!

You are able to get to the point where it installs the driver, so it is
definitely a problem installing the driver.

You did not my most important set of questions: "Pay close attention to when
the error is happening and what its origin might be. Is it when copying
files? Is it after copying files is done?".

Paul

 

[Guest]

Again thanks a lot for your prompt attention.. After the
initial error message the Wizard prompt with "The
file .INF on (Unknown) is needed". When the Wizard try to
copy the file. However, I've already check if a copy
the .INI file to my box e tell the browser to look for it
I got the same message. I hope I made my self clear and
you can see lights.


Luiz

 

[Paul Baker]

Luiz,

I've never heard of the message "The file .INF on (Unknown) is needed", but
I know what an INF file is. It is possible that the INF file or its
dependancies are just incorrect, but if it is only a problem on one machine,
that doesn't help you much, does it?

Does the progress bar for copying files appear and does it get beyond 0%?

Try an even simpler thing. Go Start > Settings > Printers. Then File >
Server Properties. Then Drivers, Add. Does the same thing happen?

Use Regedt32 to list the access controls on
HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print (be sure to click Advanced to
get a detailed list).

Use Explirer to list the access controls on
C:\Winnt\System32\drivers\spool\drivers (be sure to click Advanced to get a
detailed list).

Which version of which printer driver is this?

Good luck!

Paul

 

[Luiz Minas]

Hi Paul thanks again for your prompt attention...Following
your suggestion since yesterday I always come back to the
same error message. Access denied! Since you call me the
attention to the C:\Winnt\System32\drivers\spool\drivers
folder I saw everyone account had full privilege on spool
folder but drivers folder only had read & execute
privileges. I changed it to full privilege. I went to Add
a printer and man worked fine, smooth, beatifull, great. I
do not know how/when this folder was changed. So far, I
have been able to install all printers in my computer.
Also, I would like to share this article.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;279753&Product=win2000

 

[Paul Baker]

Luiz,

So fixing the permissions solved your problem?

KB article 279753 seems unusually vague! Any user can add a network printer
if they have permissions on the print server, therefore it is possible that
someone would have permissions to add a printer but not the driver. This is,
of course, is a problem if and only if the driver is not already installed.

I cannot find the document on Microsoft's web site listing Windows 2000
default file permissions. These permissions are defined directly on my
C:\Winnt\system32 folder and inherited by all subfolders:

Users - Read & Execute
Power Users - Modify
Administrators - Full Control
CREATOR OWNER - Full Control
Everyone - Read & Execute
SYSTEM - Full Control.

However, the permissions on the HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print
registry key are more restrictive. They give Power Users Modify permissions
only. Therefore, it seems that you need to be a member of the Administrators
group to add a driver.

Did you change the permissions yourself? Apparently someone did

Paul

 

[thenewhouse]

Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4) did this to me. No such problem
before the upgrade, can't install any printers after.

I solved the problem, partly thanks to the information above, by
navigating to C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\SPOOL, going to Properties, then the
Security tab, and granting full access to:

Administrator
Administrators
Power Users
and
SYSTEM

I don't know which of these was the magic one, but as I don't mind
having all those things access my spool, I don't plan to worry about
it.


thenewhouse

 

[Paul Baker]

I would think Administrators - Full Control would be the one to do it. If
you are installing a printer driver, you must be a member of Administrators
and you must have full control to install files properly, so there you go.

I would just reinstate the default permissions, which are as I listed in an
earlier post. The spooler may rightfully assume that the permissions are a
certain way and rely upon it.

I installed Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 and did not have this problem.
Indeed, it did not change my permissions on that folder. It did cause an
unrelated problem though:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...-8&selm=#[email protected].

Paul

 

[grooveradio]

Adding full control to C:\winnt\system32\spool directory also did th
trick for me.

I have SP4 installed.

Thanks for the great tip!

Y


-
grooveradi