The printer driver may not be updated on the client computers after you update the printer driver on a Windows Server 2003-based print server in a clustered environment (888744)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition

SYMPTOMS

After you update a printer driver on a Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based print server that is in a clustered environment, some of the client computers' printer drivers may not be automatically updated. For example, the next time a client computer connects to your print server, the client computer's local printer driver may not be automatically updated as expected.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, choose one of the following methods.

Method 1: Delete the printer and then re-add the printer

  1. Click Start, click Printers and Faxes, right-click the printer that you want to delete, and then click Delete.
  2. In the left pane, click Add a printer.
  3. Follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard.

Method 2: Add the user account to the Printer Operators group for the domain

  1. Use Active Directory Users and Computers to add the user account for the client computer to the Print Operators group for the domain. To do this, follow these steps.
    1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
    2. Click Users, right-click the user that you want, click Properties, and then click the Member Of tab.
    3. Click Add, type print operators, and then click OK two times.
    4. Quit Active Directory Users and Computers.
  2. Click Start, click Printers and Faxes, right-click the printer that you want to add, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.
  3. Click OK.

Method 3: Add the user account to the local Power Users group in the Windows Server 2003 cluster

  1. Use Computer Management to add the user account for the client computer to the local Power Users group in the Windows Server 2003 cluster. To do this, follow these steps.
    1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
    2. Expand Local Users and Groups, click Users, right-click the user that you want, and then click Properties.
    3. Click the Member Of tab, click Add, type power users in the Enter the object names to select text box, and then click OK two times.
    4. Quit Computer Management.
  2. Click Start, click Printers and Faxes, right-click the printer that you want to add, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.
  3. Click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how to install printer drivers from a network print server, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

203604 How to install printer drivers from a network print server

For additional information about how to use a policy setting that controls the servers that users can connect to for printing, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

319939 Description of the Point and Print Restrictions policy setting in Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:3/17/2005
Keywords:kbtshoot kbprb KB888744 kbAudITPRO
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