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Question

XP to XP Printer Migration

Dec 7, 2012 11:38PM PST

Hello,

Is there a way to migrate XP network printer settings and drivers from one machine to another?

I've been struggling with this issue for a while. I think the problem is because the printers are not located on a server, so I have to connect to them through a local TCP/IP port.

This is a pain, because I have 500 PCs that are being replaced, and I have to manually connect at least five printers to each PC individually. This is really slowing down the process.

I tried using the File and Settings Transfer Wizard, but nothing gets moved over.

I also considered USMT, but the documention I've found on the web only refers to XP to Win7 migrations.

Please advise on any scripts, utilities, etc. that I can run to help make this task a lot easier and faster.

Thanks for your replies...

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Re: XP to XP printer migration
Dec 8, 2012 12:07AM PST

If these new PC's are identical: make an image of one and copy that to the 499 others. No need to do 500 installs.

Having 500 identical PC's with the same basic image is a very good construction, seen from the system management perspective. Having 500 different PC's is a potential disaster.

Kees

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XP to XP printer migration
Dec 8, 2012 2:02AM PST

Hi Kees,

Thanks for your reply. It would be nice if I could do as you suggest, but here are more details about my situation:

We already have an image for the new computers with the company's propietary configurations and applications already installed, but the computers they're replacing are located in different areas and on different floors throughout the company. As a result, not every computer will be connected to the same printers.

I've had to individually look at the user's current printer settings and then use the information to manually set up the replacement PC.

The closest I've come to making this process automatic is by trying to write a batch file, but I don't know where the printer drivers are saved in XP. Also, I don't know of a command line that tells XP to connect to the printer via TCP/IP.

Again, I appreciate your help.

Regards,

xpadmin

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It doesn't hurt to install more than one or two printers
Dec 8, 2012 2:19AM PST

Depending on how many different printers you have to deal with, you could create a master image with many of the most common printers installed. Then all you'd have to do for individual places after restoring the master image would be to set the printer they'd use as the default. I do that for the 28 computers I support. Restoring an image with Ghost (which is what I use) only takes about 15 - 20 minutes and sure beats installing everything from scratch.

Good luck.