How can I reliably reset and redeploy printers through Group Policy?

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Asked By MellowCedar42 On

I deployed a new printer, but some users are getting ledger-sized output even when printing documents formatted for letter paper. I updated the driver yesterday, which fixed the problem for some users, but others are still affected. I'm considering using Group Policy to remove all existing printer connections and add them again.

The behavior has been inconsistent. For some affected users, I can remove the printer, log them off, and have it reappear automatically after they sign back in without reinstalling anything. For others, the printer does not return. What is the best way to troubleshoot the driver and cached user settings, and how should I configure the policy so printer deployment is reliable?

3 Answers

Answered By QuietOrbit29 On

If you want Group Policy to rebuild the connection, use the printer preference action called Replace. It removes the existing printer and adds it again. Be careful with the reapply behavior, though—otherwise every background policy refresh may remove and recreate the printer. Machine-level deployment is usually easier to manage when the printers are shared by computers rather than individual users.

Answered By SilverMaple18 On

For updated drivers, review the Point and Print Restrictions policies under Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Printers. Also remember that the default paper size is configured through the printer’s Properties, on the third tab under Default Print Settings, rather than only through the general printer settings. Test the policy with a small group before deploying it broadly.

Answered By BrightLime7 On

Before forcing a remove-and-reinstall, verify the print server queue and its default print settings are set to Letter. Also check the affected users’ printer preferences, since per-user cached settings can continue overriding the server defaults. Removing the cached connection or settings may be more useful than repeatedly redeploying the printer.

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