Shared printer

[2little2late]

I am trying to set up the printer for different user accounts on home pc. Can anyone explain how to set this option up please. I DON'T want to set it up for network users. Running Windows XP and have an HP psc1110 printer.
Help is appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[Bobinovich]

Once you've installed the printer it should automatically be available for all users. When you go into the other profiles and look in the Printers folder in Control Panel, do you not see the printer listed?

[2little2late]

The printer is there, but every time an account user other than administrator tries to print a document it will automatically delete the documents from the printer properties.

[Bobinovich]

Very strange indeed. Can't think of any obvious reason but are the other accounts Limited - not sure if it'll make a difference but worth changing them to Admin ones to see if that works?

The only other thing I can think of is that the Permissions for that printer are somehow set for the one user only, however my thinking mind has gone to sleep for now so I'll see if I can give it a nudge in the morning

[blueivy]

The printer is there, but every time an account user other than administrator tries to print a document it will automatically delete the documents from the printer properties.

Did you manage to fix this problem? I'm curious as to the outcome!

What Bobinovich said is right, check if the users accounts are Limited. The only thing I'd add is that if they are also Computer Administrator account types, get them to install the software too. It may ask you to uninstall or repair the installation instead of allowing you a straight install. In that case select repair.

You shouldn't have to reinstall and I doubt it will make any difference whatsoever but it's worth a shot as this is a strange one.

[2little2late]

Did you manage to fix this problem? I'm curious as to the outcome!

What Bobinovich said is right, check if the users accounts are Limited. The only thing I'd add is that if they are also Computer Administrator account types, get them to install the software too. It may ask you to uninstall or repair the installation instead of allowing you a straight install. In that case select repair.

You shouldn't have to reinstall and I doubt it will make any difference whatsoever but it's worth a shot as this is a strange one.

The user accounts are limited. I would have thought that a printer should be able to be used by all users.
If I change the accounts to admin and install the printer so they can use it and change the accounts back to limited would this work.

[blueivy]

The user accounts are limited. I would have thought that a printer should be able to be used by all users.

It should be but the problem is strange so changing to a Computer Administrator account helps to eliminate that as a 'potential' issue.

[2little2late]

I'll try re-installing printer tomorrow. I have noticed with certain programmes I have installed an option appears to make available for all users. Is it possible this could be what is wrong?

[blueivy]

I'll try re-installing printer tomorrow. I have noticed with certain programmes I have installed an option appears to make available for all users. Is it possible this could be what is wrong?

Because it's an all-in-one it works slightly differently to a normal printer (as it needs software to work rather than just a driver) however the option to make available to all users is usually just to do with where the program installs its icons.

If you get the option when reinstalling, select it for all users and that will be another potential eliminated. Again however I doubt it will make any difference.

What confuses me is that when other non-administrator users print the print is sent to the queue then disappears without being printed (can you confirm this is what is happening?)I've only ever seen that happen once before and it was the printer that accepted and then ditched the print. I suspect your printer is doing the same.

I'd change one account to a Computer Administrator and see if that works. If not, try reinstalling the software for that same account (still as a Computer Administrator as a Limited Account probably won't be able to install the software) and see if that works. If not then we'll need to scratch our heads a bit more!

[2little2late]

What confuses me is that when other non-administrator users print the print is sent to the queue then disappears without being printed (can you confirm this is what is happening?)I've only ever seen that happen once before and it was the printer that accepted and then ditched the print. I suspect your printer is doing the same.

Exactly right.

[2little2late]

I have just changed the limited account to administrator and the printer is working fine.
Thanks very much Blue Ivy.

[blueivy]

I have just changed the limited account to administrator and the printer is working fine.
Thanks very much Blue Ivy.

Glad you got it working, although it was Bobinovich that first suggested it.

You shouldn't have to change them - I can only guess it's something to do with the software removing them from the queue ... don't look a gift horse in the mouth - it's working and that's the important thing!

[Bobinovich]

Phew - I'd been searching the Net for potential answers for that one so glad it was something fairly straightforward in the end.

[2little2late]

Thanks to Bobinovich and Blueivy for all your help.
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