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I have searched to see if this has been asked before but it doesn't look as though it has.

I have been asked to take a look at a server printing issue which to be honest is a little beyond me at the moment.

The printer is a HP M177fw, it is attached to a Netgear Prosafe 1gb switch and everyone on the network can print except for the server which is Server 2008 R2.

The printer is installed and detected. I can ping the printer IP address, I can view the web interface and print a test page from there, however when I print from any other means I can see the item appear in the queue and disappear almost instantly with no print to be seen.

The user account (administrator) trying to print has full access to the server, the printer driver has 'everyone' set to allow access to everything just to rule out permissions.

I am now beginning to wonder if some other security settings have been put in place to stop printing but i'm afraid I don't know where to begin.

I have applied a Microsoft Fixit designed to fix issues with the spooler service, the spooler service has been stopped and restarted, I have even created another user account to see if there was an issue with the user account itself.

Any and all help would be greatfully received.

Kindest regards

tmd

Added note: drivers have been updated but I am unable to update firmware with an error stating the printer is not attached even though I can ping and view the web interface. This printer has also been replaced by my colleague with no difference.

The printer has been installed using the GUI, and also after removing the printer for a reinstall by IP and searching for the driver only package.

Added note: The printer drivers have been uninstalled via the Control Panel and I have also deleted all ghosted entries as per instructions below. The printer has been installed via the GUI with basic drivers only and the software package does detect and install the printer, however printing still fails.

SFC /SCANNOW has been run 100% all ok with no violations or errors.

Following instructions below I was able to find that there were errors with permissions over the 'printers' folder where 'Local Host' wasn't allowed to do anything.

Thank you all for the assist!

Craig Sunderland
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  • `I can view the console and print a test page directly from the console` - What do you mean by that? What console are you referring to? Do you mean the web interface of the printer? – joeqwerty Mar 27 '15 at 15:25
  • you're quite correct, it is the web interface for the printer. Thank you. – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 15:40

2 Answers2

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You may need to reinstall the print drivers. You can download and install them from here: http://support.hp.com/us-en/product/HP-Color-LaserJet-Pro-M170-Multifunction-Printer-series/5303438/model/5303443/drivers.

Completely uninstall the drivers and delete the disconnected device by using the devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices 1 environmental variable. Then reinstall the print drivers.

Another possibility is that the OS is corrupted. run SFC /scannow at the command line to check for system issues.

I would also recommend updating the Firmware also as this reduces installation issues.

Make sure that you get the basic drivers as the full driver comes with tons of bloat and other junk.

Don't forget to select your OS as Server 2008 R2 so that you get compatible drivers...

Hopefully this helps!

Elliot Huffman
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  • The latest drivers have been downloaded and installed however I am unable to run the firmware update. Each attempt there informs me that the printer is not attached even though it is. I've never used the devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices environment variable, would you be kind enough to explain how this is used in this scenario? – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 16:07
  • Did you remove the drivers as I instructed? – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 16:07
  • Also, is there a GUI installed or is this a core installation? – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 16:08
  • This printer has been added to the server by both full GUI install and by adding the printer by IP and searching for the driver from a driver only package. – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 16:11
  • ok, uninstall the drivers using the above method. – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 16:12
  • I do not know how to use the environment variable mentioned, can you explain? – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 16:13
  • Yah, Go into `system properties` and go to the `advanced` tab. Once there click on `environmental variables` and create a new system variable. Copy the `devmgr` part to the top and the `1` on the bottom. Next push ok . After you have done that open the device manager and click on the `view menu`. Push `show hidden devices` and delete all of the devices that look like "ghosts" (faded). Reboot the server and install the BASIC drivers. I would not recommend deleting any faded devices in the system devices section. – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 16:18
  • Thank you, I have deleted all ghosts from the device management page that where ghosted except for those that were in system devices. For your information, there was only one in the UMBus area. The server is rebooting now having already unstalled the device via the control panel. – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 16:36
  • K, thx for the info! Crud, I forgot to mention to uninstall the HP driver from the programs and features before you did that. After uninstalling the device from the programs and feature control panel check back to see if any new devices are "ghosted". If not then install the **BASIC** device drivers from HP using the GUI version and not the `inf` version. (the `inf` version are used for direct command line additions. Lets stick to the GUI.) – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 16:39
  • Make sure to add the device as a network printer if prompted by the installer. If it does not prompt then go to the control panel and add a printer via the `devices and printers` applet by pushing the `add printer` button and selecting the printer from the network scan. After it has added the device print a test page (type test in the document and press print) from `notepad` or some other text editor, to see if it is configured properly. – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 16:42
  • Oh, on the plus side the server will now operate faster, as it is now no longer loading drivers for non present devices. – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 16:44
  • OK, I have downloaded basic drivers only and installed via the GUI. I have opted for network mode as I had done with the full package, specified the IP address, seen that the software has detected the printer and completed installation. I am asked by the GUI if I would like to set the printer as default which I have done and sent a test print to the printer using the GUI. I can confirm that I can still print a test page via the web interface but cannot print from any other software. I can also confirm that running the firmware update fails – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 16:59
  • Awesome! Did it print? I would have thought that it would have scanned for the printer (which is better than entering the IP as it tracks it instead of having a static IP) but you have a different printer than I do so the setup process may be slightly different than mine... – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 17:01
  • To update the firmware you might have to be connected via USB. – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 17:03
  • I've been retesting the print and can confirm that the print has a status of 'spooling' before dissappearing. – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 17:12
  • crud, did you run the sfc command to see if there are errors with the system? – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 17:14
  • Yes, 100% with no violations or such. – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 17:28
  • Can you tell me what features are enabled in the features section under `Print and Document Services`? – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 17:30
  • Unfortunately on servers my knowledge is limited. Where would I find this information? I have seen this the right hand pane when highlighting that section. The document Untitled - Notepad, owned by administrator, failed to print on printer HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M177 PCLmS. Try to print the document again, or restart the print spooler. Data type: RAW. Size of the spool file in bytes: 19301. Number of bytes printed: 0. Total number of pages in the document: 1. Number of pages printed: 0. Client computer: \\USER_1. Win32 error code returned by the print processor: 5. Access is denied. – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 17:34
  • in the server manager under add roles and features go to the features part of it. – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 17:35
  • What solved the issue? (for my future reference, Some of my clients have had issues like this in the past where I had to reload the OS) – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 17:44
  • I have updated the post and have asked my colleague to let me know if the print actually came out of the printer (i'm doing this remotely) – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 17:48
  • Thanks for the update. Did you ever get the installed Windows features list? That would be helpful as there might be a feature that is needed that is disabled... – Elliot Huffman Mar 27 '15 at 20:11
  • There isnt a features list in the print roles section :/ – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 20:59
  • There is a box underneath Print Services which has 4 entries. 2 of those are installed being Print Server and LDP Service – Craig Sunderland Mar 27 '15 at 21:10
  • @CraigSunderland The section I am talking about is not going to be in roles. It will be in features which is located in the add roles and features wizard. Can you tell me what features are installed for `print and document services`? – Elliot Huffman Mar 30 '15 at 21:15
  • I have found a section in Server Manager underneath Roles aptly named 'Features'. In this section there is a 'feature' named 'Print and Services Tools'. This is all that is named under this header. Is this the correct one? – Craig Sunderland Apr 01 '15 at 11:51
  • @CraigSunderland That sounds right, What is located in that section? – Elliot Huffman Apr 07 '15 at 18:18
  • Bah, no notification that I had a response. apologies Elliot. In my previous reply I wrote exactly what was there. Unfortunately there is nothing else other than that?! – Craig Sunderland Apr 12 '15 at 11:41
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After changing the permissions to allow 'Local Host' full access, instead of seeing documents with a status of 'spooling' and dissappearing from the print queue, there are '*.tmp' files now appearing in the 'printers' folder.

My colleague has now confirmed that since altering the permissions of the 'printers' folder, prints have been flying out.

Craig Sunderland
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