Fucking Printer Drivers on Windows Server 2003 - How do they work? UPDATE--Post 11

Thanatos

So, I'm trying to get a Windows 7 machine to connect to an HP Laserjet 4250 printer, and it keeps giving me a 0x000006be error. Then, it shuts off the print spooler. Google has told me that the solution is to install a driver for a different HP printer on our server, which will update the HPBmini.dll file, which is causing the problem. I've manually copied over newer copies of the HPBmini.dll to the server, but it doesn't seem to do anything. I also can't seem to install the drivers in question to the server, because it's just a .zip file full of .cabs (which is where I got the updated HPBmini.dll file). Even though I updated the HPBmini files in question, I still get the 0x000006be errors when trying to connect to the printer. Do I need to update the printer firmware, or something? Or do I need to actually install the printer driver somehow, which I can't figure out how to do (the install files for XP and 7 come with setup.exes that take care of it). I feel like a fucking retard for even asking this, because it seems like it should be something incredibly trivial.

bowen

It's not, I've had many an issue installing printers with windows 2003 and win7x64.

Is the printer a network printer or directly connected to the windows 2003 server?

And is the issue with installing it on the 2003 server or the Windows7 box itself, also, 32 bit or 64 bit? I don't think it's the HPBmini.dll. This seems more like the error I had trying to use those shitty HP Universal printing drivers.

Thanatos

bowen wrote: »

It's not, I've had many an issue installing printers with windows 2003 and win7x64.

Is the printer a network printer or directly connected to the windows 2003 server?

And is the issue with installing it on the 2003 server or the Windows7 box itself, also, 32 bit or 64 bit? I don't think it's the HPBmini.dll. This seems more like the error I had trying to use those shitty HP Universal printing drivers.

It's a network printer, and Windows 7 32-bit. With XP computers, it simply connects to the printer and downloads the driver, no problem. I think it also worked when I was setting up a Win7x64 computer (can't remember, it was awhile ago). I've had this problem with multiple Win7x32 computers now, though. I've also tried installing the HP Universal drivers on the computer, to no avail. It's very frustrating.

What have you done to fix it? If a firmware upgrade will do it, I'm willing to give it a try, but I'm concerned that that might fuck up everyone else's printing to that printer (it's kind of a quirky printer).

I really fucking hate printers with a passion.

bowen

For my Laserjet 2035, I had to install it with compatibility mode to trick it. But I think the issue is resolve by using windows update/driver list in windows 7 to fix it.

Try using that instead of it trying to find the specific driver. Remove all the old drivers though.

Thanatos

So, the only drivers it seems to offer for this particular printer are the universal ones. I've actually gotten it to connect, and print a test page, but when I leave the printer installation page, the printer doesn't show up in the list of available printers.

I installed them, thought maybe I could get it working, but it won't. So, I'd like to remove them, but Windows 7 won't let me remove them while the print spooler is running, and won't give me the option to remove them while it isn't.

Have I mentioned I fucking hate printers?

Ruckus

Did you install the driver on the server using the Additional Drivers button on the Share tab?

[edit] Additionally, you could try using the Windows XP 64bit drivers, sometimes Vista/Windows 7 will tolerate them.

Thanatos

Ruckus wrote: »

Did you install the driver on the server using the Additional Drivers button on the Share tab?

[edit] Additionally, you could try using the Windows XP 64bit drivers, sometimes Vista/Windows 7 will tolerate them.

I did not, I will try that.

chamberlain

Thanatos wrote: »

Ruckus wrote: »

Did you install the driver on the server using the Additional Drivers button on the Share tab?

[edit] Additionally, you could try using the Windows XP 64bit drivers, sometimes Vista/Windows 7 will tolerate them.

I did not, I will try that.

I have had the reverse problem, installing printers on server 2003 and sharing them to windows 2000 machines, and this is how I fixed it.

altmann

Also note, you can sometimes get away with installing DIFFERENT drivers from HP. Like maybe a 4100 or 4500 series of drivers and just point it to the IP of your 4250. I agree with the "additional drivers" button and HP drivers are notoriously shitty (in my experience).

Thanatos

Well, the printer in question is actually running a 4300 PostScript driver, so yeah, I figured that. :P

Thanatos

So, I replaced the driver the printer was using with a newer 4300 PostScript driver, and then the printer stopped working with everyone else's computer, but now works fine with the Windows 7 computer (actually, it works fine in Word in other computers, too, but not in Wordperfect or Acrobat).

Personally, I'm ready to go paperless, but my bosses probably aren't kosher with that. Is there any way I can force the printer to update drivers on all computers that connect to it?

Thanatos

Also, I can't delete the printers from the "server properties" area of the Printers control panel because it says that they are in use. Probably because another user on the same computer has that printer added. Is there any way for me to stop that from happening, or is Windows really just that fucking incredibly frustrating when it comes to printers?

Chanus

Yeah, to delete a network printer like that you have to restart all the computers that show it. Printers suck.

I can't remember if all the computers have to be off at the same time as well... or at least off the network.

As for getting the printer to work in Win7, I've found you have to install the drivers on every computer in order to get it to work... and HP seems to not be making actual Win7 drivers for most of its older printers, which is fucking annoying.


This is just how I've gotten it to work... If someone else has a better plan, I defer to you.

Thanatos

So, I tried installing the PS driver for the 4300 manually; no dice. Then, I tried the PS Universal Driver thing. Not only did it not fix anything, but now WordPerfect won't run at all (apparently, it conflicts with the Print Server).

I don't know if I've made it expressly clear just exactly how much I hate printers.

bowen

Holy shit this is why I hate printers too.

embrik

So, maybe I'm missing something, but why don't you just set up a second queue with a slightly different name for the Win7 clients? You can even use the same port on the print server.

Edit: And the way MS print servers work, when you change the driver on the queue, the drivers are automatically sent to the connected clients. There's no way to specify different drivers for just one machine for an existing queue, which is why I suggest a second queue w/ the different drivers.

Edit2:If the print server doesn't have the appropriate drivers, then the client will be allowed to use its own, but yeah, then you're having to manually install the drivers to each client.

Edit87: Have you installed the Win 7 RSAT? The Print Management tool is priceless and makes installing and managing printers and their associated drivers and ports super easy. You can even export your queues for backup/copying purposes.