Windows 10: Default Windows Registry values for printer policies..??

Long story short, I've got an HP printer that was having some problems and HP support gave me a .reg file to run, which consisted of the following:


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers]
"KMPrintersAreBlocked"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PointAndPrint]
"Restricted"=dword:00000001
"TrustedServers"=dword:00000000
"ServerList"=""
"InForest"=dword:00000000
"NoWarningNoElevationOnInstall"=dword:00000001
"UpdatePromptSettings"=dword:00000002

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PointAndPrint]
"Restricted"=dword:00000001
"TrustedServers"=dword:00000000
"ServerList"=""
"InForest"=dword:00000000
"NoWarningNoElevationOnInstall"=dword:00000001
"UpdatePromptSettings"=dword:00000002


Of course, the one time I didn't backup the registry prior to running the update, it seems to have caused some problems. From within software now, the Printer Setup seems to be ignored or fails. As it stands now I have one piece of software (VersaCheck) that simply will not load anything at all...no error or anything...when I try to load Printer Setup.


Most of my other software as of now will allow me to load the Printer Setup and try to select the printer I want to print to, but now everything prints to this HP printer regardless of which printer I select. For example, if I choose my PDF printer it still prints to the HP printer.


Naturally, HP support has gone silent on me after their initial response to apply this registry update. I can admit I should have backed up my registry, but of course then it would put me right back where I started which is that the HP printer wasn't printing at all.


Any information on how I can get things back to normal without a full format would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

:)

 

Setting Default Printer via Startup Script

I do it with VB logon scripts


"Dim ps0 [<------ our printer server the printers are added/managed on]
Dim printer

ps0 = "\\ps0\"
printer = "S14 - Oki ES4140" [<------- the name of the printer as it is shown on the server]

Set wshNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
on Error Resume Next

'Deletes all network printers
Set clPrinters = wshNetwork.EnumPrinterConnections
On Error Resume Next
For i = 0 to clPrinters.Count - 1 Step 2
wshNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection clPrinters.Item(i+1), true
Next

'Add Network printer
wshNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection ps0 & printer

'Set Default Printer
wshNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter ps0 & printer" [<------ this bit sets it as default (note: this must be applied as the first policy before any other printers policies, otherwise it deletes them)]

 

Setting Default Printer via Startup Script

This looks like a good solution, and similar to some of the VB scripts I tried.. but it is a logon script. I would need something that works as a startup script. We are not mapping printers to users as they move around too much, but rather mapping to each computer.

The Link that W1ZZARD posted is good information. Sadly however, I have tried utilizing most of the commands that are available. The /c command is indeed interesting, but we are trying to map them when a computer starts up (prior to logon screen) versus just mapping them remotely. The purpose would be if we had a lab that needed the default printer changed, sure we could just send the remote command to each machine, or even remote into them ourselves and manually do it, but I was looking for a smoother alternative.

It seems like its just something that will have to be done manually and with user education.

Thanks for all the suggestions though.

 

Win 10 Update Default Printer Changing Issues

Hi Werner,

Thank you for the update.

Please follow the below steps to set default printer using registry edit.

• 
  Press Windows key + R and type regedit.
  

• Navigate to this key:
  
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
• For name "LegacyDefaultPrinterMode" set the "Value data:" to "1" to return to the old Default printer behavior in Windows 10.

Registry disclaimer

Important this section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps
carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 322756 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/)


How to back up and restore the registry in Windows.

Let us know if you need further assistance. We will be happy to help.

Thank you.