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Setting a 'one-time' default print for first login

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We have a Windows 2008 R2 Server domain. We would like to create a GPO which sets a one-time default print for the first login. If the user then chooses to change their default printer, this should not be overridden the next time they logon to that Client (Windows 7 Pro). However, if they logon to a new client, then the default printer should be set. The default printer for exisiting users, who are using their existing clients, should not be changed.
Any ideas?
- Edited by Oliver Buckie Monday, March 30, 2015 8:14 AM
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Answers
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> We only want this to run for users who logon to a PC for the first time.> Users which have already logged onto a client, have already setup their> default printer and they should not be changed.Honestly - rethink your requirement. If one or more printers exist, oneof these actually is the default printer. But there's no (NO) way todetermine whether it is default by user choice or default by accident :)And since user profiles are already existing, you simply cannotintroduce a new GP setting to circumvent that. To be honest: I'm unawareof anything that can easily fulfill this request.The only practical solution I can imagine are a combination of computerstartup script and user logon script.More easy to educate your users to change the default printer once againafter implementing your GPP, isn't it?
Greetings/Grüße, Martin
Mal ein gutes Buch über GPOs lesen?
Good or bad GPOs? - my blog…
And if IT bothers me - coke bottle design refreshment (-:- Proposed as answer by Frank Shen5Moderator Thursday, April 09, 2015 6:14 AM
- Marked as answer by Frank Shen5Moderator Friday, April 10, 2015 1:28 AM
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> We have already tried the education route - "on a new PC please check> your default printer" - did not work. Hence, the request.I'd still recommend GPP Printers and "Apply only once". Tell your userssomething like "starting with April, 6, adjust your default printer onceafter logging on", and on April, 4, enable a GPP that sets the defaultprinter once.
Greetings/Grüße, Martin
Mal ein gutes Buch über GPOs lesen?
Good or bad GPOs? - my blog…
And if IT bothers me - coke bottle design refreshment (-:- Proposed as answer by Frank Shen5Moderator Thursday, April 09, 2015 6:15 AM
- Marked as answer by Frank Shen5Moderator Friday, April 10, 2015 1:28 AM
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> be set. The default printer for exisiting users, who are using their> existing clients, should not be changed.Group Policy Preferences "Printers". On the "Common" tab, check "applyonly once".
Greetings/Grüße, Martin
Mal ein gutes Buch über GPOs lesen?
Good or bad GPOs? - my blog…
And if IT bothers me - coke bottle design refreshment (-: -
Thanks for your feedback Martin.
For clarification, if I set "apply only one" on the "comman" tab - surely ALL USERS will run this at next login, which means that their current default printer will be changed to the one I specify?
We only want this to run for users who logon to a PC for the first time. Users which have already logged onto a client, have already setup their default printer and they should not be changed.
Thanks for your continued help.
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> We only want this to run for users who logon to a PC for the first time.> Users which have already logged onto a client, have already setup their> default printer and they should not be changed.Honestly - rethink your requirement. If one or more printers exist, oneof these actually is the default printer. But there's no (NO) way todetermine whether it is default by user choice or default by accident :)And since user profiles are already existing, you simply cannotintroduce a new GP setting to circumvent that. To be honest: I'm unawareof anything that can easily fulfill this request.The only practical solution I can imagine are a combination of computerstartup script and user logon script.More easy to educate your users to change the default printer once againafter implementing your GPP, isn't it?
Greetings/Grüße, Martin
Mal ein gutes Buch über GPOs lesen?
Good or bad GPOs? - my blog…
And if IT bothers me - coke bottle design refreshment (-:- Proposed as answer by Frank Shen5Moderator Thursday, April 09, 2015 6:14 AM
- Marked as answer by Frank Shen5Moderator Friday, April 10, 2015 1:28 AM
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Unfortunately, in this environment we have over 250 users spread across different rooms with around 30 printers. Through GPOs we have already split the printers into "teams" so that users don't see all printers. However, there are several MFPs which are general and mapped for all users. The wish has now been raised to have one of the general printers set as a default printer for first login to a PC, because what often happens is that users move to new PCs, login and think that their original default printer is still the same as before and start printing... this blocks the wrong print queues and leads to confusion. We have already tried the education route - "on a new PC please check your default printer" - did not work. Hence, the request.
Perhaps using a user logon script running "rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry..."? What do you think?
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> We have already tried the education route - "on a new PC please check> your default printer" - did not work. Hence, the request.I'd still recommend GPP Printers and "Apply only once". Tell your userssomething like "starting with April, 6, adjust your default printer onceafter logging on", and on April, 4, enable a GPP that sets the defaultprinter once.
Greetings/Grüße, Martin
Mal ein gutes Buch über GPOs lesen?
Good or bad GPOs? - my blog…
And if IT bothers me - coke bottle design refreshment (-:- Proposed as answer by Frank Shen5Moderator Thursday, April 09, 2015 6:15 AM
- Marked as answer by Frank Shen5Moderator Friday, April 10, 2015 1:28 AM
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Hi Martin,
Sorry for my late response, I was away on Holiday.
I can't find out where to setup your recommendation of GPP Printers and "Apply only once". We currently distribute printers using Print Management, Printers and Deploy with Group Policy (as a per-user setting). In GPO Management, where do I setup a default printer for everyone? Secondly, will this policy run just once per user per computer they logon to?
Thanks for your help.
- Edited by Oliver Buckie Tuesday, April 14, 2015 8:56 AM
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> "Apply only once". We currently distribute printers using Print> Management,Ok, missed that. You can set a default printer withhttp://blogs.technet.com/b/grouppolicy/archive/2009/06/24/gp-preferences-set-a-default-printer.aspx,and you can configure this to apply only once.
Greetings/Grüße, Martin
Mal ein gutes Buch über GPOs lesen?
Good or bad GPOs? - my blog…
And if IT bothers me - coke bottle design refreshment (-: