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Having some trouble on Windows Server 2012 / Windows 8 getting a Printer GPP (computer) to work.

Printer GPP is created in:

Computer config -> Preferences -> Control panel -> Printers

but fails with the error:

[ hr = 0x80070706 "The print processor is unknown." ]

Any suggestions what might be causing this?

NickC
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3 Answers3

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See: Print Processor

Either the default print processor is missing or corrupt (KB153355) or that driver you are trying to install with that print queue requires its own print processor that is unavailable on your client machine. This can be caused for a number of reasons, but in my experience it is most commonly a 32-bit/64-bit mismatch or you are missing the driver's specific print processor. I generally unpack print drivers that come in .EXEs using 7Zip, locate the appropriate DLLs and the .INF file to avoid installing all the other packaged crap that comes with print drivers these days. Unfortunately, this method of manual driver installation will not install that drivers print processor and not all drivers can use the default Windows print processor.

You can use Print Management to see what drivers are available and what print processor you are using. Verify that the print processor is available on the client. Try attaching ProcMon to the spoolsv.exe on your client and manually add the printer. Printing Services errors are notoriously vague and misleading. Looking at the logs in Microsoft-Windows-PrintService should help you narrow your search in ProcMon, as often Windows will log what .DLL from the driver failed to find the print processor.

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I've seen that when there is issues with the print driver. You might manually add a printer to test out the driver is good.

I also found this http://support.microsoft.com/kb/153355

Nixphoe
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  • Manually adds ok just won't work with Printer GPO. Have a C:\Windows\System32\spool\prtprocs\x64\Winprint.dll which I guess is ok considering this is Win 8 64-bit. Also have a HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows x64\Print Processors which seems to be correct. – NickC Apr 16 '13 at 16:49
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Answer now found!

The answer is to change the Print Processor on the Server-side

GLS60APR, RAW to Winprint, RAW.

It seems that the Printer GPP does not deal correctly with a non winprint processor whereas a manual connection to the printer does install the GLS60APR print processor.

Note: Looks very much like a bug that will require a Microsoft fix.

NickC
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  • `It seems that the Printer GPP does not deal correctly` - I'm not sure that's correct. We push lots of printer connections that don't use the default Windows Print Processor successfully. –  Apr 16 '13 at 19:21
  • Ah so not that simple, clearly something specific to this particular print driver or else specific to this particular environment. – NickC Apr 17 '13 at 09:31
  • What I can't understand is why installing this manually works but via a printer GPP doesn't. – NickC Apr 17 '13 at 09:37
  • Your GPO is applying the printer as per-machine printer connection, and you are (presumably) manually installing the printer as a per-user connection. These aren't the necessarily the same. Try to replicate the failure using [PrintUIEntry /ga](http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624057%28v=ws.10%29.aspx) to install the printer as per-machine connection. If you can reproduce the failure, look in the `Applications and Services - Microsoft - Windows - PrintService` log and/or attach ProcMon to the `spoolsv.exe` service to see what's really going on. –  Apr 17 '13 at 16:16
  • Error message now found: Windows could not load print processor GLS60APR because EnumDatatypes failed. Error code 126. Module: GLS60APR.DLL. Please obtain and install a new version of the driver from the manufacturer (if available) or choose an alternative driver that works with this print device. – NickC Apr 17 '13 at 19:28
  • That looks like a software bug in the driver's print processor. You should file a bug with the vendor. –  Apr 17 '13 at 21:13