Weird printer problem

Tansunn

This is one of the strangest things I've ever seen and I don't understand it at all.

In my office, there are about 10 computers. One of them has a printer directly connected to it. (HP Color LaserJet 4600dn connected to a Dell Latitude D610) The printer is shared so the other computers can print from it. However, while most computers can successfully print from it, there are a few that can't. They have all been connected to the printer in the same way (Run... -> //[computer name] -> double click the printer) but some just can't print. The real kicker is, the computer that the printer is directly connected to can't print, unless the user is the administrator that installed it, even though other non-administrator users can print from other computers.

Does anybody have any idea what may cause this and how to fix it?

UPDATE:

I logged in to one of the computers that couldn't print and I'm able to print from it. The computer's regular user still can't print from it, though. The error message he gets says, "Test page failed to print. Would you like to view the print troubleshooter for assistance? Operation could not be completed."

Also, all computers are running Windows XP.

kryyst

I've had this issue before where only admin users could print to a networked printer that was attached to the machine as a network computer. I've yet to figure out why it happens to some people and not others or a real way of fixing it. Even stranger it's happened that they could print from some programs but in others, it wouldn't print or even more strange would only print part of the pages.

The way I've worked around it is to attach the printer (under admin) by creating a new port of the TCP/IP type, putting in the IP for the printer and attaching it that way.

The only thing I can suggest is make sure that all your security and share info is setup right on the print server for that printer.

Tansunn

Well, as far as I can tell, it's a user issue because I tried logging on to both of the computers that couldn't print and I could print just fine. I'm not an administrator, though. I guess that explains why the computer connected to the printer can't print, because of some sort of user rights issue, the question is what the admin has to do to fix it, because we've had one guy in here for days and he can't figure anything out.

One of the users tried printing without doing a test page and the error came up as: "Windows cannot print due to a problem with the current printer setup." But again, with other people logged on, it will print just fine.

primesuspect

It sounds like you're at exactly the right size for an active directory domain. group policy and a proper print server would make this stuff work with no issues whatsoever.

Tansunn

We do use Active Directory. The issue just doesn't make sense, though. When the printer was connected to my (old and horribly slow) computer, they could print just fine, aside from the fact that it could take up to 5 minutes to process a single page before printing.

Now, that same printer has been connected to another (much faster) computer, installed with the same drivers, and we don't have any speed issues with printing any more, but now two people can't print. Other users can print from those users' computers, but those users can't print for some reason.

We recently went into the printer's properties, went to the Security tab, and added those two users as their own entities instead of just having rights under the Everyone group. They were even given additional rights to the printers that the Everyone group doesn't have and they still can't print.

Makes no sense at all.

MrTRiot

An easy way to avoid all the hassles you're having with your printer would be to buy a router with a print server. Basically a router with a USB port for your printer, then everyone on the network would be able to use it