win2k8 how to install 32 and 64 bit printer drivers

[Peter Dickason]

We have a x64 Windows 2008 server with printer drivers installed for 64 bit
clients. I see instructions how to install the 32 bit counterpart that you
have to connect with a client and install from there. Seems kinda
convoluted but I followed the instructions regardless. I am using my
Windows 2008 32 bit computer to connect to the 64 bit server. I add the
printer then go into Properties and select Additional drivers under Sharing.
I try to check the x86 box but I get the error "Unable to install HP
LaserJKet 4250 PCL5, x86, Type 3 - User Mode driver. This operation is not
supported." I didn't think it was right that to install a printer driver
you have to use a completely different computer but I couldn't find any
direct instructions how to install both drivers. How do I accomplish this?

[Alan Morris [MSFT]]

I am assuming you are using the drivers included in Server 2008?

You do not have to use a 32 bit machine to install the 32 bit inbox drivers
but it is easier for most people since you will not be prompted for the
drivers.

[Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]]

INSTALL additional drivers to 64 or 32bit systems.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1). The driver names must match. HP Color LaserJet 9500 PCL6 driver is not
the same driver as HP Color LaserJet 9500 PCL 6. HP has figured this out
but I do know that they will release a Universal driver for a device on x64
just to have support. It will work for the device but it's not the same driver
as the HP Color LaserJet 3800.

2) Install the cross platform drivers for the print server OS. I know you
are looking for 32bit drivers for XP but install the 32bit drivers for Server
2003 or Server 2008. Most vendors have written install infs for a specific
operating system and quite frankly when we change things how drivers are
installed in the OS, those older infs cannot be used on the new OS.

3) Read the prompt for media dialogs. The first thing that is required is
the vendor inf, the next is the path to ntprint.inf of the OS architecture,
if unidrv.dll or pscript5.dll are in the same path great, if not , that's
the next path. If the driver inf is working correctly, the next path is the
first path for the driver files. If the driver files are in a different
directory, you will need to specify this path.
If you extract the complete file set to the same location, you can work
around the multiple prompts.

[Peter Dickason]

That's what I was trying to do but I was not successful in finding or
installing the drivers from the Win2k8 x32 DVD. If I knew where they were
located on the DVD I could just enter that path when installing the 32bit
driver. How is that done?

[Peter Dickason]

The drivers I'm trying to install are the native drivers. I haven't gotten
to the third party drivers yet. I want to get the process down first.

Where is the driver path on the Win2k8 DVD?

[Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]]

Some printer drivers are not included in windows, you have to use the vendor
drivers. After installing windows all river files a re on the local machine,
so no need to add the installation disk, if windows doesn't find drivers
you have to use the original ones.

[Peter Dickason]

I don't understand. What do you mean I have to use the original ones?

I'm trying to install a HP LaserJet 4250 PCL 5 which I selected fron the
list of native drivers. It installs the 64 bit driver and I have a printer.
So I go to the Sharing tab of the printer and select "Additional Drivers..."
Then I place a check by "x86 Type 3 - User Mode" which it states for
installed as "No". I click OK and a dialog box comes up asking Please
provide a printer driver. I insert the Windows 2008 32-bit version DVD and
tell it to copy files from D:\ but it is not successful. I receive the
message "There is no printer driver for the requested environment at 'D:\'.
What am I doing wrong?

[Alan Morris [MSFT]]

The drivers are not included on the DVD in a format that the setup functions
can use. You must install the driver from a machine running 32bit Vista or
Server 2008. When the OS is installed, all the driver included in the OS
are staged to the driver store. These files are located in
\windows\system32\driverstore\filerepository. I normally share out this
directory for my x64 print servers. The print driver files are in the
prn??01.xxxxxxx directories (?? is a two letter abbreviation for the vendor,
HP CA, BR ....). You will also need to point to ntprintxxxx located in the
same path.

When using a 32bit Vista machine, the spooler will query the local driver
store for the files and you should never be prompted for a file location
since the files are sitting on the hard drive.

[Peter Dickason]

Thanks. I have no vista computers so I will copy it from my x32 Windows
2008 server.

I have two problems now. First is this new convoluted explorer doesn't
provide me with the correct subdirectory format in the address bar. It just
brings up a bunch of nicey nicey junk which I cannot copy from and is
unusable. How do I correct the address bar to show the correct subdirectory
format.

Second problem I ran into because of the first problem. In the "Please
provide a printer driver" dialog box, I enter
\\ip.of.32bitserver\filerepository\ and click Browse. It only brings me
into the local computer's \SYSTEM32 directory. I could not get it to browse
that remote share. I'm guessing this is some sort of new security thing so
how do I get rid of that too?

That's what I was trying to do originally but only with a 32 bit Win2k8
server. (see first post) I received the message "Unable to install HP
LaserJet 4250 PCL5, x86, Type 3 - User Mode driver. This operation is not
supported."

[Peter Dickason]

Ok got around the second problem and was finally able to browse the remote
computer for the driver and got it installed. I didn't think I was typing
anything in wrong but must have. So now I'm happy.

But how do I revert back to the real address line in explorer? And how come
when I do a net use from the command prompt, that the drive does not show up
in exeplorer. I type in net use and the only mapped drive I see is the one
I mapped manually. Not all the ones I have mapped and can see from
Explorer? Is that a 64-bit thing, or a Windows 2008 thing? Is there any
way to fix that too? I can map a drive much faster with a command prompt
faster than I can through the wizard so that's my process of choice.

As you can tell this is our first Win2k8 experience.

[Alan Morris [MSFT]]

It's why I actually like Server Core, most stuff is faster at the command
line. I am not expert for shell questions

That said check the Folder Options to change settings.

Start
Run
C:\ [ENTER]
<ALT>t
Folder Options

How many print queues on the server?

How many clients will be using the server?

How many print drivers do you have installed?

SP2 is out you need to be running this build. If you cannot due to company
policies there are at least 3 hotfixes you should apply to the print server.

[colepc]

Alan,
Can you provided any help in sharing a 64-bit windows 2008 fax (in fax server role) so that 32-bit Windows 2003 terminal server client machine can fax through it?

Absolutely kicking my butt.

Thanks,
Terry Cole

[Alan Morris [MSFT]]

I try to stay clear of fax. I think it some impedement but I know this
guy....


Yes. 32-bit clients are supported for 64 bit WS08 Fax
Server. As the customer is saying, 32 bit drivers should be
installed on the server.





The following is the procedure to install cross architecture
drivers
:

i. Right click on the Fax printer in "Printers" page and share
the
fax
printer.

ii. Click on 'Additional Drivers' and select the architecture for
which
you want to install fax printer drivers for.

iii. It will prompt for a Setup information file (Inf file) .

iv. Copy the
%windir%\system32\DriverStore\FileRepository\prnms002.inf_*
from a machine of the architecture which you are trying to install.

v. Select the prnms002.inf from the share just copied. (this is
the
fax
printer driver installation INF).

vi. This should successfully install the necessary cross
architecture
Fax
printer drivers in the server.

vii. Check for the presence of the installed architecture
in %windir%\system32\spool\drivers\ directory.

[Thomas Salvisberg]

ok, this thread is already a bit stale (but my problem isn't) :

automated installing of additional x86 print drivers for Client OS's on a Win2008 R2 Server

- when I do this through printer properties -> sharing -> additional drivers -> everything works fine. But we are managing >6'000 network printers, so we try to autmate everything. Is there a way to automate the installation of additional drivers?
I tried (without success)
- c:\windows\system32\Printing_Admin_Scripts\en-US\prndrvr.vbs
- printui.dll (commandline)
- Prnadmin.dll (vbscript over sysWow64)
- WMI_PrinterDriver (addPrintDriver method)
- (no I didn't try Autoit, and I won't)
- and I couldn't google any leads

all the above techniques try to actually install the drivers (in contrast to host the drivers for client OS's).

My workaround would be to pre-install the drivers on the clients to avoid prompts, but we have so many different printmodels to manage that I'm not yet willing to give up.

...so my last hope would be Alan Morris... if you're out there: Cheers from Switzerland

regards, Thomas