Any software to let me view the print queues on a remote machine?

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
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I'm looking for something that I can run from my local PC, that will hook into another machine on the network and show me the installed printers. I then need to open up the printer and see any documents in the print queue.

Basically as if I were remote desktop'd into the other machine and manually went to Printers and then opened up a printer.

Anyone know of a way to do this? I've been searching but have come up empty so far.

Windows XP if that matters.

Thanks.
 

seepy83

Platinum Member
Nov 12, 2003
2,132
3
71
I'm not aware of anything for XP. If you were running Server 2008, it has a Print Management MMC Snap-In that is exactly what you're looking for.
 

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
81
I can't actually remote into the machine because the account is setup in such a way that there's a program running on top of everything else. I just want to be able to see the print queue behind the scenes and not affect that actual remote PC at all.

seepy, can the client be running XP and I can just be on a server running 2008? I could probably get that to work since we have a few servers I could use for this.

Is that printer piece something that's on there or something I'd have to add on? Any idea?

Thanks.
 

gsaldivar

Diamond Member
Apr 30, 2001
8,691
1
81
I know of no easy solution for this I'm afraid. Either run Windows Server or setup some alternative print server like CUPS. Either way, your users will need to print through whatever server you decide to use, in order for there to be a centrally shared print queue.
 

seepy83

Platinum Member
Nov 12, 2003
2,132
3
71
seepy, can the client be running XP and I can just be on a server running 2008? I could probably get that to work since we have a few servers I could use for this.

Is that printer piece something that's on there or something I'd have to add on? Any idea?

Thanks.

The Print Management MMC Snap-In that's available in Server 2008 can manage local and remote print servers that are also running 2008 or (2008R2). It may also work with Windows 7...I'm not sure. It's built into the operating system...not something that needs to be added.

It cannot manage the print server on a Windows XP, Sever 2003, etc machine.