on 64-bit 2k8 server, trying to add x86 drivers asks for ntprint.inf
I've read the relevant threads, and no one seems to be having my exact problem.
The server is a 64-bit 2008 server with the print role installed. I can add x64 drivers fine, but when trying to add x86 drivers, I get stuck. I have tried several HP printers: LJ2300, 4100, 2420.
Here's the procedure:
Under the Drivers area of Print Management, right click, Add Driver.
Click Next.
Select only x86 architecture.
Choose Have Disk.
Browse to the location of the extracted x86 driver for the printer.
Select printer from list (in this case LJ2420)
Click Next.
Windows prompts with the following:
Install Components from Windows Media
Please provide path to Windows media (x86 processor).
Type the path where the file is located and click OK.
It appears to be looking for ntprint.inf. I have tried several OS installation CDs - Server 2003, XP, Vista. None of them are accepted.
Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Answers
Hi,
It seems that some third party printer driver .INF file is incorrect. Generally, Windows system tell the architecture (X86 or X64) of driver by reading .INF file of printer driver. If the architecture entry included in .INF file matches with system's, Windows system will install this driver.
For example, the following INF file includes an x64 driver is shown below:
1. [MANUFACTURER]
2. %Acme Corp% = Acme, NTamd64
3. [Acme.NTamd64]
4. %Acme Model% = Acme100PS, <hardware IDs>
5. [Acme100PS]
6. CopyFiles = Driver.DLL
The Model section is decorated with NTamd64, which indicates that this driver is an x64 driver. However, the Model decorations were optional for the earlier versions of Windows. For backward compatibility, these entries look like as following:
1. [MANUFACTURER]
2. %Acme Corp% = Acme
3. [Acme]
4. %Acme Model% = Acme100PS, <hardware IDs>
5. [Acme100PS]
6. CopyFiles = Driver.DLL
For some scenario, the printer driver couldn't be installed normally due to the incorrect format. For instance:
The additional driver can't be installed, because the .INF file is like this:
Printer2410="hp LaserJet 2410 PCL6"
Printer2420="hp LaserJet 2420 PCL6"
Printer2430="hp LaserJet 2430 PCL6"
disk1="hp LaserJet 2410/2420/2430 PCL6 Disk1"After modifying it as following, the installation is success.
Printer2410="hp LaserJet 2410 PCL 6"
Printer2420="hp LaserJet 2420 PCL 6"
Printer2430="hp LaserJet 2430 PCL 6"
disk1="hp LaserJet 2410/2420/2430 PCL 6 Disk1"The difference is there is just a ‘space’ between PCL and 6.
Generally, we can add a X86 driver on X64 Windows system by right-clicking printer driver to choose Properties, and clicking 'addition printer driver' to load a X86 driver. If this method doesn't work, we can try the method listed in my pervious reply. If these methods still couldn't work, I'd suggest contacting driver provider to ask a universal driver.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes
--------------
Morgan CheI had the same problem too. I finally solved it by sharing a Windows folder on Vista Box. Search for the ntprint.inf file on a Windows Vista Box. It will most likely reference windows\winsxs\x86_ntprint.infXXXXXXX. The WS08 server is looking for a x86 Vista Driver.
HTH,
BF
All Replies
Hi,
In order to add printer driver based on X86 on X64 system, please try the following steps to test the result:
1.On any one of the clients machine running 32-bit OS
2.Access the print server \\PrintserverName\Printers
3.Open the printer required to add the 32-bit driver
4.Go to properties
5.Sharing Tab
6.Additional drivers
7.check the box for x86 for windows 2000,windows xp and windows 2003
8.click okI hope this help.
If this issue still persists, please post back with latest error message.
Morgan- Proposed As Answer byhelsby Tuesday, May 05, 2009 4:02 PM
- I have the exact same problem and it is due to clicking the x86 box. It is asking for an ntprint.inf file and it refuses to use the one from windows 2003 server, windows 2003 R2 server & windows XP CD. There is also no associated file on the vista CD. Where is the file we need to support x86 print drivers on 2008 x64?
Thanks - Same thing here, but with HP laserjet 4250 driver.
It doesnt give an error message, it just keeps asking for that NTprint.inf file no matter which one we give him(w2k3, xpsp1, sp2, tried them all). - same thing here too we can not install 32 bit drivers on Windows 2008 64-bit with getting this NTprint.inf file issue resovled
Morgan Che－MSFT wrote: Hi,
Please try the following steps to test the result:
1.On any one of the clients machine running 32-bit OS
2.Access the print server \\PrintserverName\Printers
3.Open the printer required to add the 32-bit driver
4.Go to properties
5.Sharing Tab
6.Additional drivers
7.check the box for x86 for windows 2000,windows xp and windows 2003
8.click okI hope this help. If this issue still persists, please post back with latest error message.
Morgan
Is this the only supported way to do this? If so, it seems very strange that logic is built into the GUI to install both platforms, but only the local platform works.
The message I get is "Unable to install HP LaserJet 2420 PS, x86, Type 3 - User Mode driver. This operation is not supported."
Also, in my playing around with this server role, I have with verry little work managed to screw things up a couple of times now. Once my entire Vista32 driver catalog somehow got uploaded from my workstation, and just now when I connected via Remote Desktop a bunch of drivers got put on the server for my local printers.
How are we supposed to manage versions for multiple network printers? It seems that the driver database is fragile and there is no way to select a particular driver version for a printer. For example, the drivers tab seems to support multiple versions of a printer driver, however when I build a printer and select a driver, the version number is not included in the driver name.
- I cheated and got it to work by exporting my printers from my 2003 R2 machine by commandline and importing them, now I can add 32-bit drivers with no problem. This is definitely NOT the way to do this, but at least it got me going again. M$ needs to get their collect head out of their butts and fix things like this.
- I'm having the same problem. Asks for ntprint.inf from Windows Server 2003 family (x64 processor) and when I point to the disk, or any other Windows Server 2003 disk, it still asks for it.
Hi,
It seems that some third party printer driver .INF file is incorrect. Generally, Windows system tell the architecture (X86 or X64) of driver by reading .INF file of printer driver. If the architecture entry included in .INF file matches with system's, Windows system will install this driver.
For example, the following INF file includes an x64 driver is shown below:
1. [MANUFACTURER]
2. %Acme Corp% = Acme, NTamd64
3. [Acme.NTamd64]
4. %Acme Model% = Acme100PS, <hardware IDs>
5. [Acme100PS]
6. CopyFiles = Driver.DLL
The Model section is decorated with NTamd64, which indicates that this driver is an x64 driver. However, the Model decorations were optional for the earlier versions of Windows. For backward compatibility, these entries look like as following:
1. [MANUFACTURER]
2. %Acme Corp% = Acme
3. [Acme]
4. %Acme Model% = Acme100PS, <hardware IDs>
5. [Acme100PS]
6. CopyFiles = Driver.DLL
For some scenario, the printer driver couldn't be installed normally due to the incorrect format. For instance:
The additional driver can't be installed, because the .INF file is like this:
Printer2410="hp LaserJet 2410 PCL6"
Printer2420="hp LaserJet 2420 PCL6"
Printer2430="hp LaserJet 2430 PCL6"
disk1="hp LaserJet 2410/2420/2430 PCL6 Disk1"After modifying it as following, the installation is success.
Printer2410="hp LaserJet 2410 PCL 6"
Printer2420="hp LaserJet 2420 PCL 6"
Printer2430="hp LaserJet 2430 PCL 6"
disk1="hp LaserJet 2410/2420/2430 PCL 6 Disk1"The difference is there is just a ‘space’ between PCL and 6.
Generally, we can add a X86 driver on X64 Windows system by right-clicking printer driver to choose Properties, and clicking 'addition printer driver' to load a X86 driver. If this method doesn't work, we can try the method listed in my pervious reply. If these methods still couldn't work, I'd suggest contacting driver provider to ask a universal driver.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes
--------------
Morgan CheI had the same problem too. I finally solved it by sharing a Windows folder on Vista Box. Search for the ntprint.inf file on a Windows Vista Box. It will most likely reference windows\winsxs\x86_ntprint.infXXXXXXX. The WS08 server is looking for a x86 Vista Driver.
HTH,
BF
- I have tried this and was unable to make it work, I also tried to setup with a Vista 32bit system with the other work around once i check the box and close nothing happens, when i reopen it the check box is cleared. If i try to add it from a XP pro machine it promts me for drivers. ????
- I had the availability of the Windows 2003 Server (32-bit) _Standard_ edition disc, put it in my wksta drive, administratively shared it and browsed to the file from the server. (I had tried R2, didn't work)
- Edited byPeter Hagen Monday, June 16, 2008 8:14 PMupdate version required
- Proposed As Answer byPeter Hagen Monday, June 16, 2008 8:15 PM
- We implemented a 2008 Server (x64) and had nothing but issues with the HP Univeral Drivers, we also could not get the older standard drivers to work for our HP printers on the 2008 server. Our Dell printers worked fine.
- Bryant Fong said:
I had the same problem too. I finally solved it by sharing a Windows folder on Vista Box. Search for the ntprint.inf file on a Windows Vista Box. It will most likely reference windows\winsxs\x86_ntprint.infXXXXXXX. The WS08 server is looking for a x86 Vista Driver.
HTH,
BF
thanks, been scratching my head for a while now...worked perfectly! - Only some of the above worked for me at all, until, tearing my hair out, I actually found this clippit of information in a QMS printer driver for a combined x86 x64 driver package doing all Windows OS in a readme.txt - yes I was desperate!
1stly add the drivers using the print server properties drivers tab... I have selected both x64 and x86 at this point.
Next add the drivers as it asks for them, x64 first on a x64 server...
when it prompt for the x86 source provide it and then when it prompts for the ntprint.inf file, do the following...
"5. x86 additional drivers on Windows Vista x64:
--------------------------------------------
To install an x86 additional driver on a Windows Vista x64 host, you first
need a running Vista x86 system. On this x86 system, locate the directory
\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\ntprint.inf_xxxxx, then copy
all files and sub-directories from ntprint.inf_xxxxx into the same location
as you saved this driver.If the x64 host asks for the NTPRINT.INF on the Windows Media during the
installation of the additional driver, simply browse to this location and
complete installation."
when you install the printers let the system scan as needed to work out what it wants and tell it to keep the existing driver (you added them earlier).
when you share the printer, it will automatically have the x86 drivers box ticked and sorted and you just need to tick the box to show the printer in the list directory if you want to - this is under the printer's sharing tab.
Now all of my printers (HP, Brother and QMS) are all fine on my 2008 x64 box with x86 drivers
Admittedly I have had to build a 32-bit vista machine, but I can at least go home now!
Hope this helps someone else! - Wow, SBS is going to be 64 bit, isn't it? Is this being addressed on SBS 2008? This is certainly going to cause me to not deploy SBS 2008 at my clients if I have to deal with this everywhere. Or install a 32 bit VM to deal with it. But ____, SMBs are going to have to pay for a whole windows server license just to do print serving to avoid this cludge? I have a feeling SBS 2003 R2 is going to live on longer than MS intends just becuase of this cludge.
Is there even an Official MS KB article? - Nice Keswadmin and Bryant Fong (via sjarocki)! THANK YOU!
I used a win2k8 x86 machine to copy these for a win2k8 x64 print share. Worked perfectly! Can't understand why the x64 win2k8 OS doesn't have this built in?????
Thanks Again. I've been messing with this on and off for months (Dell 5110cn PS driver was the latest fubar).
Just an update to this in that for me, prior to step1 you need to share the printer out on the 64bit OS. Then for step 2 you probably just need \\PrintServerName then double click on the printer itself. Then you can go to the additional drivers and add the driver. In my case I had to do this for the Dell 2330dn printer.Hi,
In order to add printer driver based on X86 on X64 system, please try the following steps to test the result:
1.On any one of the clients machine running 32-bit OS
2.Access the print server \\PrintserverName\Printers
3.Open the printer required to add the 32-bit driver
4.Go to properties
5.Sharing Tab
6.Additional drivers
7.check the box for x86 for windows 2000,windows xp and windows 2003
8.click ok- Proposed As Answer byVitornillo Tuesday, November 03, 2009 6:30 AM
- While there are many work arounds and methods some of which are also listed here; I've found the BEST solution for installing printers on an x64 vista\2k8 system that will be hosting printers for x86 clients. Since the server is running a x64 OS, the x64 driver is required before you can create a new printer que. I decided to add the x86 and x64 drivers at the same time in the printer manager or print server properties. The driver versions must match!!! Also, when using this method I started out by downloading the latest Vista x64 and x86 drivers, even for a 2k8 print server and XP clients. The method below is using the Server Manager in 2k8 and assumes you have already obtained the required/matching drivers.
Open Server Manager
Expand Print Servers > Server Name
Right Click Drivers and select Manage Drivers...
(at this point sill bring up the Print Server Properties window and the installed drivers will be listed.)
Click Add... and then Next
Check the box for x64 and x86 and click next
Click Have Disk... and browse to the location where you stored the x64 driver and click ok
Select the driver for the model you are installing and click next, then Finish.
You will then be prompted for the x86 driver, browse to the location where you stored the x86 driver and click ok
Select the SAME driver for the model you are installing and click ok.
You will be brought back to the Print Server Properties window and you can verify that the drivers have been installed on the server. Be sure to select the driver you just installed when adding the printer que to your server. Since the driver for the x64 and x86 versions are already installed on your server, both drivers will be installed as an additional driver on your printer que(s). I was NEVER prompted for the x86 NTPRINT.INF using this method. - This worked perfectly for me using a Konica Minolta bizhub C250. My server is SBS 2008, and my source computer is 32-bit Windows 7 Ultimate RTM. Thanks so much!!
CCNA, MCP, Linux+, Net+, A+, MSSBS
