"Windows Can't Open Add Printer. Access is Denied."

hi there, hoping on printer issues on our server... here symptoms , information troubleshooting i've been doing.

1. last saturday no apparent reason, users unable see of printers under devices , printers, , unable start add printer wizard... "windows cant open add printer. access denied." applies when logging onto server, either directly or through remote desktop... behavior normal on everyone's individual workstations.

2. when "most users", not seeing patterns.

for example, these users can still see printers and start app printer wizard. 

compname\administrator (computer administrator), domainname\pointofsale7 (domain user), domainname\supervisor (domain administrator , computer administrator)

however, these users cannot:

compname\testuser (computer user), domainname\pointofsale2 (domain user), domainname\linda (domain administrator , computer administrator).

in other words, status computer/domain administrator or user, or local or domain user has 0 effect. have "users" , "administrators", there's no special permissions granted individual users or groups (that i'm aware of @ least).

3. when i'm logged on user can't see printers or run add printer wizard, can run elevated cmd command "rundll32 printui.dll,printuientry /il" command start add printer wizard. interestingly, can enter domainname\linda's credentials start elevated cmd, , command run successfully. domainname\linda is unable start wizard logged on herself. can log in domainname\linda and start normal cmd... command yeild same "access denied" error. need elevate run administrator run successfully. of course, when i'm logged in domainname\linda , no password required elevate cmd, need press ok.

4. 1 of differences noticed between accounts still see printers , start wizard didn't need to manually elevate many operations... example, administrator domainname\linda has elevate cmd run rundll32 printui.dll,printuientry /il domainname\supervisor not. similarly, accessing c:windows\system32\spool\printers requires elevation domainname\linda access, not domainname\supervisor. suspect there variety of files/folders require elevation linda, , may why linda (and other users) can't start wizard or see printers.

5. yes, spooler service has been started , re-started.

6. yes, we've restarted server

7. copying tne of users can still see printers , start wizard create new user has no effect - new user incapable of seeing printers or starting wizard. applies both domain , local users.

 8. patterns i've been able identify in distinguishing why 1 user has problem while other doesn't likelyhood account logged on @ time change happened. each of accounts mentioned can still access printers , start wizard logged in (except compname\administrator). of other ones log off pretty reliably @ night, logged off @ time when whatever changes took effect. server has been restarted since then, , these accounts still have access. new accounts not have access.

 9. did not try hotfix found here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/981070 as error specified not same 1 get. i get access denied error, not "operation not completed (error 0x0000007e)." error

 

thanks can provide.

 

 

jeff

found solution.

first step, have able open print server properties. there's several ways there, i opened elevated command prompt (non-elevated didn't work) , ran

rundll32 printui.dll,printuientry /s

second, went security tab , added "computername\users" (substituting "computername" name of computer). computername\users given permission "print" , "view server". no other permissions granted computername\users. computername\administrators had full permissions.

pressed ok, logged out , in. printers visible again, , add printer wizard again accessable.

the exact steps may not work everyone, appear permissions here in print server properties @ root @ least 1 of causes of problem.

Windows Server  >  Print/Fax