win2k server (printers) access-denied 1

[PaulV7]

Sorry if this is the wrong place for this post I was not sure where to put it (being my first post here).

I have 4 printers, 3 HP's and 1 Ricoh. A win2k server box that is the domain controller and the print server. All printers have ethernet cards. Users can print to them fine (all win2k clients). But when they go to the Queue it says "Access Denied, unable to connect." Now the thing that makes me think it’s a permissions issue is because the admin can log on anywhere (server and user workstations) and see the queue just fine.

I have set the permissions in printer properties for users to Print/manage printer/manage docs all turned on for users. Is there something in Active Directory I need to change?

Recently I hooked up a Windows XP home edition computer to the network. The XP machine auto added the printers and can use the queue fine (win2k boxes do neither). That just made me confused (why I'm posting now =))

Any ideas that might help would be most appreciated

Thanks in advance
Paul

 

[bfravel]

1) Open up Administrator tools on the client machine.
2) Open Local Security Poicy.
3) Expand Local policies/ User rights assignment.
4) Give "Everyone" rights to "Access this computer from the network" & "Log on Locally".

This normally works in my environment. Good Luck.

 

[PaulV7]

Thanks bfravel

That did the trick. I've been playing with that problem off and on for a month. Figures it would be something that simple.

If you get a chance could you explain to me why this works?
What in the queue process makes you need to be able to login local and access remotely?

 

[bfravel]

The server needs to communicate with the client to give status updates, so it needs rights to login to the client. I've noticed that when you change a printer driver on the server, it pushes the driver out automatically to the clients that have the Queue loaded. The fix that I gave you should also enable you to connect remotely to the client via "Computer Management" in order to start/stop services on the client and to view their logs and add users to the local admin group.