I am trying to find a way to lock down users from changing their default settings on their machines joined to a domain. Users tend to set colored as their default after network print driver has been installed on their machines :(
I looked at many forums and 2 ways that got stuck on my mind as an option:
Way 1 which i obtained from a forum that dates to 2006
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21820852/Prevent-Users-to-change-Printer-Preferences-Property.html
A guy called Merete suggested the following
Here is how to do it Using the the Windows Resource Editor. Warning attempt this at your own risk. Back up first then edit the following file in the Windows System32 folder. COMDLG32.DLL
Edit the following Dialog Resources.
100 - 1033 101 - 1033 1538 - 1033
Disable the Preferences button by right clicking it, select Edit control and set the WS_DISABLE style.
Save the COMDLG32.DLL.
This all straight and swell but after downloading resource hacker and locating that DLL i didn't find the numbers he was implying
Way 2 was by this fellow "yagmoth555" in this link
http://serverfault.com/questions/747339/group-policy-to-disable-printer-preferences#
That stated using group policy will help do that as well, by a synch timer that ensures default settings get reinstated after they have been changed, which defeats the purpose of locking this :(
Is there any way that i can bluntly lock "Printer Preferences" keeping in my mind we have a collection of printers from different vendors like HP plotter and Ricoh multi purpose and OCE plotter/scanner
Thank you