Is there an easy way to change a whole bunch of network printer installations?

[Epsil0n00]

We are changing the name and OS of our Windows print server soon. I assume that all of our clients will have to delete all their network printers and reinstall all the new printers from the new server... right?

Is there an easier way to do this? Is it possible to tell all the Windows clients to move their installed printers to a new server? Is it possible to set something on the domain so that the old server name and old print queues will redirect to the new server?

There has got to be an easier way to do all of this... is it possible to install Windows printers via a script? Could I just write a script to install a whole bunch of printers and push the script out to the clients?

Any ideas or insight?
Thanks!
Epsil0n

 

[nweaver]

depends on your setup. If you use DNS, you could point the old name at the new, and make sure the share/queue names are the same (may work)

You could use the same computername (May work)

You can script the install, depending on the printers. HP has a tool for printers that will build a silent installer that can be pushed via script. Not sure what they call it now, but it was called Enterprise Auto Config (and you ran it from the install cd).

 

[spyordie007]

Actually just changing the address in DNS will not work (it will break authentication).

You'll have to reinstall the printer on all the client computers. Fortunetly this can be scripted.

 

[Epsil0n00]

Maybe I'll just make everyone reinstall their own printers--it'll be a good opportunity for them to learn how to install printers for themselves... It's not like installing a network print queue is hard, good lord.

 

[nweaver]

I would try the dns thing, depending on how they are setup. IF the printer is going to \\server\share to print, then it should work, as long as \\server resolves correctly and \share is the same setup. It may work, but I kinda doubt. I would give it a shot but wouldn't worry if didn't. You also might have to have the fqdn in \\server for it to query DNS.

 

[RyDogg1]

This might be helpful in modifying/creating a new logon script to remove/add new printers with the new server name, how I would do it:

NET USE [drive: | *] [\\computer\directory [password | ?]]
[/SAVEPW:NO] [/YES] [/NO]
NET USE [port:] [\\computer\printer [password | ?]]
[/SAVEPW:NO] [/YES] [/NO]

NET USE drive: | \\computer\directory /DELETE [/YES]
NET USE port: | \\computer\printer /DELETE [/YES]
NET USE * /DELETE [/YES]

NET USE drive: | * /HOME

drive Specifies the drive letter you assign to a shared directory.
* Specifies the next available drive letter. If used with /DELETE, specifies to disconnect all of your connections.
port Specifies the parallel (LPT) port name you assign to a shared printer.
computer Specifies the name of the computer sharing the resource.
directory Specifies the name of the shared directory.
printer Specifies the name of the shared printer.
password Specifies the password for the shared resource, if any.
? Specifies that you want to be prompted for the password of the shared resource. You don't need to use this option unless the password is optional.
/SAVEPW:NO Specifies that the password you type should not be saved in your password-list file. You need to retype the password the next time you connect to this resource.
/YES Carries out the NET USE command without first prompting you to provide information or confirm actions.
/DELETE Breaks the specified connection to a shared
resource.
/NO Carries out the NET USE command, responding with NO automatically when you are prompted to confirm actions.
/HOME Makes a connection to your HOME directory if one is specified in your LAN Manager or Windows NT user account.

To list all of your connections, type NET USE without options.