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Question: What is the behind-the-scenes process when a network printer is installed?
Quick background: I work for an MSP providing Tier I support to Ricoh printers at a large healthcare facility. The enterprise has not moved to Universal Print - yet. I want to better understand the end-to-end process as it is now as I'm sure it will help me when the client begins to adopt Universal Printing. We have a mix of Windows 10 and 11 computers. They still use a print server and I recently had most of the Ricoh printers on it updated so they are associated with the PCL6 V4 Universal Print Driver from Ricoh. There are still a few left with either model specific V3 PCL drivers or the PCL6 Universal Print Driver (which is V3, too). However, the only V4 drivers on the computers are those built into the OS - Point and Print or Enhanced Point and Print from Microsoft. Users aren't allowed to install print drivers from Windows Update. Here's what I think is the process behind-the-scenes: User navigates to Printers & Scanners and clicks Add Printer. User selects the printer and it's installed. The print driver for that printer is associated by the OS searching in C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository for a folder (either oem..... or prnms.......) that is the most compatible. Hopefully its a driver from Ricoh (in my case) but it may be the Microsoft Point and Print driver. When the user attempts their first print with the new printer, some of the contents of the folder above (DLL files primarily) are moved or copied [I'm unsure which] to C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\3. I think this is how it works for both V3 and V4 print drivers but would like clarification. I'm aware that the INF file is copied to C:\Windows\INF, and that CAB files for at least some of the installed printers are located in C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\PCC. I don't understand the purpose for either of these. As for the process as I described it above, I'd appreciate any and all feedback so that I can better understand the process.
Universal printer says installed, but not in printer list
Hi, I had a universal printer but change the properties to colour. So I deleted the printer on a device to re add but now I cannot add it back, it reports its installed but does not appear in the printer list. Any ideas? tried looking at registry keys to remove but no luck.
Printer Sharing Fails for all printers
Just ran into a situation where I cannot share any printers. After I've registered the printer on my connector, I can see the printer on the Azure portal as usual. However when I go share it, I get the error Same thing happens with other unshared printers. I also checked and the printer share names do not exist already. Any ideas?Printer Sharing Fails for all printers
Just ran into a situation where I cannot share any printers. After I've registered the printer on my connector, I can see the printer on the Azure portal as usual. However when I go share it, I get the error Same thing happens with other unshared printers. I also checked and the printer share names do not exist already. Any ideas?on occasion print jobs stuck on pending
Hi All, When printing to our zebra label printer, on occasion feels like the connector loses connection and the jobs are stuck on pending. Testing printing from the print server works fine. The azure universal print portal occasional shows that it has not seen the printer for 15-20 minutes. I also notice high CPU activity with windows defender antimalware services and wonder if some kind of exceptions are required for the universal print connector. This issue appears to have become more frequent in the last 2-3 weeks. BTW we are printing to universal print via windows business central. The connector version we are running is 2.2.9203.40538 Appreciate any guidance / assistance on this matter. Thank you!
Duplexing not working when printing to a printer connected via Universal Print
Hi, We push out our central office printer via UP and we have the default set on duplex as flip on long edge. However when users print to the printer it will not print double sided, the settings on the devices also say flip on long edge. Other default settings like greyscale work fine. If we install the Printer drivers manually and don't go through UP then the duplexing works fine. Thanks Joe
