Unable to rename installed network printers in Windows XP, Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0.
(Last modified: 23Jan2003)
This document (10059715) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.
fact
Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
symptom
Unable to rename installed network printers in Windows XP, Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0.
Right-clicking the printer in the Printers folder (Start / Settings / Printers) does not provide the option to rename the installed printer.
cause
Renaming an installed Windows printer that is actually a network printer is not permitted on XP, 2000 or NT 4.0 platforms. This is different than Windows 98 and Windows 95, where renaming an installed network printer is allowed. For additional information, please see Microsoft Knowledgebase document 281344, Unable to Rename Friendly Name of Remote Network Printer.
fix
Workarounds:
Creating or renaming the actual NDS printer or print queue object to have the desired name. Creating the NDS printer or queue at a shallower context in the NDS tree if dealing with applications that fail with printer names over a specific length.
If the remote network printer can be captured to an LPT port, installing a local Windows printer that is directed to the LPT port (not the network printer or print queue directly) will result in a Windows printer that can be renamed. (Because it is not a network printer; it is printing to the local LPT device which is then in turn redirected to the network.) However, because Windows considers this a local Windows printer, the Windows printer interfaces will not be attempting to enumerate remotely queued print jobs and other features specific to network printers.
Attempting to circumvent the renaming of Windows network printers in any other manner can lead to problems such as those mentioned in Microsoft Knowledgebase document 281344 and will not be a supported configuration.
document
| Document Title: | Unable to rename installed network printers in Windows XP, Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0. |
| Document ID: | 10059715 |
| Solution ID: | NOVL37578 |
| Creation Date: | 12Jan2001 |
| Modified Date: | 23Jan2003 |
| Novell Product Class: | NetWare |
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