rundll32 printer command runs...but no printer!

[Guest]

I run a very simple STARTUP script through win2000 AD on XP clients.
rundll32 printui,PrintUIEntry /in /n \\server\printer

it should install a printer. It definitely runs and the 'installing
printer' box appears and then disappears. When I log in no printers have been
installed.

If I run the script when logged in it works fine. It has worked fine with
win2000 clients for years

Nothing in event viewer....any ideas?

 

[Ryan Hanisco]

Fabrussio,

This sounds like a permissions error... the account that is trying to add
the printer does not have the rights to do this, where yours does. You can
try running this as a computer startup script to use the computer
credentials, but then you'll lose the ability to map based on user group
membership.

Otherwise, I would suggest using the Sanur.exe utility to specify user
account and password to the command. This is like a RunAs but allows the
specification of a password. This is a free utility, gotten at:
http://www.commandline.co.uk/sanur_unsupported/index2.html

As to the add method, you might look at using con2prt, a windows utility
that works well for the adding and removal of printers.

 

[Glenn L]

Fabrussio,

You have to cycle the spooler service after executing the rundll32 command
in order for the newly installed printer to be available.
see http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/14539/14539.html
Also, if your goal is to create per machine network printer connections,
then you need to use the /ga switch like this.
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /n\\machine\printer