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I'm looking to set up a central print server to allow Windows 7 and 10 clients in remote offices without a local print server to have print drivers installed automatically when the printer is added from Active Directory. I'm not looking to have all print jobs run through this central print server. Many locations will be using a printer of the same make and model so we don't need a separate driver for every printer.

I'm interested to know whether the print driver installation files are stored on the print server itself, or whether they are/can be stored in SYSVOL or another DFS location so that the drivers can be supplied from the most appropriate location.

dunxd
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    Drivers are stored on the print server itself. You could push out an installation of these via GPO or other software deployment tool if you want to pre-install them from a central source. Using either of these methods, you could specify which server the drivers are installed from, or let AD do it automatically for you based on AD sites. – SamErde May 16 '16 at 13:19
  • Any reason you added this as a comment rather than an answer? – dunxd May 19 '16 at 22:44
  • Good question. :) It doesn't answer the requested function but pretty much does answer the question. Reposting as answer. – SamErde May 20 '16 at 00:31

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Drivers are stored on the print server itself. You could push out an installation of these via GPO or other software deployment tool if you want to pre-install them from a central source. Using either of these methods, you could specify which server the drivers are installed from, or let AD do it automatically for you based on AD sites.

SamErde
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  • Thanks - that is helpful. I should have asked the more specific questions if there was a way to deploy print drivers through active directory using a distributed repository for the driver files. I see how this could be done through an installer, but I don't want to use the manufacturer installers, and I'm not that keen on making my own either. – dunxd May 22 '16 at 17:03
  • Well you can't create a shared print queue on a Windows server without actually installing printer drivers. Your only options are to use the vendor's own drivers or Microsoft's generic drivers. Baking your own isn't really an option unless you want to significantly lower the security of your server. When clients connect to your shared printer, it will automatically install whatever driver is provided by the print server unless (I think) the client machine already has a usable driver installed. Universal (vendor-specific) drivers from HP, Lexmark, etc are usually good for this. – SamErde May 23 '16 at 17:12
  • Manufacturer *installers* are often bloated with crapware. If there is a findable installer that *only* installs the drivers for the printers we use I'll use it. When setting up print drivers for deployment via active directory you uaually have to extract the drivers from an evil .exe. – dunxd May 25 '16 at 12:17
  • I know what you mean. Bloatware is usually only a problem for consumer grade printer drivers. Business class printers tend to only have what you need. As noted already, installing a vendor's universal driver is usually the best approach for most businesses because they don't have the bloat, and one driver can cover all of their models. It's a win-win. Also, there really is no way around it--you still have to use either the vendor's drivers or generic Microsoft drivers (if they have drivers for your printer model). There is no other option. – SamErde May 25 '16 at 12:35