Deploy printers by using Group Policy

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008

You can use Print Management (Printmanagement.msc) with Group Policy to automatically deploy printer connections to users or computers and install the appropriate printer drivers. This method of installing a printer is useful in a laboratory, classroom, or branch office setting where most computers or users need to access the same printers. It is also a useful method for deploying printer drivers to users who are not members of the local Administrators group and are running Windows Vista.

To deploy printer connections by using Group Policy, your environment must meet the following requirements:

  • The Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) schema must use a Windows Server 2003 R2 or Windows Server 2008 schema version.

  • Client computers running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 must use the PushPrinterConnections.exe tool in a startup script (for per-computer connections) or in a logon script (for per-user connections).

The following topics provide information about how to deploy printer connections by using Group Policy:

Important

To perform these procedures, you must be a member of the local Administrators group and have write access to Group Policy objects (GPOs) in the AD DS domain or the organizational unit (OU) to which you want to deploy printer connections.

Additional references