win2003 server can list own printer shares - but can't open.

Hello Everyone,

We have a machine running Windows2003 Server - I didn't get around to
installing SP1 yet owing to some poorly planned disk space allocation at
installation.
Let's not complicate matters by talking about the network yet.

This server shares 3 printers. We have no problems mapping its own drives
out with read/write access over the network. However, while the printers
had been working fine so far, we just happenned to need a reboot owing to
services depending on another database server going down for maintenance.
I am not aware of anything being changed on the Windows2003 server.

After rebooting though, the printers couldn't be accessed as shares
anymore. Printing through notepad to them as local printer works fine.
When I list the machine's own shares in its own windows explorer the
printers show up fine. However, when I try to "connect..." to them an
error message results:

"Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified printer
has lost its connection to the server"

Since we're on the machine itself, the second suggestion wouldn't apply.
Furthermore, here's what Ethereal observes on the interface when we get an
identical message over the network:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Destination Protocol Info
192.168.1.2 Win2003 SPOOLS OpenPrinterEx req., \\win2003\printer
Win2003 192.168.1.2 SPOOLS OpenPrinterEx response,
Invalid printer name
------------------------------------------------------------------------

How come such a response when I am opening, by double-click, the one
listed in Windows Explorer itself?
"\\win2003\printer" is fine, even though I've seen "\\win2003\PRINTER"
among the packets' contents, and a similar response following:
'invalid printer name' as well.

Could somebody please shed some light on this strange problem? Thanks.

Rico.

You will have strange problems like this if the server is low/out of
disk space. "" didn't get around to installing SP1 yet owing to some
poorly planned disk space allocation at
installation""

I would try stopping the spooler service, move the spool folder to
another drive with disk space and see if that fixes it.
Stop spooler service.
Open Printers and Faxes on server.
Go to File_Server Properties
On the Advanced tab, move spooler folder to another disk
Restart spooler service.

On Thu, 11 May 2006 12:32:34 -0700, rach wrote:
> You will have strange problems like this if the server is low/out of
> disk space. "" didn't get around to installing SP1 yet owing to some
> poorly planned disk space allocation at
> installation""
>
> I would try stopping the spooler service, move the spool folder to
> another drive with disk space and see if that fixes it.
> Stop spooler service.
> Open Printers and Faxes on server.
> Go to File_Server Properties
> On the Advanced tab, move spooler folder to another disk
> Restart spooler service.

Thanks rach for your input.
The printers are actually software printers on redirected ports using
RedMon. RedMon is on C: drive which indeed only has about 300MB free.

I am thinking that that should still be enough for RedMon to operate and
redirect to our program which is set to actually write the data to disk.
I have set our program to write to a different partition with more space,
but that didn't help. We'll be looking into readjusting the partition
sizes with 3rd-party software. Is Acronis Power Utilities any good?
Or would anybody care to recommend something else? Thanks.

Rico.

In news(E-Mail Removed),
Rico <(E-Mail Removed)> stated, which I commented on below:
> Hello Everyone,
>
> We have a machine running Windows2003 Server - I didn't get around to
> installing SP1 yet owing to some poorly planned disk space allocation
> at installation.
> Let's not complicate matters by talking about the network yet.
>
> This server shares 3 printers. We have no problems mapping its own
> drives out with read/write access over the network. However, while
> the printers had been working fine so far, we just happenned to need
> a reboot owing to services depending on another database server going
> down for maintenance. I am not aware of anything being changed on the
> Windows2003 server.
>
> After rebooting though, the printers couldn't be accessed as shares
> anymore. Printing through notepad to them as local printer works fine.
> When I list the machine's own shares in its own windows explorer the
> printers show up fine. However, when I try to "connect..." to them an
> error message results:
>
> "Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified
> printer has lost its connection to the server"
>
> Since we're on the machine itself, the second suggestion wouldn't
> apply. Furthermore, here's what Ethereal observes on the interface
> when we get an identical message over the network:
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Source Destination Protocol Info
> 192.168.1.2 Win2003 SPOOLS OpenPrinterEx req.,
> \\win2003\printer Win2003 192.168.1.2 SPOOLS OpenPrinterEx
> response, Invalid printer name
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> How come such a response when I am opening, by double-click, the one
> listed in Windows Explorer itself?
> "\\win2003\printer" is fine, even though I've seen "\\win2003\PRINTER"
> among the packets' contents, and a similar response following:
> 'invalid printer name' as well.
>
> Could somebody please shed some light on this strange problem? Thanks.
>
> Rico.

This all happened after a reboot? I'm trying to understand your reasons for
the reboot. What was changed?:
"...we just happenned to need
> a reboot owing to services depending
> on another database server going
> down for maintenance.

If you delete the printers and recreate them, does it work?

I know that SP1 fixes some authentication and connectivity issues, which I'm
not sure if it applies, but surely wouldn't hurt.

To increase partition size, Server Magic, originally made by Powerquest
(makers of Partition Magic), and I believe Symantec bought it, is a nice
tool too for servers. You can also use Ghost. Ghost it over to a storage
location. Then Ghost it back specifiying a larger partition.

--
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Having difficulty reading or finding responses to your post?
Instead of the website you're using, I suggest to use OEx (Outlook Express
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Newsgroups. It is FREE and requires NO ISP's Usenet account. OEx allows you
to easily find, track threads, cross-post, sort by date, poster's name,
watched threads or subject.

It's easy:
How to Configure OEx for Internet News
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=171164

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT, MVP
Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
Microsoft Certified Trainer

Infinite Diversities in Infinite Combinations
Assimilation Imminent. Resistance is Futile
"Very funny Scotty. Now, beam down my clothes."

The only thing in life is change. Anything more is a blackhole consuming
unnecessary energy. - [Me]

I have had a similar problem. My printer would show "Shared" but I could not
change settings, print from anywhere else on the network. My workstations
were xp pro sp2. Then I removed file and print sharing, re-installed the file
and print share and Bingo they were back to normal. I thought of everything
but that for days

"Ace Fekay [MVP]" wrote:

> In news(E-Mail Removed),
> Rico <(E-Mail Removed)> stated, which I commented on below:
> > Hello Everyone,
> >
> > We have a machine running Windows2003 Server - I didn't get around to
> > installing SP1 yet owing to some poorly planned disk space allocation
> > at installation.
> > Let's not complicate matters by talking about the network yet.
> >
> > This server shares 3 printers. We have no problems mapping its own
> > drives out with read/write access over the network. However, while
> > the printers had been working fine so far, we just happenned to need
> > a reboot owing to services depending on another database server going
> > down for maintenance. I am not aware of anything being changed on the
> > Windows2003 server.
> >
> > After rebooting though, the printers couldn't be accessed as shares
> > anymore. Printing through notepad to them as local printer works fine.
> > When I list the machine's own shares in its own windows explorer the
> > printers show up fine. However, when I try to "connect..." to them an
> > error message results:
> >
> > "Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified
> > printer has lost its connection to the server"
> >
> > Since we're on the machine itself, the second suggestion wouldn't
> > apply. Furthermore, here's what Ethereal observes on the interface
> > when we get an identical message over the network:
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Source Destination Protocol Info
> > 192.168.1.2 Win2003 SPOOLS OpenPrinterEx req.,
> > \\win2003\printer Win2003 192.168.1.2 SPOOLS OpenPrinterEx
> > response, Invalid printer name
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > How come such a response when I am opening, by double-click, the one
> > listed in Windows Explorer itself?
> > "\\win2003\printer" is fine, even though I've seen "\\win2003\PRINTER"
> > among the packets' contents, and a similar response following:
> > 'invalid printer name' as well.
> >
> > Could somebody please shed some light on this strange problem? Thanks.
> >
> > Rico.
>
> This all happened after a reboot? I'm trying to understand your reasons for
> the reboot. What was changed?:
> "...we just happenned to need
> > a reboot owing to services depending
> > on another database server going
> > down for maintenance.
>
> If you delete the printers and recreate them, does it work?
>
> I know that SP1 fixes some authentication and connectivity issues, which I'm
> not sure if it applies, but surely wouldn't hurt.
>
> To increase partition size, Server Magic, originally made by Powerquest
> (makers of Partition Magic), and I believe Symantec bought it, is a nice
> tool too for servers. You can also use Ghost. Ghost it over to a storage
> location. Then Ghost it back specifiying a larger partition.
>
> --
> Ace
>
> This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
> confers no rights.
>
> Having difficulty reading or finding responses to your post?
> Instead of the website you're using, I suggest to use OEx (Outlook Express
> or any other newsreader), and configure a news account, pointing to
> news.microsoft.com. This is a direct link to the Microsoft Public
> Newsgroups. It is FREE and requires NO ISP's Usenet account. OEx allows you
> to easily find, track threads, cross-post, sort by date, poster's name,
> watched threads or subject.
>
> It's easy:
> How to Configure OEx for Internet News
> http://support.microsoft.com/?id=171164
>
> Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT, MVP
> Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
> Microsoft Certified Trainer
>
> Infinite Diversities in Infinite Combinations
> Assimilation Imminent. Resistance is Futile
> "Very funny Scotty. Now, beam down my clothes."
>
> The only thing in life is change. Anything more is a blackhole consuming
> unnecessary energy. - [Me]
>
>
>

"mrbudman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:6FCEC2B2-154F-4A97-8F94-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have had a similar problem. My printer would show "Shared" but I could
>not
> change settings, print from anywhere else on the network. My workstations
> were xp pro sp2. Then I removed file and print sharing, re-installed the
> file
> and print share and Bingo they were back to normal. I thought of
> everything
> but that for days

Did you try to restart the Print Spooler before that?

Ace

Hello Everyone,

I know it's been a week; not sure if this will get noticed
We still haven't managed to solve this problem even after we have resized
the partition to a healthier 20GB of free space and applied SP1.

The reason for the reboot was that we were installing a Backup Exec agent
on a database server; the rebooting of which would affect processes on the
windows 2003 server machine. We figured we might as well reboot the latter
too.

I didn't delete the printers and recreate them, but I did create a new
test printer and share it to see; even after uninstalling File and Print
sharing and reinstalling; and stopping and restarting Print Spooler
service and TCP/IP Print Service. No changes. Still this same error about
the printer name being incorrect (even when accessing the share from the
machine itself)

Also, yesterday, before we resized and applied SP1, we noticed that our
applications using Crystal Reports suddenly would suddenly fail
consistently to export to pdf format and we would just suddenly like that
need to include additional dll's in the setup packages; otherwise we got
some error "invalid keycode" or "missing keycodev2.dll".. I mean, this has
been the way we deployed packages all along, and on that particular
machine, it's been like that since January. Things seem to be having a
mind of their own or something. Anybody familiar with such occurrences on
Windows2003 Server?

Rico.

On Fri, 12 May 2006 08:50:37 -0400, Ace Fekay [MVP] wrote:
>
> This all happened after a reboot? I'm trying to understand your reasons for
> the reboot. What was changed?:
> "...we just happenned to need
>> a reboot owing to services depending
>> on another database server going
>> down for maintenance.
>
> If you delete the printers and recreate them, does it work?
>
> I know that SP1 fixes some authentication and connectivity issues, which I'm
> not sure if it applies, but surely wouldn't hurt.
>
> To increase partition size, Server Magic, originally made by Powerquest
> (makers of Partition Magic), and I believe Symantec bought it, is a nice
> tool too for servers. You can also use Ghost. Ghost it over to a storage
> location. Then Ghost it back specifiying a larger partition.

In news(E-Mail Removed),
Rico <(E-Mail Removed)> stated, which I commented on below:
> Hello Everyone,
>
> I know it's been a week; not sure if this will get noticed
> We still haven't managed to solve this problem even after we have
> resized the partition to a healthier 20GB of free space and applied
> SP1.
>
> The reason for the reboot was that we were installing a Backup Exec
> agent on a database server; the rebooting of which would affect
> processes on the windows 2003 server machine. We figured we might as
> well reboot the latter too.
>
> I didn't delete the printers and recreate them, but I did create a new
> test printer and share it to see; even after uninstalling File and
> Print sharing and reinstalling; and stopping and restarting Print
> Spooler service and TCP/IP Print Service. No changes. Still this same
> error about the printer name being incorrect (even when accessing the
> share from the machine itself)
>
> Also, yesterday, before we resized and applied SP1, we noticed that
> our applications using Crystal Reports suddenly would suddenly fail
> consistently to export to pdf format and we would just suddenly like
> that need to include additional dll's in the setup packages;
> otherwise we got some error "invalid keycode" or "missing
> keycodev2.dll".. I mean, this has been the way we deployed packages
> all along, and on that particular machine, it's been like that since
> January. Things seem to be having a mind of their own or something.
> Anybody familiar with such occurrences on Windows2003 Server?
>
> Rico.

Interesting. The only thing I can think of is that the Server Service isn't
started, but that wouldn't seem likely since F&P services rely on the server
service. Sorry, I can't think of anything else unless I missed something
really basic here.

Ace