From Microsoft's FAQ:
4) How do I add a network printer for all users on a computer?
1. When a user, even an administrator, adds a network printer using the Add
Printer wizard, the printer is only added for that particular user. If
another user logs on at that computer, the network printer is not available
for them until they add it.
2. A network printer is much like a mapped network drive in the sense that
it is just a reference (pointer) to a printer share on another computer.
These kinds of things are specific to the user that creates (adds) them.
There is NO option in the Add Printer wizard to add a network printer for
all users of a computer, but the capability to do so does exists in Windows
NT, 2000 and XP.
3. Here are the steps to add a printer for all users on a computer. Note
that this process adds a printer permanently, just as does the Add Printer
wizard. There is not much point in placing these commands in logon or
startup script because that will result in multiple instances of the printer
on each computer, one for each time a user logs on or the computer is
restarted. However, these commands can be used in command files (.cmd files)
or scripts, which makes it relatively simple and quick to add multiple
printers to one computer, the same printer to multiple computers, or a
mixture of both.
a. logon at the computer with an administrative user account
b. open a Command Prompt window
c. type the command:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /n\\UNC-path-to-the-printer
For example, if the printer's name is p1 and it is defined on the computer
C1 (i.e the Print Server is called C1), type exactly:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /n\\C1\P1
If you want to, you can add a printer remotely -- that is, on another
computer
-- by including the /c parameter. For example, if you want to add the
printer \\C1\P1 to the computer called CC while logged on at another
computer, use this command:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /c\\CC /n\\C1\P1
The printer added this way won't be useable (e.g. won't show up in the list
of available printers) until the Print Spooler service is restarted or a
user logs on. You can restart the Print Spooler by typing these commands in
the Command Prompt window:
net stop spooler
net start spooler
You can restart the print spooler on another computer by using these
commands:
Sc \\CC stop spooler
Sc \\CC start spooler
You can also use the Computer Management console to restart the print
spooler on the other computer:
a. Click Start, Administrative Tools, Computer Management
b. In the left pane, right click on the root of the tree (Computer
Management (Local)) and select Connect to another computer
c. Type the name of the computer (e.g. for the above example this would be
CC) and click OK
d. In the left pane, click the + sign beside Services and Applications
e. Click Services
f. In the right pane, right click on Print Spooler and select Restart
Another alternative is force the other computer to restart using the
command:
Shutdown -r -m \\computername
e.g.
shutdown -r -m \\cc
4. Additional information is available at:
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/NetPrinterAllUsers.htm
Paul Bartholomew
Microsoft Printing, Imaging and Fax Team
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
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