Network printer issue

[Genx87]

We setup an HP3500 for our executive team. There are 16 people including two secretarys. 14 of the 16 can print just fine to this printer. 2 of the people end up with "Unable to print to network printer" or something along that line.

We have tried to uninstall and reinstall the printer on the client + server. We opened up the security to everyone. Previously we set the security to just a few people, then to the entire team.

My question is could a driver be fubar'd? Where do printer drivers for network printers get installed?

Any other suggestions is appreciated.

 

[montag451]

Can you try connecting the problem systems to the printer directly - not on a network, but as a local printer - just as a troubleshooting measure?

 

[Genx87]

That is a good idea and I may try that. It is just odd that 14 people can print to it over the network but two people cant.

And it doesnt matter who is logged into the clients either.

 

[ttown]

I had the same message using a network printer and "logged in" to a domain when the domain server is turned off.

Here's my setup:
machine A: win2k Server with all the bells and whistles
machine B: win98se machine with printer attached and shared
machine C: winXP machine with printer from machine-B installed.

I normally use machine C, logged in as a domain user.
If machine A is turned off, then I get the "unable to print to network printer" message -- even though my domain user has all the privs to do it, and further -- even if I grant "wide open" privs to the printer from machine-B.

So... short story: Could it be that the 2 that don't work are "logged in" to a domain that is not available (either physical connection, or wrong settings), but they're still able to appear to log in because of cache'ing ? Should be an easy test to see if this is the problem by sharing out some doc somewhere on the server and see if they can access it.

edit: oh. you posted more stuff while I wrote my response.
Your new info makes it sound like local printer driver problem -- maybe permissions related (installed as a local admin?). Or possibly physical network connecton (can all users on a problem client access files or other shared things?
edit2: longshot... is name resolution going to proper domain? I used to set up my own custom "hosts" file at a workplace that had frequent name-server problems -- which was good for ME, but if they ever changed things and whoever inherited my workstation didn't know, it could be quite puzzling. So, maybe double check the hosts file on the problem client.

 

[Genx87]

The printer is a network printer running off our print server. It serves about 50 or so printers. Good point on the hosts file. Ill try that next.

Thx

 

[Paperlantern]

try the HP network printer setup wizard found on the HP site, never failed for me yet

edit: this site has the version that has always worked for me:
ftp://ftp.cas.psu.edu/Windows/Printing/HP_Printers/

i think the one on HP site is newer, but couldnt hurt to try