Deploying printers via Group Policy and getting them pushed out the right way as well as solving driver installation issues (0x80070bcb Specified printer driver was not found and needs to be downloaded)

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So we recently upgraded our printing infrastructure with a whole new lot of printers and software (along with a shiny new version of PaperCut MF) and have implemented a global queue or better known as Follow Me Printing.  So how do we go about pushing out all the new global printers to our users.  Well along with the 50 other projects we have on the go, one of them is a clean up of our group policy, so after removing around 15 GPOs related to our old printers I got to work.

So for starters I’ve created a GPO which will contain all of our Follow Me Printing settings, including deploying the PaperCut Client and Global Queue Printers. In our environment we have a mix of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 which will all handle printers being deployed via Group Policy differently (Microsoft make things so easy, don’t they).  For XP, things are simple, simply add the printer to be deployed either by user or computer preference under control panel > printers. For Vista and 7 however this is where it gets tricky.  If you are using a driver which has been loaded on the machine before, the printer will deploy, otherwise you will receive an error in the event log such as the following:

The user 'Printer Name Here' preference item in the 'Group Policy Object
{GUID-GOES-HERE}' Group Policy object did not apply because it failed with
error code '0x80070bcb The specified printer driver was not found on the system
and needs to be downloaded.' This error was suppressed.

This basically means that the client couldn’t download the driver, but the real reason is because of UAC and the computer not requesting permission to install a driver. Thankfully there is a Policy that we can enable that will allow us to set the permission requirements during printer driver installation.

Using the Point and Print Restrictions Policy we can enable printer driver installation without it getting hassled by UAC. Under Windows Vista it is a User Policy and on Windows 7 it is a Computer Policy (I have both enabled for good measure). So enable toe Point and Print Restrictions Policy and change the following options:

  • When installing drivers for a new connection: Do not show warning or elevation prompt
  • When updating drivers for an existing connection: Show warning only

Once we have configured the Point and Print Restrictions Policy printers will download and install on any client computer that the Object is targeting.

Hope that helps a few people out when setting up and configuring their Group Policy Printer Distribution, any queries please comment.


10 responses to “Deploying printers via Group Policy and getting them pushed out the right way as well as solving driver installation issues (0x80070bcb Specified printer driver was not found and needs to be downloaded)”

  1. J.R. Esposito Avatar
    J.R. Esposito

    Thanks for this, was having printer prompt for admin access to install my printers that are deployed using GPO.

    1. John Avatar
      John

      Good to hear this has helped you out, one I got stuck on for a while until I took the time to sit down and understand how it all works.

  2. Ben Avatar
    Ben

    Amazing blog, thanks.

    I couldn’t find anywhere on the web which categorically told me how I could use GPP AND the drivers were installed if not present.

    Off to have a play now 🙂

  3. Tristan Avatar
    Tristan

    Thanks heaps for taking the time to post this. Certainly helped me out and stopped me stressing over annoying driver deployments 🙂

    Thanks!

  4. Jesus Avatar
    Jesus

    I added these GPO on my windows server 2008 but the error continues.
    Could you give me a hand?

    Thanks

    1. John Avatar
      John

      Hi Jesus, were you able to sort it out? Are you getting the exact same error? Check to make sure the GPO is applying using gpresult. Also check in the event log for any other errors/warnings around printer or GPO deployment.

  5. Jesus Avatar
    Jesus

    Hi John,

    if the error is the same exactly, how use the command gpresult because I do not know?
    I have also run the installer and reviewed the event viewer and does not come any error or warning me but every time you run a report is created with the ID 7036 (Service Control Manager) which reads as follows:
    The Google Update Service (gupdate) entered into “stopped” state.
    If you tell me exactly how to put it gpresult command and I should look at what I run and do you know to see if we can come up with the solution?

    Thanks!

    1. John Avatar
      John

      Hey Jesus, I do not think that Google Update error has anything to do with the printer deployment. To use gpresult (similar to RSoP) go into a command prompt and type gpresult /h report.html while you are logged in as a user who you are targeting the GPO at.

  6. Jesus Avatar
    Jesus

    Hi John,
    I generated the document but not exactly to look for, how could you to receive this report for that you take a look?
    Thanks

  7. Fergus Avatar
    Fergus

    I have been deploying printers this way for years. suddenly it stops working and it seems that in print management, only the print drivers marked as packaged as True get deployed.
    Is this a new thing?

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