Printers and roaming profiles

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:

> In news:9B2365C2-C325-4702-9095-3E773478D02A@microsoft.com,
> Rod Park <RodPark.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:
> > Hi Everyone,
> >
> > I have an issue relating to logons and I would like someone to
> > confirm how printer connections work in relation to roaming profiles.
> > A few users are complaining that their logins are taking an extended
> > period of time (circa 3-4 minutes).
> >
> > My question is this:
> > When a user who is configured with a roaming profile logs onto an XP
> > workstation, do the printer connections in their profile automatically
> > trigger the installation of the print drivers required by the printer
> > connections if the workstation does not already have the drivers
> > installed locally? Essentially I need to know whether the process of
> > logging on with a roaming profile is causing the download of printer
> > drivers for their printer connections over the WAN.
> >
> > Many thanks,
> > Rod
>
> Hmmm. Possible, but I'd be amazed if it was related to printer drivers,
> honestly - those are generally pretty tiny (and wouldn't be an issue if this
> isn't the first time the user has logged in to that particular computer).
>
> You mention a WAN; are the users logging in at workstations in one network
> location, with profiles living in another? That's probably not wise, if so.
> If you mean, some of the printers are on a different network, that shouldn't
> be that big a deal.
>
> I'd check for workstation event log errors - and also make sure the profile
> sizes are kept MINISCULE (use folder redirection), and download/install MS'
> User Profile Hive Cleanup service, and make sure the users' workstations
> have no external/public DNS server IP addresses in their ipconfig /all. Just
> your internal DNS server(s).
>
>
>

Thanks Lanwench. Some of the printer drivers manufactures are producing
these days are fairly hefty, requiring all manner of DLLs to allow users to
control various features of the printers.

After some further testing I can confirm the following. Logging onto a
machine with a number of printer connections does not cause the printer
drivers to be downloaded to local workstation (starting with a pristine
spooler service). If you open the “Printers and Faxes” folder, the drivers
for the connections are all downloaded. Similarly, if you open an
application that enumerates the printers, the printer drivers are downloaded.
Finally, if a login script is used to map printers (e.g. WSH), then all the
print drivers are downloaded. I think it is related to some printer mapping
that is taking place in the logon script which is forcing users with remote
printer connections to download some weighty printer drivers over the WAN.
If I confirm this behaviour I'll post back to this forum.

Cheers, Rod
 >> Stay informed about: Printers and roaming profiles 

Problems with roaming profiles are more likely down to a large file (100MB+)
that gets a few bytes changed now and again. Examples are email 'folders'
(actually files) or databases. Each logon-session in which the file gets
changed even by a tiny amount, it has to be resynced in-toto with the server
copy. If the computers are permanently networked, the best solution is to put
such files in a 'home share' on the server.
 >> Stay informed about: Printers and roaming profiles