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Printing
One of the biggest challenges for Remote Desktop Services administrators is to provide remote users with the
possibility to print to their local printers, whether these printers are attached to a local port on the
client computer or shared on the local network.
Windows 2008
Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services contains an exciting new feature:
Terminal Services Easy Print, an
XPS based Universal Printer driver!
TS Easy Print takes away much of the problems that were caused by TS-incompatible printer drivers on Windows 2003 and 2000,
but as all new features, it introduces its own problems and solutions:
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TS Easy Print issues
If Easy Print doesn't work at all, check if the client meets the requirements : rdp client version 6.1 and .NET Framework 3.0 SP1.
Update: .NET is no longer required on the client if the server runs W2008 R2 and the client runs Windows 7.
These are recommended hotfixes:
- 946411 - FIX: When you print an XPS file on a Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3-based computer, the characters in the XPS file print incorrectly
- 954744 - FIX: Some pages are printed in the incorrect orientation when you use Terminal Services Easy Print to print a document that contains both portrait-oriented pages and landscape-oriented pages
- 954743 - FIX: After you apply hotfix 954744, printing performance may be significantly slower when you print documents by using Terminal Services Easy Print
and here are some optional one's:
- 962930 - Cannot print from Terminal Services Easy Print on Windows server 2008, access is denied
- 954399 - Error message when you try to print by using Terminal Services Easy Print from a client computer that you connect to a Windows Server 2008-based computer: "Tswpfwp.exe has stopped working"
- 959442 - The edges of a document are truncated when you try to print the document by using Terminal Services Easy Print from a client computer that is running Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista SP1, or Windows Server 2008
- 970603 - The content of a printout is different when you print a PDF document by using Terminal Services Easy Print in a Terminal Services (TS) session in Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008
- 2028453 - The redirected printer does not print a document in Windows Server 2008 if the TS Easy Print feature is used in a terminal server session
Misc. problems
- 968605 - Terminal Server Easy Print not printing RDS running on a DC
- 958894 - The Printer Spooler service may encounter an access violation and crash when the service handles asynchronous notifications from print clients on Windows Server 2008-based or Windows Vista Service Pack 1-based computers
- 954400 - The Remote Desktop Connection disconnects when you try to print to a Windows Server 2008-based terminal server
- 958656 - Client-side rendering in Windows Server 2008 and in Windows Vista may decrease performance on Windows Server 2008-based terminal servers
- 960792 - Error message when a user tries to add a printer in Windows Server 2008 by using a TCP/IP address or a host name: "Access is denied"
- 973356 - Error message when you create one or more network printers in a Windows Server 2008-based terminal server session: "Printers cannot be installed"
- 955560 - Handle leaks and memory leaks occur on the Printer Spooler service when a Windows Vista SP1-based computer or a Windows Server 2008-based computer installs and uninstalls network printers
- 979163 - Many pages are printed when you try to print an Excel worksheet by using a redirected printer if the Terminal Services Easy Print feature is used
- 980056 - The client printer may print the documents by using an incorrect paper size if the "Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first" policy is enabled
- 2004234 - After upgrading a printer driver on any Microsoft Operating system later than Windows XP and Server 2003, the old driver files are still being used
- 2021394 - Windows Presentation Foundation terminal server print W has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the in convenience.
Documentation
Windows 2003
For a long time to come, there will be downlevel Terminal Servers around, and thus
the need for a matching printer driver on the TS. If your Terminal Server is one of them, this information is for you.
If your client printers are not redirected in the TS sessions, check the EventLog on the Terminal Server for any
printer-related events at the time the client connected to the TS.
- no Events: redirection is not attempted at all
Solution: check the configuration of printer redirection in the RDP client and on the Terminal Server,
update the RDP client to the latest version or apply KB article
302361 to get support for
redirection of non-standard local port names, including tcp/ip ports (only needed for rdp client 5.1 or older).
- Event 1111, 1105 and 1106 (on 2003) or 1102 (on 2008): redirection is attempted, but fails because the server doesn't have a driver for the printer.
Solution: whatever you do, do not install a 3rd party printer driver on the Terminal Server,
unless it is a Windows Hardware Quality Labs
(WHQL) signed driver. Many non-WHQL drivers are not TS-compatible, and some are known to crash your printer
spooler. In stead, map the printer to a native driver by creating a custom ntprintsubs.inf
file, as described in KB article 239088
(for 2003) or here
(for 2008).
- If you have a problem with a crashing spooler service, you can use the Spooler Cleaner utility from the Windows 2003
Resource Kit (cleanspl.exe).
It will delete all printer drivers, printers, ports, port monitors, print processors, and print job spool files from the server.
- If you are running at least Windows 2003 SP1 on your Terminal Server and your printers support PCL or PS natively, you can configure a Fallback Printer Driver.
- If you are supporting Macintosh clients, you must use a PostScript driver, unless all Mac clients run
the Mac RDC version 2.0 client, which supports all printers
- If you are running an x64-based version of Windows on your Terminal Server, you must use 64-bit printer drivers, as explained in KB article 895612.
- If you manage more than a handful of servers and more than a dozen of printer models, it will be worth it to invest in a 3rd party printer management solution.
If you need to support Host based printers using Lightweight Imaging Device Interface Language (LIDIL), you must use a 3rd party Universal Printer Driver.
Documentation and Best Practice Guides
Autocreation problems
- Terminal Server and Printer Redirection - troubleshooting steps
- Printer Redirection EventIDs
- 239088 - Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services server logs events 1111, 1105, and 1106
- Download Microsofts Printer Driver Redirection Wizard
- Printer Driver Matrix - by PrintingSupport
- 276532 - Windows 2000 Terminal Server Reports Event ID 1103 in the System Event Log
- Event 1103 - An internal communication error occurred. Redirected printing will no longer function
- 302361 - Printers That Use Ports That Do Not Begin With COM, LPT, or USB Are Not Redirected in a Remote Desktop or Terminal Services Session
- 329756 - Remote Desktop Connection Software May Cause an Access Violation If FilterQueueType Is Set
- 929270 - You cannot set a redirected printer as the default printer in a Windows Server 2003-based terminal server session
- 933996 - A user who is logged on to a Windows Server 2003-based Terminal Server cannot configure a printer as the default printer
Misc. problems
- 270005 - OEM Print Drivers Are Overwritten by Microsoft Drivers That Use Terminal Services Redirect Printing
- 888196 - The Print Spooler service stops frequently, Dr. Watson logs an error message, and Event ID 7031 is logged in Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 (with Citrix MF XP 1.0)
- 313733 - Spooled files may be printed in an incorrect Terminal Services session
- 317780 - Print Jobs That Are Sent to Terminal Services Redirected Printers May Print on Another Client's Printer
- 826026 - Documents from Terminal Server Users Who Map LPT1 to Different Printers Appear on the Same Printer
- 297883 - XL2000: You Can See Other Users' Printers in a Terminal Server Session
- 313683 - XL2002: Can See Other Users' Printers in Terminal Server Session
- 268065 - Terminal Services event messages 1100 or 1114 in Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003
- 817870 - Error Event 1109 Appears in the Event Log When Terminal Services Clients Disconnect
- 909906 - A print job is deleted without being printed on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1
- 301444 - An Error Message May Be Displayed When You Use Terminal Services and the Print to File Feature in Application Mode
- 279452 - Cannot Add Print Device Inside of a Terminal Services Session - AppleTalk or DLC-based network printer
- 870981 - Printer tray assignments on a print server may not transfer to the client computer when you install a network printer in Windows XP or Windows Server 2003
- 911713 - Event ID: 20 may be logged frequently on a Windows Server 2003-based computer when you print to a shared network printer
- 900090 - Print spooling operation in Windows Server 2003-based Terminal Services (TS) computer is slow when Remote Desktop Connection thin clients use printer redirection
- 911028 - When you use a 32-bit program to print a document from a 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows, you may receive a Stop error message, or objects on the page are omitted
- 840371 - High processor usage from the spooler occurs when a user logs off from a session on a terminal server that is running Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000
- 951009 - An application may be unresponsive, documents may not print, and event IDs 6162 or 61 may be logged on a Windows Server 2003-based computer
- 981650 - You cannot print text on a printer that uses the "Generic / Text Only" driver in a Windows Server 2003 terminal session
Citrix specific issues
- CTX681954 - Troubleshooting Citrix ICA Printer Autocreation
- CTX117008 - Printer Autocreation Event Log Messages Overview
- CTX125160 - How to Replicate Print Drivers in XenApp 6.0
- CTX121163 - How to Use Wildcards with Print Driver Mappings
- CTX119684 - DefaultPrnFlags Reference
- CTX120621 - How to Disable Printer Properties Retention
- CTX121976 - Administrators Cannot See Other Users' Printers when Opening the Control Panel / Printers Folder
- CTX108004 - How to Give Access Permission to Administrators to Manage Autocreated Printers
- CTX884335 - How to Publish Print Manager on a Windows NT/2000/2003 Terminal Server
- CTX107137 - Troubleshooting Printing Problems In Presentation Server 4.0
- CTX104692 - Only Autocreate Client Default Printer... Option with Java Client 8.x and Later is Not Working
- CTX104375 - Default Printer is Not Mapped Properly Within an ICA Session
- CTX051476 - Troubleshooting the Deletion of AutoCreated Printers
- CTX105577 - Deletion of Print Drivers and Event Log Print Entries / Logging
- CTX626451 - Sample WTSUPRN.INF File for Use in Autocreation
- CTX107322 - Printers Supported by HP for use with Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 for Windows - including scanners and All-in-One printers
3rd party printer driver information
3rd party printer management software and utilities
Troubleshooting tools
- 2000007 - Fix printing problems by resetting the print spooler
- CTX116474 - Print Detective - enumerates all installed drivers, including driver-specific information. It can also be used to delete specified print drivers
- CTX109374 - StressPrinters - a tool to simulate multiple sessions autocreating printers using the same print driver
- The Hunt for the Bad Printer Driver - by Stefan Vermeulen
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