Need help with new print server - Few issues

I dont rememeber creating a print server to be this difficult. Ive been at this all day trying to figure out what Im doing wrong.

I created a new VM running Server 2008 R2. Created most, if not all printers manually, then realized I could export. So I exported from our original server; which is a mixture of x64 and x86. Imported to the new server. Didn't see any changes other than all the drivers are now installed. However, nearly nothing is selectable.

For example;

It gets worse when trying to select drivers for different architecture. When selecting additional drivers I have to browse, no option to preview installed drivers. Not to mention, I can even point to the driver on the original disc and the system simply states there is no driver. I just used the very same disc on a workstation (locally connected) and worked perfectly. What gives?

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Comments

discount81

What happens if you just try and install a printer with its UNC ?

CodeBlox

Exactly what is greyed out? When installing additional drivers I've always had to browse to the driver for the printers. Your x86 driver needs to be the same as your x64 driver, even the same name is required(I think).

blargoe

CodeBlox wrote: »

Exactly what is greyed out? When installing additional drivers I've always had to browse to the driver for the printers. Your x86 driver needs to be the same as your x64 driver, even the same name is required(I think).

This is how I remember it.

SouthSeaPirate

discount81 wrote: »

What happens if you just try and install a printer with its UNC ?

No idea what you mean. Sorry.

SouthSeaPirate

CodeBlox wrote: »

Exactly what is greyed out? When installing additional drivers I've always had to browse to the driver for the printers. Your x86 driver needs to be the same as your x64 driver, even the same name is required(I think).

Nothing is greyed out. Drivers are already installed; which is my point.

You can see them in the listing, however, they are not selectable in the drop down when installing a new printer.

SouthSeaPirate

Any other ideas guys?

kriscamaro68

Are your printers shared on the server 2008 server? if so go to the sharing tab of a specific printer and click on additional drivers down at the bottom. Select both x86 and x64 drivers as being able to be downloaded. Now on the client computer you will want to run the UNC path which would be \\servername obviously replacing servername with whatever your print server is currently called. Find the printer that you just set that setting on and double click on it. It sould pop up something to the effect of do you trust this printer and ask to install the driver. Click install driver and it should download the correct driver and you should be good to go.

eansdad

Was the orgininal server a 2008 or 2003 x86 and you moved them to a 64bit server? I had an issue with printer/drivers not wanting to migrate. Finally gave up (only a dozen or so printers on network) and rebuilt the queues. All I found was Windows Server not liking to nigrate from an x86 to 64 enviroment without both sets of drivers.