I'm having a tough time getting printers installed through PDQ. All the printers are set up on a server, but despite trying various methods, nothing seems to work. Here are the approaches I've attempted:
1. **Using Commands:**
- Tried commands with Printui (`/gd` and `/ga`), but the printer wasn't installed and I got a failure message. Also attempted to restart the spooler but received an error about command syntax.
2. **PowerShell Commands:**
- When I used `Add-Printer` with a specific connection name, it returned an error code 1. Oddly enough, it installed fine when I ran it locally.
- A different printer command from PowerShell went through, but still didn't install anything.
3. **Scripting via Admin Scripts:**
- Used a VB script to add a printer, which showed as successful; however, the printer still didn't appear.
I've also got Desktop Authority, but that's only useful for drive mapping so far. Ideally, I want a method to install these printers remotely and silently, similar to software. I haven't explored GPO yet because I need a quick, on-demand solution. Does anyone have a working script for this?
4 Answers
You really should be looking at GPO for this if you have a print server. It’ll save you a lot of headaches! If you want to stick with PDQ, you need to add the printer driver to the driver store first using `Pnputil /add-driver `, then install it with `Add-PrinterDriver -Name -InfPath `. After that, create a printer port and finally install the printer using `Add-Printer`. It’s a few steps, but it works! Good luck!
Check out this GitHub link for a solid PowerShell script that could help you install printers: [install-printers.ps1](https://github.com/andrew-s-taylor/public/blob/main/Powershell%20Scripts/Intune/printerinstall/install-printers.ps1). It has a lot of functionalities built-in that might align with what you're looking for.
Honestly, with today's security issues like PrintNightmare, using GPO can be a pain. Sometimes it's easier to control things with direct scripts or tools like PrinterLogic, which simplifies the process. Just a thought!
Did you check if the PDQ execution account has the necessary rights to share the printer? I’ve had success using those PowerShell commands, but it can fail if permissions aren't set right. Also, if the printers you're trying to install have sharing issues, you might want to troubleshoot that first.
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