Do I need a GPO to fix this or something else?

Katie

We have a client with a recurring thing that pops up from time to time.
Any time there's a new printer driver for any of their different printer models, it won't print, and prompts for admin authentication to update the printer driver.

What's the best way to "fix" this so that the driver will auto-update without needing authentication constantly?
All the users have standard user accounts on Windows 7 pro.

Thanks!

JaredBusch

Hmm, can they have just printer admin rights to handle this? No real idea without testing.

DenisKelley

Investigate http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc725938.aspx

GP can allow non-admins to install printer drivers.

Katie

@DenisKelley said:

Investigate http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc725938.aspx

Thanks - I am trying this out now.

Dashrender

@thecreativeone91 said:

GP can allow non-admins to install printer drivers.

GP can definitely allow non admins to install, but the problem itself won't go away.

I recently did this - the users are still prompted when a drive change is made - though they don't actually need local (or otherwise) admin rights to install it. they simply have to approve the install.

I suggest that if you're making a driver install, you send out a notice with instructions so people can do this update. Definitely not as transparent as it should be...

EDIT*

Scroll down, and in the When updating drivers for an existing connection box, select Show warning only.

This is the part that hangs you up. The user will be prompted (or actually might not be).

In my case, the users were trying to print from their browser - the browser would simply hang with no error or anything. Upon asking them what they were trying to do, I realized then that the driver wasn't updating itself automatically and behind the scenes. I had to kill the browser, open the printer control panel, right click and choose, update driver now (this option was added by the fact that there was a new driver on the server). Once this was installed (no local admin rights required because of the GPO settings) everything else worked as desired.

thanksajdotcom

My question is, how is it finding these new drivers? Are Windows Updates pulling driver updates and updating the print server? I agree with giving users the rights to install printer drivers. However, check your WSUS server/Windows Update settings for optional updates.

@ajstringham If you update print server drivers it will do this.

thanksajdotcom

@thecreativeone91 said:

@ajstringham If you update print server drivers it will do this.

That's my point. Are the server's print drivers getting updated automatically somehow, thus propagating the change system-wide?

Dashrender

In my case I installed a new HP driver, which apparently (completely expectantly) must have updated a part of one of my other pre existing HP drivers - which is where I had this problem.