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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

I have already done this, see my original post.

I've also found this issue to occur from Windows XP client computers in a live environment. Half of the IT Helpdesk staff have this recurring problem, and the other half don't. I've looked into permissions to the printers and faxes share which doesn't appear to be the cause. I've restarted the spooler on both client and server to try rectify the problem and I've removed any problematic print queues that may not be in use anymore as per the last reply. We can't download the KB update to our services to modify the register entries of the workstations as half of the workstations work on all servers without issues. Those who do have the problem, find the problem on multiple servers. All servers are running Windows Server 2008 SP2 without Hyper-V (Not R2) 32-bit. We have noticed the Printers and Faxes folder hangs before opening from the desktop of the problematic client workstations, once open, it displays the printers for approximately 2 seconds, then blanks for approximately 30 seconds before showing the printers again for 2 seconds and repeat... As I and my colleagues have domain access permissions and cannot replicate the issue, the users who both can and can't access the directory correctly all have similar permissions so this cannot be a cause of the problem. Each user has also restarted their local print spooler and cleared their current network added printers to try and resolve the issue... Furthermore, restarting workstations doesn't help and all workstations should be at the same build level with the same updates applied. Are there any other solutions to this fault besides the KB update? It doesn't appear that it's necessary in these circumstances. If we do have the update already released to our environment, all workstations in the estate receive the update over one weekend.HP WinTel Server Support

Verify that the client machine's Scope for the File and Print sharing is set to all networks. Alan Morris Windows Printing Team

I have yet to find a solution. When calling the server support team on an unrelated printer issue, I asked the MS Engineer working with me "can you tell me why the printer window flashes like that?" and she answered "I have no idea why its doing that." Great.