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Add printer drivers for other versions of Windows

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To add printer drivers for other versions of Windows

The following procedure describes how to install additional drivers on the print server, as a distribution point for clients running older versions of Windows.

If you share a printer with users running other versions of Windows (Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0), you can install additional printer drivers on your computer so those users can connect to your printer without being prompted to install the drivers missing from their systems. The drivers are located on the Support CD. Printer drivers for Windows NT 3.1 and Windows NT 3.5 are not included.

  1. Open Printers and Faxes.

  2. Right-click the printer for which you want to install the additional drivers, and then click Properties.

  3. On the Sharing tab, click Additional Drivers.

  4. In the Additional Drivers dialog box, select the check boxes for the additional environments and operating systems you need, and then click OK.

Notes

  • To open Printers and Faxes, click Start, and then click Printers and Faxes.

  • You can also open printer properties in Printers and Faxes by clicking a printer, and then clicking Set printer properties under Tasks on the left side of the window. This option is available only if folders are set to look like a Web page and a printer is selected. For more information, click Related Topics.

  • A client running Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP Home Edition checks the printer driver each time it reconnects to the network. A Windows NT 3.x client checks each time the spooler service on the client is started. If the driver is not current, a copy of the new driver is downloaded automatically. The printer driver for a Windows 95-based or Windows 98-based client is not automatically kept current. If you update the driver on the print server, you must manually install the driver on Windows 95-based and Windows 98-based clients.

  • For more information on administering printers from the command line, see Related Topics.

Information about functional differences

  • Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.

See Also

Concepts

Share your printer
Install new or updated printer drivers
Prndrvr.vbs