Server 2008: Print driver installation woes

Hello all,

I'm running into an unusual problem with my first Server 2008 installation:
I can't change printer drivers unless I'm the local admin.

When in Control Panel -> Printers, right-clicking on a printer + Properties
yields the usual Printers dialog box. The driver is selected in the Advanced
tab, but it's grayed out unless I'm the local Admin.

* When logged in as MACHINE\Administrator, it works
* When logged in as DOMAIN\appadmin, it's grayed out.

I've confirmed that DOMAIN\appadmin is in the local Administrator's group,
and this appadmin account has no trouble doing anything else Admin-y on the
system: I can install software, create printer ports, etc. I just can't
change the driver. Even going into the Registry to
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print and edit stuff manually - this
account has the rights for it.

I've searched high and low for information about this, to no avail. Is there
some setting that I'm missing? Server 2003 definitely doesn't work this way.

Thanks,
Steve

--
Steve Friedl / UNIX Wizard / Microsoft Security MVP /

Do not use the printers folder when performing admin tasks, the explorer
process does not run in admin context.

use printmanagement.msc



--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Steve Friedl [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:OhIm7JA$...
> Hello all,
>
> I'm running into an unusual problem with my first Server 2008
> installation: I can't change printer drivers unless I'm the local admin.
>
> When in Control Panel -> Printers, right-clicking on a printer +
> Properties yields the usual Printers dialog box. The driver is selected in
> the Advanced tab, but it's grayed out unless I'm the local Admin.
>
> * When logged in as MACHINE\Administrator, it works
> * When logged in as DOMAIN\appadmin, it's grayed out.
>
> I've confirmed that DOMAIN\appadmin is in the local Administrator's group,
> and this appadmin account has no trouble doing anything else Admin-y on
> the system: I can install software, create printer ports, etc. I just
> can't change the driver. Even going into the Registry to
> HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print and edit stuff manually - this
> account has the rights for it.
>
> I've searched high and low for information about this, to no avail. Is
> there some setting that I'm missing? Server 2003 definitely doesn't work
> this way.
>
> Thanks,
> Steve
>
> --
> Steve Friedl / UNIX Wizard / Microsoft Security MVP /
>

"Alan Morris [MSFT]" <> wrote in message
news:usoIhQK$...
> Do not use the printers folder when performing admin tasks, the explorer
> process does not run in admin context.
>
> use printmanagement.msc

Wow, this really qualifies as a surprise - a couple of us burned a few days
wondering what the heck was going on. We also figured out that we had to add
the Print Services role to the machine (this was new to us as well), so I
wrote up a Tech Tip that describes the process.

Configuring Printers in Windows Server 2008
http://www.unixwiz.net/techtips/serv...rint-mgmt.html

I hope this helps others avoid the same surprise.

Thanks for the direction...

Steve

> "Steve Friedl [MVP]" <> wrote in message
> news:OhIm7JA$...
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I'm running into an unusual problem with my first Server 2008
>> installation: I can't change printer drivers unless I'm the local admin.
>>
>> When in Control Panel -> Printers, right-clicking on a printer +
>> Properties yields the usual Printers dialog box. The driver is selected
>> in the Advanced tab, but it's grayed out unless I'm the local Admin.
>>
>> * When logged in as MACHINE\Administrator, it works
>> * When logged in as DOMAIN\appadmin, it's grayed out.
>>
>> I've confirmed that DOMAIN\appadmin is in the local Administrator's
>> group, and this appadmin account has no trouble doing anything else
>> Admin-y on the system: I can install software, create printer ports, etc.
>> I just can't change the driver. Even going into the Registry to
>> HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print and edit stuff manually -
>> this account has the rights for it.
>>
>> I've searched high and low for information about this, to no avail. Is
>> there some setting that I'm missing? Server 2003 definitely doesn't work
>> this way.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Steve
>>
>> --
>> Steve Friedl / UNIX Wizard / Microsoft Security MVP /
>>
>
>

You can also just install the management tools rather than the whole role
but there is only one other config change if the machine is a print server

Add Feature
Remote Server Administration Tools
Role Administration Tools
Print Service Tools

thanks for posting the other instructions. I sent it to a couple of our
Program Managers.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Steve Friedl [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:O9ZHwAM$...
> "Alan Morris [MSFT]" <> wrote in message
> news:usoIhQK$...
>> Do not use the printers folder when performing admin tasks, the explorer
>> process does not run in admin context.
>>
>> use printmanagement.msc
>
> Wow, this really qualifies as a surprise - a couple of us burned a few
> days wondering what the heck was going on. We also figured out that we had
> to add the Print Services role to the machine (this was new to us as
> well), so I wrote up a Tech Tip that describes the process.
>
> Configuring Printers in Windows Server 2008
> http://www.unixwiz.net/techtips/serv...rint-mgmt.html
>
> I hope this helps others avoid the same surprise.
>
> Thanks for the direction...
>
> Steve
>
>> "Steve Friedl [MVP]" <> wrote in message
>> news:OhIm7JA$...
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I'm running into an unusual problem with my first Server 2008
>>> installation: I can't change printer drivers unless I'm the local admin.
>>>
>>> When in Control Panel -> Printers, right-clicking on a printer +
>>> Properties yields the usual Printers dialog box. The driver is selected
>>> in the Advanced tab, but it's grayed out unless I'm the local Admin.
>>>
>>> * When logged in as MACHINE\Administrator, it works
>>> * When logged in as DOMAIN\appadmin, it's grayed out.
>>>
>>> I've confirmed that DOMAIN\appadmin is in the local Administrator's
>>> group, and this appadmin account has no trouble doing anything else
>>> Admin-y on the system: I can install software, create printer ports,
>>> etc. I just can't change the driver. Even going into the Registry to
>>> HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print and edit stuff manually -
>>> this account has the rights for it.
>>>
>>> I've searched high and low for information about this, to no avail. Is
>>> there some setting that I'm missing? Server 2003 definitely doesn't work
>>> this way.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Steve
>>>
>>> --
>>> Steve Friedl / UNIX Wizard / Microsoft Security MVP /
>>>
>>
>>
>
>