Modifying any printer returns "Printer settings could not be saved..."

[Phillip Armitage]

Windows 2000 Pro computer with Novel 4.83 client connected to Netware 5.1
server. Assortment of printers on the network, some spooling through
netware, others using IP printing. This computer has several printer
configurations, some defined locally, others as "network" printers.

At present, the printer configurations are all set to spool locally, and to
then print. I want to configure one or more of the printers to print
directly to the queue, thus eliminating the local spooling. I open up the
properties window for a printer configuration, go to the advanced tab, then
click Spool directly to printer. When I click Apply, an error box comes up
with the message: "Printer settings could not be saved. Operation could not
be completed."

I logged into the workstation as the workstation administrator, tried again,
and the same error comes up. This error comes up when I try to make this
change to ALL of the printers defined on this workstation.

My questions are:
1) Is this a known MS bug with a known solution? If so, what's do I do to
make Windows accept my changes.?
2) Anyone know the registry setting which converts a printer from spooling
locally to spooling directly to the printer? If I can't get the printer
configurations to update correctly, maybe I can go into the registry and
manually reset the printer configuration.

I look forward to your responses.

 

[Jason Hall [MSFT]]

--------------------
From: "Phillip Armitage" <[email protected]>
Subject: Modifying any printer returns "Printer settings could not be
saved..."
Date: Tue, 4 May 2004 09:46:53 -0400

Windows 2000 Pro computer with Novel 4.83 client connected to Netware 5.1
server. Assortment of printers on the network, some spooling through
netware, others using IP printing. This computer has several printer
configurations, some defined locally, others as "network" printers.

At present, the printer configurations are all set to spool locally, and to
then print. I want to configure one or more of the printers to print
directly to the queue, thus eliminating the local spooling. I open up the
properties window for a printer configuration, go to the advanced tab, then
click Spool directly to printer. When I click Apply, an error box comes up
with the message: "Printer settings could not be saved. Operation could not
be completed."

I logged into the workstation as the workstation administrator, tried again,
and the same error comes up. This error comes up when I try to make this
change to ALL of the printers defined on this workstation.

My questions are:
1) Is this a known MS bug with a known solution? If so, what's do I do to
make Windows accept my changes.?
2) Anyone know the registry setting which converts a printer from spooling
locally to spooling directly to the printer? If I can't get the printer
configurations to update correctly, maybe I can go into the registry and
manually reset the printer configuration.

I look forward to your responses.
-------------------

Well, this is not a "known bug". You should run Regmon (from
sysinternals.com) to find out where it is failing.
It looks like there might be a permissions issue here.

The registry value that controls the setting is found here.........
Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers\HP LaserJet 4050 Series PCL6\DsSpooler
Name: printSpooling
Type: REG_SZ
Value: PrintAfterSpooled
PrintDirect


--
~~ JASON HALL ~~
~ Performance Support Specialist,
~ Microsoft Enterprise Platforms Support
~ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
~ Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
~ Note: For the benefit of the community-at-large, all responses to this
message are best directed to the newsgroup/thread from which they
originated.

 

[Phillip Armitage]

Thanks Jason for the information

Regmon appears to indicate the system trying to change a LARGE number of
non-existant registry settings. It's looking for netware related print paths
that aren't listed in the registry. Anyways, I manually changed the
printSpooling settings for all printers using IP printing (searched the
registry for "printSpooling" and changed EVERY appropriate setting, not just
those you suggested), then sent some lengthy print jobs as tests. They go
straight to the printer, just as I want them to. And the transfer time is
extremely quick.

What's interesting though is that, even with these settings manually
changed, if I go into printer properties - advanced for the printers I
changed, they still show as spooling locally and not directly to the
printer. Weird.

Maybe I better post a message in a Netware NDPS related newsgroup and see
what comes up.

I'll watch how things go for the day. Hopefully, making these manual changes
to the registry will not have adverse effects.

TTFN

 

[Jason Hall [MSFT]]

--------------------
From: "Phillip Armitage" <[email protected]>
References: <#[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Modifying any printer returns "Printer settings could not be
saved..."
Date: Fri, 7 May 2004 09:06:06 -0400

Thanks Jason for the information

Regmon appears to indicate the system trying to change a LARGE number of
non-existant registry settings. It's looking for netware related print paths
that aren't listed in the registry. Anyways, I manually changed the
printSpooling settings for all printers using IP printing (searched the
registry for "printSpooling" and changed EVERY appropriate setting, not just
those you suggested), then sent some lengthy print jobs as tests. They go
straight to the printer, just as I want them to. And the transfer time is
extremely quick.

What's interesting though is that, even with these settings manually
changed, if I go into printer properties - advanced for the printers I
changed, they still show as spooling locally and not directly to the
printer. Weird.

Maybe I better post a message in a Netware NDPS related newsgroup and see
what comes up.

I'll watch how things go for the day. Hopefully, making these manual changes
to the registry will not have adverse effects.

TTFN
---------------------

I am not sure if this applies to this particular issue, but in Windows some
registry settings will control the behaviour, and another registry setting
will control the UI appearance for the same setting (eg. a checkbox or
radio button status)...that is one reg value will change the behaviour, and
the other will indicate what the behaviour is supposed to set to. When
editing the registry where it isn't intended to be, inconsistencies like
this can arise.

....Then again, maybe you will find that the UI will accurately display the
setting you chose in the registry after you restart the machine.


--
~~ JASON HALL ~~
~ Performance Support Specialist,
~ Microsoft Enterprise Platforms Support
~ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
~ Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
~ Note: For the benefit of the community-at-large, all responses to this
message are best directed to the newsgroup/thread from which they
originated.