Windows 2008r2 and 32bit print drivers
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Friday, February 24, 2012 12:30 PM
Windows 2008r2 drives are not being kind to me. I was hoping someone could help me out. I am bringing up my first file and print server in 2008 r2. I have 6+ HP printers that need to print to older 32bit vista, XP, and Windows 7 clients. I have searched the web and believe I understand how to install 32 bit clients. I am using HP's Universal PostScript driver. The server printer driver will install on XP 32 bit machines but not on Vista 32bit machines; even though the driver I added to the printer was a Vista 32bit driver.
Can anyone shed some light on this? What do I need to do to make a 32bit driver work for XP, Vista, and Windows 7?
Thanks!
Dale
Thanks, Dale
All Replies
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Monday, February 27, 2012 2:00 AMModerator
Hi,
Please try to restart the Print Spooler Service to test:
Type the following commands at the command prompt. Press ENTER after each command.
net stop spooler
net start spooler
exit
We can add drivers for client computers running 32-bit or 64-bit versions of Windows.
To add client printer drivers to the print server
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1. Open Print Management.
2. In the left pane, click Print Servers, click the applicable print server, and then click Printers.
3. In the center pane, right-click the printer to which you want to add additional printer drivers, and then click Manage Sharing.
4. Click Additional Drivers. The Additional Drivers dialog box appears.
5. Select the check box of the processor architecture for which you want to add drivers.
For example, if the print server is running an x64-based edition of Windows, select the x86 check box to install 32-bit version printer drivers for client computers running 32-bit versions of Windows.
6. If the print server does not already have the appropriate printer drivers in its driver store, Windows prompts you for the location of the driver files. Download and extract the appropriate driver files, and then in the dialog box that appears, specify the path to the .inf file of the driver.
Note: You might not be able to extract some printer drivers without installing them. If this is the case, log on to a client computer that uses the same processor architecture as the printer drivers that you want to add to the print server, and install those printer drivers. Then use Print Management from the client computer to connect to the print server, and add the additional drivers from the Additional Drivers dialog box. Windows automatically uploads the drivers from the client computer to the print server.
For details:
Print driver installation on 32-bit versus 64-bit servers
If the issue persist, could you please provide printer model?
Hope this helps!
Best Regards
Elytis Cheng
Elytis Cheng
TechNet Community Support
- Edited by Elytis ChengModerator Monday, February 27, 2012 2:01 AM
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Monday, February 27, 2012 9:28 PM
I have an HP LaserJet 4250 and I think I have done everthing right but my 32bit vista machine still does not like it. It keeps saying that "the Server for the printer does not have the correct printer driver installed." When I look in the server both the x86 and x64 say HP LaserJet 4250 PS, Driver Version 61.74.561.43.
Thanks, Dale
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012 9:40 AMModerator
Hi,
There is a resolved thread for your reference:
Printer sharing problem
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/25994-42-printer-sharing-problem
Hope this helps!
Best Regards
Elytis Cheng
- Edited by Elytis ChengModerator Tuesday, February 28, 2012 9:42 AM
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012 9:26 PMThanks for the info but it seems more of a work around than a solution. I have been working on it all day and did get one printer to work by installing it on a Vista box and then exporting it and importing it on my 2008 server. I did the exact same process for a 2nd printer of the same make and model with the same driver (in fact I exported them together). One works in 2008 r2 server but the second doesn't. It looks like they are setup identical. Any ideas?
Thanks, Dale
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Monday, March 05, 2012 1:26 AMModerator
Hello,
Thank you for your post.
This is a quick note to let you know that we are performing research on this issue.
Best Regards
Elytis Cheng
Elytis Cheng
TechNet Community Support
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Monday, March 05, 2012 8:48 AM
Hi Dale,
Have you tried to use PCL 6 driver for test? Please let me know the result.
Besides, could you please try to install the x86 driver on the vista client locally (use add printer wizard to install a local printer.) See if it works.
Please capture some screenshot of the error messages.
I will wait for your update.
Thanks.
Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
- Edited by Aaron Hu -MSFT Monday, March 05, 2012 8:49 AM
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Monday, March 05, 2012 1:00 PM
Good Morning,
Here is what I have found that works. I will post it here in hopes it will help others:
1) Install the printer on the Windows 2008 r2 with any name but use the correct port and 64bit driver.
2) Now go to a Vista 32bit machine Add the new printer to this machine calling it the correct name, using the right port, the correct print drive; in short just like if it was the server. Note: in the print manger remove all drivers and printers before the new one is setup. Note 2: In order to work, the printer drivers between the x64 and x32 have to be the same version and have the same name.
3) In Print Manager right click and choose “Print Management”, Printer Migration, Export printer queues and printer drivers to a file, This printer server, and give it a path\name.
4) On the 2008 r2 server go into Print Manager, right click and choose Printer Migration, Import printer queues and printer drivers from a file, and select the file created in step 4.
5) Once it is done importing, the printer that was created on the Vista machine should now be on this machine with all the correct drivers. The temporary printer from step 1 can be removed. Make sure the new printer is properly shared and listed in the directory. Try installing the new printer on the Vista machine.
Thanks, Dale
- Marked As Answer by Dale Kalsow Monday, March 05, 2012 1:00 PM
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Monday, March 05, 2012 1:55 PM
"In order to work, the printer drivers between the x64 and x32 have to be the same version and have the same name."
That was my issue when I was trying to install an HP 32 bit driver (for Win 7) on our first w2k8 r2 sp1 server.
The post by Morgan Che in the link solved my issue.
Similar to your solution, I've read suggestions of logging on to a 32 bit machine and using this method:
I would think the solution in this link would work for you (didn't work for me as my issue was still specific to the name issue)
I don't understand why we have to jump through hoops in order to install a basic 32 bit print driver on a 64 bit server.
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Monday, March 05, 2012 2:01 PM
I don't know why loading a x32 Vista driver is so difficult!
I saw simular posts to the one you mentioned, but I did not have any luck with those methods either.
Thanks, Dale
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