Installing Printer

[Guest]

Hi,

Our company operates in a managed environment and hence local users arent
allowed to install or delete applications. We have now come to the decision
to grant local users the right to install local printers. I have tried
everything (open up permissions on files and registry, grant load and unload
device driver privileges, etc) other than add the users to the admin group
but nothing seems to be working. I am trying to install a usb printer and it
does not work at all if I am not a member of the admin group. Is there a way
to get past this? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Juan]

Hi Look at response to "Printer installation rights.....Please" by
"Northstar Ambulance" on 06/23/05

It's a similar case, similat situation. You may find something usefull
there.

 

[Juan]

Sorry!:

that was in microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin
Oh what the heck!! here goes.... you probably have applied some of this
but there may be something you can apply.

Said response says:
You may have to configure the Plug and Play services to run under the user
account in Start\Run\services.msc\Plug and Play, and go to Plug and Play
properties\Start Session\select this account and add the user and password
apply and restart the computer and logon with the user account to try and
install the printer. You may also have to apply the same configuration to
Universal Plug and Play Host service, and SSDP discovery service.. but I
would put them off for now and only configure them as last resort.

the previous may be all you need to do but just in case here are some other
ideas:
If the configuration on Plug and Play does not allow the user to install
printers go to Windows Explorer\Tools\Folder Options\View\uncheck 'Hide
system protected files (recommended)'. also select 'Show all hidden files
and folders' and also uncheck 'Use simple file sharing (recommended)

Then look for C:\WINDOWS\System32\Spool\Printers and right clic, select
Properties\Security and write down a note of the default permissions already
in use to re-extablish them after you do the next changes; next go to
Advanced Options\Permissions and remove the check mark in 'Inherit from the
main object those permission entries etc.. and add a check mark in 'Replace
permission entries on all secondary objects etc.. ' now add the
Administrators and user groups with the automatic default permission
settings and independently add the special user account and clic on 'Modify'
and check on Total Control\accept\exit\ and verify on the main Security
windows that the permissions are again the same as you had previously
written down except for the 'special' user account which should have
administrator level permissions. Apply, Accept and exit. Go back into
Tools\Folder Options and check back on Do not show all hidden files and
folders and on Simple file sharing and alo on Hide system protected files
(recommended) and restart the computer.

You may also have to apply the same permission settings in
C:\WINDOWS\Installer (also a hidden system folder) If the permission
modifications in the Printers folder does not give full printer installing
capabilities to the special user account. this is for installation of
software but it may be necessary to install printer drivers.

Apply each one of these configurations and restart the computer after each
and see if the user account can now install the printer.

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