Re: Multiple instances of printer created...

You keep saying 'share'. In my experience you never access the share. Never. I can't say that strongly. Any time you do, you add it. But I'm not the 'Mr. network' so take that with a grain of salt.

We may be saying the same thing and you may truly have a problem that needs to be addressed of course. Bottom line is I've kinda run out of ideas. If your process works even for one printer or pc, then you do truly have a bug.
You also might try a networking group. This being an OS group in general, it might not be on target.

Stewart wrote:
Big Al,

All machines are accessing/mapping the printer via a persistent share as you described. Again, the issue is not an instance of the printer being added to individual workstations when they connect to the printer / add the share (as you noted, this is exactly how it is supposed to work). The issue is additional instances of the printer being added to the machine that has the printer physically attached and configured to be shared by other users. The example I provided differentiaties between the machine that has the printer physically attached and configured for sharing (Machine A) and the machines that access the printer via a persistent share (Machines B - F).

"Big Al" wrote:

Its my experience that if you go to the network neighborhood, find a pc on the network, open its shares and find a printer like a HPlaser in the list of both folders and hardware shared on that machine, and then click on the printer, this is construed to be an INSTALL of the printer. At least on all of the machines I've worked on (21 at the office) this works all the time. Its more simple than saying 'add printer' and having to put in \\pc1\hplaser or whatever name the user called and not knowing exactly. This concept is installing the printer.
Once you install it on your machine you now have your own printer. Its not a local printer hooked up to either usb or parallel port but its still your printer.
When you print from word, you select the printer from your list. you don't go back ever again to the network neighborhood and find a shared device. Its not needed.

When I access a shared printer on the network, the results is to add it to my PC.
I'm a bit unclear to exactly how you are "accessing the printer" myself. If my explanation is still unclear, expand on your method of access.

Stewart wrote:
I don't understand your response. But just to clarify, the issue is new/multiple instances of the same printer being created on the machine sharing the printer.

"Big Al" wrote:

When I access a shared printer on the network, the results is to add it to my PC. That is what its supposed to do. Or has done for me for the past few years. Now I have a printer on my pc, lets call it 'hplaser on pc #2', that points to the other machine pc#2. I don't have to point to that machine any more! I use my own printer now. And since windows installed it as a network printer and not a local printer on my pc, it does what its supposed to, it prints to it over on the other pc.

Stewart wrote:
I tried posting this under the printer newsgroup but didn't get any feedback...

I am helping someone that has their printer shared and each time a new user accesses the printer via the share a new instance of the printer is created with (copy 1), (copy 2), etc. appended to the printer name.

More details:

All machines are running Windows XP.

Machine A has the printer physically attached and a share is created so other systems on the network can share it.

There are (5) other systems on the network, Machines B-F.

When Machine B accesses the printer share on Machine A, a new printer is added on Machine A named [PrinterName] (copy 1).

When Machine C accesses the printer share on Machine A, a new printer is added on Machine A named [PrinterName] (copy 2).

When Machine D accesses the printer share on Machine A, a new printer is added on Machine A named [PrinterName] (copy 3).

And so on.

I have seen this issue before and found a solution on the web that required a setting to be changed on the machine sharing the printer. Unfortunately, it has been a while and I can't remember what the solution was.

Any feedback is appreciated.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Multiple instances of printer created...
    ... We are saying the same thing. ... But I'm not the 'Mr. network' so take that with a grain of salt. ... Once you install it on your machine you now have your own printer. ... When Machine B accesses the printer share on Machine A, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Multiple instances of printer created...
    ... physically attached and configured for sharing and the machines ... on the network, open its shares and find a printer like a HPlaser in the ... Once you install it on your machine you now have your own printer. ... When Machine B accesses the printer share on Machine A, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Multiple instances of printer created...
    ... Being that I'm not the big IT person in life, I was a paid programmer, but you can't work on a computer and a network and program applications without picking up some info. ... This is not a bug and I am looking for the setting in XP that disables a new instance of a printer being created on the machine sharing a printer whenever another machine attaches/connects to the device being shared. ... Once you install it on your machine you now have your own printer. ... I am helping someone that has their printer shared and each time a new user accesses the printer via the share a new instance of the printer is created ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Multiple instances of printer created...
    ... Its my experience that if you go to the network neighborhood, find a pc on the network, open its shares and find a printer like a HPlaser in the list of both folders and hardware shared on that machine, and then click on the printer, this is construed to be an INSTALL of the printer. ... I am helping someone that has their printer shared and each time a new user accesses the printer via the share a new instance of the printer is created ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • RE: Printer sharing error
    ... then will not let me install them, saying "not signed" or similar. ... > automatically pick those drivers up and download to the networked machine. ... click cancel and contact your network ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)