Domain users cannot print

Hi, all:

Setup: SBS 2K3 SP2 Prem, WServer2K3 Ent. in TS app-mode. Network printers.
We added two printers to our network (both HP Color LJ 2600n), different,
static, private addresses. Domain admins can print to all printers, while
domain users can only print to first two printers, not the recently-added
ones. No errors in eventvwr on TS or SBS. Print jobs join the queue for an
offending printer, report that they are printing, but fail to print until
dom-admin gets on SBS (print-server, here, really) and cycles the spooler
service. Then, all jobs print! Any thoughts, clues, suggestions or methods
of destruction of printers are welcome.

I do not have a str8 4ard answer, but try giving everyone full right to the
printer, then go by the elimination process.

This sounds to me like a permission issue. Did you check the permissions for
the new printers? Also, under which account is the spooler running?

For test purposes try adding the domain users to the printer operator group
and see if that fixes the issue.
Did you apply 2003 Server SP2? Do you notice any other issues on the SBS?

[d95_clj]

I do have exactly the same problem. Only domain admins can print, but no users. I have tried to look on the Internet but have found no answers.

This system was stable and working before I attempted to add two printers
which are the same make and model. I may have erred in some fashion, but it
appears that the print spooler is fairly munged. I opted, since I had
another server (member server running Terminal Server), to install the
network drivers for the printers on it. I allowed the printers to be
published in the directory list. Everyone has access to the printers, now,
and I am no longer wrestling with the SBS to install print drivers that
failed to print. I tried several methods for clearing the spool, but nothing
seemed to work. My solution is inelegant, but it works. I am fortunate to
have the other server in the network. SBS is both beautiful and ugly. It's
possible, as I mentioned, that I erred when loading the drivers through the
Printer Management UI of the Server Management UI, but I can't say for sure.

I agree with your assessment of SBS. But I have noticed that if you stick to
the wizards whenever possible it is amazing how easy such a complex
integrated box can be managed. But is something goes wrong it can be a mess.

As to your printer issue your solution isn't inelegant and you can leave it
the way it is. You can even look at it as a load distribution. It would
however urk me to figure out what went wrong - but that's me. I feel
personally offended if a box doesn't want to do what I tell it to do.

There might be a driver problem but if you used the same drivers that you
installed for the other 2 identical printers that wouldn't make sense.

I'm glad you found a solution for your problem.

We have exactly the same problem. SBS2003 SP1 STD with a new HP Colour
LaserJet 2600n. All other printers work fine but only domain admins can print
to the LJ2600n.

I am in the process of adding Windows Server 2003 SP2 but I see that Jim has
that so maybe it won't work.

I have updated the printer to the latest firmware and driver version from
the HP site with no improvement.

Firmware: 20070716
Driver: 6.2.1

Changing the printer permissions so that the Everyone group is given Print,
Manage Printers and Manage Documents rights does not help either.

Only adding the user to the domain admins group allows them to print without
the need to restart the spool service.


In the properties of the printer, uncheck "enable bi-directional printing"

[Mikey_0782]

Hi all !

Since I couldn't find any solution to this problem, and now I have it too on our network, I'm bringing this thread back...

Windows Server 2003 SP2 - fully updated

We have several printers installed on this server, shared over the network.

Since a few days, we're encountering problems with the HP1022N printers. Same problem happens here, Domain Admins are able to print at will on these printers, Domain Users aren't. Print jobs appear in the queue, status says "printing", you can't delete the print job anymore once a user tried, when you restart the print spooler, jobs are printed. This happened very suddenly, no changes were made on our server... before I started to troubleshoot this problem, users were generating an error in the event viewer each time they tried to print on one of those printers : Event code 6161. Now there's no error anymore generated in the event viewer.

Uninstalled the driver completely, then reinstalled it, tried all drivers I could find for the HP1022N, granted full permissions to Domain Users and even to Everyone on the printer, didn't help...

As I said, though I found several threads about this problem, none of them includes a solution or even an idea that didn't cross my mind already...

Sooww... Anybody ?

Thanks in advance !

[Mikey_0782]

Thanks !!!

Either this wasn't just a guess, or you are a printer psychic ! Been searching for days and just had to uncheck one option, tsssss...

Thanks again !

[mwilsonkim]

I had the same problem (twice actually, but was able to solve it by following the instructions of a thread plus another thing.
Basic Gist:

(assuming the computer with the printer attached is registered in the domain and you can print from locally from that computer, and the printer is added to the active directory.)

1. Make sure on the local computer that the permissions are correct for the printer, and also the spool directory (windows/system32/spool). For me, I'd have thought that the permissions would include domain users, etc since the computer was in the domain, but they were there. So i added them, and then made sure all the files in the underlying directories were the same permission.

2. After saving the permissions, I was able to add the printer for more user from the active directory (domain user, not domain admin). But then for some reason I couldn't add more. (ARG!)

3. After playing with it more, I tried restarting the print spooler service on the local machine (run-->services.msc-->print Spooler (restart)).

4. After that I was able to add all the other users.

I suppose that after changing the permissions, i could have restarted the machine and that would have worked too. Since I haven't had this permission problem occur in all my implementations, I'm guessing that the way I added the computer to the domain didn't do everything it was supposed to (I think i just went to My Computer (properties), and joined the domain there... but not sure).


Anyhoo, after that, i've had no problem accessing the printer. Good luck all!