Cannot Print From IE8 when run as administrator
- Hello
If I run IE8 as an administrator I cannot print anything as when you try it says "Before you can print you need to select a printer" but all the printers are listed in the dialogue and clicking on any of them produces the same error again.
If you do not run IE8 as administrator the printers all work fine.
The problem is that I have an application which requires UAC in order to run and it uses IE to display pages which then need to be printed but cannot. As the program is run elevated the IE window would also appear to be.
The only workaround is to disable UAC but then you keep getting warnings about UAC being off and people keep turning it back on again and then calling me when they can't print.
Is there a better solution to this. Surely disabling UAC is not the only answer. I tried Bing'ing but could not find an answer!
I can replicate the issue on all pcs I have tried so far by just running IE as an admin by right-clicking the shortcut and then trying to print a web page. It fails everytime with the above error on all Vista machines.
Thanks
Robin
Robin Wilson
Answers
- Hey Robin,
I was searching for an answer for my issue when I came across this thread. I was recently getting that same exact error message that you posted, BUT NOT with IE8, I was trying to print from a 3rd party Rental Management Software called "Entech". I am a tech support for the company.
I had a client getting this exact error message on one of their computer when they ran the software as administrator, BUT when they ran it normal it would print fine.
The clients user was set-up AS an administrator, and the UAC's were turned ON.
When I disabled the UAC's it would print fine in and out of Administrator mode, but obviously this wasn't the smartest solution in the clients eyes.
I'm not positive if this will help you but here is what I did to fix the issue.
If you open your CONTROL PANEL and make sure that it is in CONTROL PANEL HOME and not CLASSIC view, you can see these 2 options on the left.
Under the SECURITY tab there is an option to "ALLOW A PROGRAM THROUGH WINDOWS FIREWALL".
I didn't think that the firewall had anything to do with a 3rd party software that doesn't even access the internet but apparently it does.
Click on the ADD PROGRAM tab on the left. I scrolled through this list to see if my software was available, it was not available so I had to click BROWSE, find the executable and add it.
BUT I DO see INTERNET EXPLORER in this list...
When I added my 3rd party software to the list, THEN rebooted the clients computer, she was able to print in Administrator mode.
Maybe you can try clicking on Internet Explorer and adding it to the list, then rebooting, and see if that fixes the error.
I'm honestly not sure what type of Vista the client was using, but I hope this helps!
If there's anything that you need clarity on please reply back with any questions and I will answer to the best of my ability.
Also, if this does not work there was a few other minor settings that I changed as well, but I believe that THIS is what fixed the issue.
If you have additional questions and I do not return with answer within a day or so, please feel free to email me at
zwhite@instantsoftware.com
zechwhite@gmail.com
Again, I hope this helps!
Zechariah White
- Marked As Answer byrobinwilson16 Friday, September 04, 2009 9:24 PM
All Replies
Hi Robin,
Thank you for your post.
To make the issue clear, could you please let us know the following:
1. Detail information about the printer, such as brand and model.
2. The location of the printer; is it on the network or just connected to this computer?
Based on my research, I would like to suggest the following:
1. Please try to print in notepad or print a word document and see if it works with Administrator privilege or without Administrator privilege.
2. Run Internet Explorer to “No Add-ons Mode” with “run as administrator” and check if you can print.
To enter ““No Add-ons Mode”, you can try one of the following:
l Type iexplore –extoff in the Run box on the Start menu
l Click “Internet Explorer (No Add-ons)” under All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools
l Right-clicking the IE icon on the Start Menu (if IE is your default browser) and selecting “Browse Without Add-Ons”
3. Update the printer’s driver, if there is a new version available.
If the issue persists, please also capture a screenshot on the error message you received for our further research:
Capture a screenshot
==============
1) Press the Print Screen key (PrtScn) on your keyboard.
2) Click the "Start" menu, type "mspaint" in the Search Bar and Press Enter.
3) In the Paint program, click the "Edit" menu, click "Paste", click the "File" menu, and click "Save".
4) The "Save As" dialogue box will appear. Type a file name in the "File name:" box, for example: "screenshot".
5) Make sure "JPEG (*.JPG;*.JPEG;*.JPE;*.JFIF)" is selected in the "Save as type" box, click “Desktop” on the left pane and then click "Save".
Please upload the picture to Windows Live SkyDrive (http://www.skydrive.live.com/) and share its URL with us.
Thanks!
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Nicholas Li - MSFT- Hello Nicholas
I did not have a Vista pc to hand so I just quickly set up Vista on a Dell Optiplex 330 to try what you have suggested which had SP2 integrated.
I added a network printer (Epson Aculaser C1100).
I then tried to print and it worked normally
I then ran IE as an administrator and tried it and it failed with the error:
"---------------------------
Print
---------------------------
Before you can print, you need to select a printer.
If you need to install a printer, either double-click the Add Printer icon or click the Find Printer... button located on the General tab of this dialog.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------"
If I press ok and then click on one of the printers it gives the same error again.
I can replicate the issue so far on every Windows Vista PC I have tried (all x64 so far) and it happens on IE7 and IE8 with any printer whether it is local via USB, networked via an IP or shared via another PC.
I can print from Notepad and WordPad without any problems when I run them as administrator.
Printers I have tried so far are Epson Aculaser C1100 over ethernet and shared via another PC, HP LaserJet 1100 over USB, Brother MFC-620CN shared via another PC and an HP LaserJet P1500N shared via another PC and some others I cannot remember.
I will upload the screenshots.
Could this be a bug?
Thanks
Robin
P.S. The issue does not occur on Windows 7
Robin Wilson I have uploaded the images to SkyDrive: http://cid-b2fd8d27defb2045.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/.Public
Does that URL work for you?
For the other things you asked me to try:
1) Notepad and WordPad work fine when run as administrator
2) Running with no addons made no difference - same error still
3) have already tried updating printer drivers and have tried with the latest driver and the one built into Windows
Thanks for the help.
Robin
Robin WilsonHi,
Thank you for your update.
I have checked this on my test machines and this issue could not be reproduced.
At this time, please try the following:
1. Please refer to the following Knowledge Base to check the issue:
Fix printing problems by resetting the print spooler
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2000007
2. Go to the print spooler folder and check the permissions and security settings of this folder and its sub-folder. Please ensure that your administrator account and the built-in administrator account are in the list and assigned full-control.
3. Please boot the system to Clean Boot environment and check the issue.
Clean boot
=================
1) Click the Start Button type "msconfig" (without quotation marks) in the Search box, and then press Enter.
Note: If prompted, please click Continue on the User Account Control (UAC) window.
2) Click the "Services" tab, check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" box and click "Disable All" (if it is not gray).
3) Click the "Startup" tab, click "Disable All" and click "OK".
Then, restart the computer. When the "System Configuration Utility" window appears, please check the "Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts" box and click OK.
NOTE: we can go back to normal boot by running msconfig again and checking on Normal Startup in the General tab.
In the Clean Boot Environment, the third party services and applications are disabled, please check the issue persists. .
If the problem does not occur, it indicates that the problem is related to one application or service we have disabled. You may use the MSCONFIG tool again to re-enable the disabled item one by one to find out the culprit.
Hope this helps. Thanks.
Nicholas Li
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Nicholas Li - MSFTI just want to say hi and see how this is going. Please drop me a quick note at you convenience to let me know the current status of this issue. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know. Thanks, and have a great day!
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Nicholas Li - MSFT- Hello Nicholas
I can still reproduce the issue on every Vista pc I have tried. They have all been X64 machines with SP2 installed and some with IE7 and some with IE8.
It doesn't matter what make or model the printers are and if they are installed via USB, Ethernet or shared via another PC.
If I disable UAC or do not run IE as an administrator then the printing works as expected. Other programs other than IE also print when run as administrator which would seem to indicate it was more an issue with IE than the printer drivers.
Administrators have full control over the spool folder but only read access of the printers sub-folder on the machine I checked. Also under servers/servername Administrators also only have read access.
Clean boot does not help.
On one machine I did a fresh format and install using a disk with SP2 integrated and installed the Epson C1000 which windows has drivers for and I then tried other printers and all exibited the same behaviour. The issue can not be reproduced on Windows 7.
I have not tried on an x86 version of Vista yet.
Robin
Robin Wilson - Hey Robin,
I was searching for an answer for my issue when I came across this thread. I was recently getting that same exact error message that you posted, BUT NOT with IE8, I was trying to print from a 3rd party Rental Management Software called "Entech". I am a tech support for the company.
I had a client getting this exact error message on one of their computer when they ran the software as administrator, BUT when they ran it normal it would print fine.
The clients user was set-up AS an administrator, and the UAC's were turned ON.
When I disabled the UAC's it would print fine in and out of Administrator mode, but obviously this wasn't the smartest solution in the clients eyes.
I'm not positive if this will help you but here is what I did to fix the issue.
If you open your CONTROL PANEL and make sure that it is in CONTROL PANEL HOME and not CLASSIC view, you can see these 2 options on the left.
Under the SECURITY tab there is an option to "ALLOW A PROGRAM THROUGH WINDOWS FIREWALL".
I didn't think that the firewall had anything to do with a 3rd party software that doesn't even access the internet but apparently it does.
Click on the ADD PROGRAM tab on the left. I scrolled through this list to see if my software was available, it was not available so I had to click BROWSE, find the executable and add it.
BUT I DO see INTERNET EXPLORER in this list...
When I added my 3rd party software to the list, THEN rebooted the clients computer, she was able to print in Administrator mode.
Maybe you can try clicking on Internet Explorer and adding it to the list, then rebooting, and see if that fixes the error.
I'm honestly not sure what type of Vista the client was using, but I hope this helps!
If there's anything that you need clarity on please reply back with any questions and I will answer to the best of my ability.
Also, if this does not work there was a few other minor settings that I changed as well, but I believe that THIS is what fixed the issue.
If you have additional questions and I do not return with answer within a day or so, please feel free to email me at
zwhite@instantsoftware.com
zechwhite@gmail.com
Again, I hope this helps!
Zechariah White
- Marked As Answer byrobinwilson16 Friday, September 04, 2009 9:24 PM
- Hello Zechariah
Thanks for your help, I can't believe it but this has solved the problem.
First I tried allowing iexplore.exe through the firewall but it did not work until restarting the machine and now it prints properly without the confusing error which lists my printers but tells me I have to install one before I can print! (it does default to letter instead of A4 but this is easily fixed).
Thanks so much! Don't know how you worked this out but glad you did!
I can still replicate the issue on Vista machines at home and at work and am wondering why this is not more widely reported. I suppose there is not normally a need to run IE as an Administrator but in this case I have to.
Normally you would think that running as Administrator would give you more permissions not less!
I have now tried this with domain joined Vista machines as well as standalone machines and all exibit the same behaviour.
Your fix seems to work on all of them though.
Thanks again!
Robin
Robin Wilson Hey Robin,
It’s a funny thing, I’m not really a computer tech when it comes to settings like this, I just do one specific software, so it’s weird that I eve figured it out.
I’m not exactly sure why it even works, because I didn’t think that something like INTERNET EXPLORER needed permission to get through the firewall to print, or that any 3rd party software needed permission as well.
My assumptions were the same as yours when it comes to being an administrator, I figured that if you had your account SET to an administrator you wouldn’t still have to run programs AS an administrator.Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.
Anyways, I’m glad this solution has helped you!
It’s tough finding a correct solution for issues like this sometimes!Good Luck Robin
Zechariah White
- I'm having the exact same problem. I've just brought this new Compaq CQ60 laptop to life and installed ALL the patches as well as Vista Sp2. I am the only user (Administrator). Now I can't print from Internet Explorer. Every time I try, I'm told I need to select a printer even though there is a default printer defined in Vista. Printing from other programs is not a problem - I can use the default printer defined or choose another without any hassle in other programs. There must be a problem with the Sp2.
