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I would like to know if there is a script or program that can update a bunch of printers at one time to a specific driver. We have about 500 printers in our environment and we need some way to change them all to Universal drivers. Something like the following

PRINTERS 1-50 change to HP Universal Printer (PCL 5 5.2) . The driver is already installed on the print server

Printers 51-100 chang to HP Universal Printer Driver (PS ver 5.2) That driver is already loaded and installed on the print server etc..

Basically I need a way to dump all the current printer queues (or something like that) with the current print drivers (then change to the driver I want) and then maybe import it back into the server ????

Any ideas especially if someone has done this before..

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No need to remove queues, just install the drivers once on each server and then change the driver used for each printer queue. Printer Management console can do this across multiple servers. Test the user experience first as they'll need to download the new driver before printing again.

Scripting via WMI or PowerShell may be possible, but if it's a once time act on 100 servers it'll likely take the same amount of time to just do the few clicks on each queue in the console for driver swtich vs. hours writing and testing script.

FYI PCL 6 drivers work best in modern Windows. PS should be used only when specifically required by apps or OS.

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  • +1 This should take less than an hour to do with the Printer Managment console (also part of RSAT).
    – Chris S
    Mar 10, 2011 at 18:21
  • Its not 100 servers it is 500 printers on one print server that needs all the drivers changed. Is it really no possible do it via an import or something and we will actually have change each and every printer on that server to a different driver?? Sorry for the confusion
    – CTgeek
    Mar 10, 2011 at 19:07
  • I don't know what is/isn't possible, I'm just helping you find some places to start. technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624057(WS.10).aspx and support.microsoft.com/kb/189105 may get you there. Something like rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /Xs /n\\server\printqueuename DriverName "Printer Name of Driver"
    – Bret Fisher
    Mar 10, 2011 at 19:45
  • Bret. The printui.dll looks promsing. I'll run with that. Thanks everyone for helping.
    – CTgeek
    Mar 12, 2011 at 13:47

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