Windows 2003 Printers and Faxes blinks/flashes
We have a terminal server with a large number of printers installed (1500+).
When a new printer gets created/deleted the printers and faxes window refreshes with the messages "searching for items..." at the bottom in the status bar.
Since so many users log in and log out, the number of printers is constantly changing. This makes it almost difficult to select a printer in a print dialog as the printers list refreshes, and then goes back to the beginning of the list/window.
Is there any way to turn off this behavior? I've tried the folder options, uncheck automatically search for network folders and printers but that doesn't help.
August 18th, 2011 4:38pm
What exactly are you attempting to do? If you need to select a default, users can also script this using prnmngr.vbs in system32 but they need to know the printername.
If you are looking to manage local printers install 2003 R2 and use printmanagement.msc.Alan Morris Windows Printing Team
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August 22nd, 2011 5:45pm
I'm attempted to stop the window from flashing when a printer is added or deleted.
It's annoying if you want to print to your default printer but if you're trying to select a printer that is not your default it's impossible because the list keeps refreshing.
August 23rd, 2011 11:21am
You can test to clear Spooler files to see if this can be helpful:
Clear Printer Spooler files and enable the spooler service
===================
1. Click Start, click Run, type "Services.msc" (without the quotation marks) in the open box and click OK.
2. Double-click "Printer Spooler" in the Services list.
3. Click Stop and click OK.
4. Click Start, click Run, type "%WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers" in the open window, and delete all files in this folder.
5. Click Start, click Run, type "Services.msc" (without the quotation marks) in the open box and click OK.
6. Double-click "Printer Spooler" in the Services list.
7. Click on Start. In the Startup Type list, make sure that "Automatic" is selected and click OK.TechNet Subscriber Support in forum |If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tnmff@microsoft.com.
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August 25th, 2011 4:12am
Windows Explorer window repeatedly flashes.
Nothing is wrong with the print queues, Explorer flashes constantly. I'm not sure how clearing print queues would help this.
August 26th, 2011 10:10am
Looks like a canned response. Clearing the print queues will not stop the notification updates and has nothing to do with this issue. Are these printers redirected connections, redirected local printers, or local printers on the TS server?
From the application use File, Print and select the printer rather than changing the default from the printers folder. You can also script setting the default printer but you will need the printer name.
Shaon, you can contact me directly if you want printer related answersAlan Morris Windows Printing Team
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August 26th, 2011 2:03pm
These are redirected printers. It's not so much a problem when the user always prints to their default because they can just hit control-P and then ok/enter but when they try to print to something else, say PDF writer, it's a chore to find it because
the list refreshes almost constantly. We regularly have 350+ users on one server so when they logon/logoff those printer refreshes can really get annoying.
I've seen some registry edits that can make explorer stop refreshing. I'm not sure if this is really possible.
August 26th, 2011 5:31pm
I've seen the refresh mainly when remotely admining a busy print server. Printmanagement.msc solved that issue. I disable printer redirection on all print servers as I do not want any print drivers installed on the machine that I have not tested
/ and authorized installation. I know that PMC will enumerate redirected printers. Have you installed 2003 R2 on your server?Alan Morris Windows Printing Team
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August 30th, 2011 12:53pm
This is a mix of 2003 and 2003 R2. We also don't allow redirected printers, and use ThinPrint for this functionality. It's not an issue with our 2008 servers, but they don't use ThinPrint; just EasyPrint. So it may be ThinPrint but I
doubt it as it's the Explorer that is constantly refreshing.
August 31st, 2011 4:41pm
On the machine with 2003 R2, install Print Management Console. Users should be able to launch the application but can not admin any of the printers. I do not know how thinprint interacts with the OS. If the user can see their printer
here, they can Open the printer, then Printer / Set as default.Alan Morris Windows Printing Team
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September 8th, 2011 11:55am
Thanks. In the end I don't see much way around this other than to decrease the user count on the server. We're trying to move to Win2k8 and easyprint which is another bag of hurt.
September 9th, 2011 9:47am