Rich,
This probably doesn't solve the issue with the printer, but what about
adding the printer from a batch job like this:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314486
I also know that there is a VB script to set default printer based on
the machine name:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;263226
I don't know if either of those helps you out or not, but you could have
a batch job in your startup folder that sets the default printer.
-----Original Message-----
From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Richard Wiggins
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2005 1:19 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MSUNAG] Fwd: [MSUNAG] Why does default printer keep changing?
Wow, my tiny little home network is getting more professional
attention than its had in its 10+ years of existence!
-- It's always on PCs. All computers think they belong to a workgroup
named Mariners.
-- The printer connected to Basement is almost always turned off. The
printer on Kitchen, and Kitchen computer, are almost always turned on.
-- Yup, they are HP printers.
-- Kitchen is always reachable via its Wi-Fi connection. Basement is
wired into the hub, always on, always reachable
-- Laptop is single user and so is Basement
-- After the default printer has changed to Basement, Laptop shows the
Kitchen printer online as well as the Basement one, even though the
Basement printer is powered down. If I print to Kitchen printer or
switch default, it never fails, whether Kitchen is in Standby or not.
Only time Kitchen printer appears offline is when Kitchen computer is
powered down.
-- No third party nuthin.
-- Pure XP network, no WIn 2000.
-- Yes, the printers in question are both HPs (very good, Carnak!)
Thanks, all! I'm sure you have bigger fish to fry, but this is a fun
puzzle...
/rich
On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 11:22:26 -0500, John Resotko <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Hmmm... just the usual questions for troubleshooting:
>
> 1) are the printers in the Home Network on network print servers, or
> are they connected to "always on" PCs that are using Windows
connection
> sharing to share them across a workgroup? Is a workgroup defined? If
> so, are all PCs connected to those printers on the same Workgroup
name?
>
> 2) if the printers are on solo network servers, when was the lastime
> you upgraded the firmware in the stand-alone print servers? Are all
> PCs, laptops, etc up to date on the latest Windows patches.
>
> 3) troublehooting on the network wire connected to the Kitchen
> printer... is it ok, no faults?
>
> 4) on the PC/laptop that switches the default printer back to
Basement,
> how many user profiles are on it? Could the "switch" be caused by
> another user profile using Basement as it's default printer that has
> full Administrative rights to the PC in question? Could the profile
> switch be resetting the default printer and overridding previous
> setting.
>
> 5) any third party print managers, print utilities, or nifty printing
> software on the PC that keeps switching default printers? You might
> want to install a utility that tells you what runs on startup, then
shut
> down those startup programs one at a time in case any of them might be
> altering the default setting.
>
> Good luck, it sounds like one of those nasty intermittant programs
> that's gonna eat a lot of time and effort to try and track down.
> Remember, when it's not cost effective to do that, backup the data on
> the quirky PC, wipe out and restore the OS, then reapply patches and
put
> your data back. In the long run, that can sometimes be the quickes
> solution rather than chasing ghosts in the machine....
>
> /John R.
>
> >>> Richard Wiggins <[log in to unmask]> 03/31 9:27 AM >>>
> This is a curiosity not a crisis but I thought maybe someone with deep
> Windows knowledge would know the answer.
>
> Imagine a home network. All Windows computers. Domainless. A
> computer named Basement has a laser printer, as does a computer named
> Kitchen. Sometimes a computer named Laptop prints to Basement,
> sometimes to Kitchen's printer.
>
> No matter how many times I set the default printer from Basement to
> Kitchen, at some later time, perhaps after a reboot, Laptop reverts to
> Basement as its default printer.
>
> I wouldn't think this has anything to do with the browse master
> negotiations, but Basement is the oldest computer on the network.
>
> Any theories? Thanks,
>
> /rich
>
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