2600n wont install on MS 2K3 server cluster

[J-S Gauthier]

Hi there,
Ive look everywhere and i canot resolve my problem.

Were using a cluster Windows server 2003 with service pack1 for the compagny spool.

We bought this HP 2600N, i downloaded the latest drivers from HP web site selecting the 2003 versions.

I can install the printer on the server itself but i cant on the cluster. Im having this message at the very end of the process :
- Printer driver was not installed. Operation could not be completed.

I also installed this Microsoft patch without any result
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;906752

Thanks for your time !

P.S. Can someone tell me also if your using the HP Color 2600N on a Win 2k3 spool. Thx

P.P.S Sorry for my english

[Ruslan]

It's common problem, unfortunately... I think it's OS problem - not manufacture printer drivers. I have many situations when printers can't installed in clustered environment...

[Thomas Bianco]

drivers should be installed on both nodes, then a new printer utilizing those drivers should be created on the virtual server name.

drivers exist on the nodes, but everything else exists on the virtual server, and must be done via the network.

easiest way to get to the virtual server's print spooler this is to go to a client, click start, choose run, type \\ and double click printers.

keep us posted.

[Bart Verbruggen]

Hi,
I have the same problem as J-S Gauthier.
When we connect to our print server on the cluster \\servername and you select "Printer and Faxes", you still don't see the driver of the HP2600n in the manufacturer list of the server.
Has anyone an idea of how I can make this work?

[ljyoung]

I am having the same problem with the HP Color LaserJet 2600n printer.

I am running a Windows 2003 Enterprise R2 Cluster, with all the latest service packs and updates as of August 2006.

Following the normal procedure of installing a printer on a Win2K3 Cluster, I am able to install the printer drivers locally on each of the nodes. However, when attempting to add this printer to the cluster's virtual print server, it errors at the end of copying the driver files to the \\virtualname\print$\.... location.

This is NOT a common problem for us with regards to installing printers on our Win2K3 Cluster, and is the first time I have seen this problem when installing any other model HP printer on a Cluster.

[J-S Gauthier]

Hi there,

Sorry for not posting for a while... ive forgot this post...

During my research ive contacted Microsoft and finally was told that the problem was on HP side.

Ive contacted HP... and the answer was that the 2XXX and 3XXX series were not supported on WIN2K3 Clusters....

You can try Universal Drivers but in my case...it didnt worked... so were installing the printer on another server witch isnt cluster.

[NGage]

Do you have a case number from where you contacted HP on this? We are having the same issue and my management is requesting to have the information that you provided in writing.

[J-S Gauthier]

Sorry, the case number is long gone since the problem happened almost a year ago.

If you call HP all you need is the serial number of the printer. I spoke with a nice lady and explain my problem. She put me on hold and came back a few min laters with the answer writen above.

We havea couple of 2600n and there either install on a server without clustering or with direct IP printing.

Good luck

[ljyoung]

I no longer have a case number from HP, but I can verify what J-S has said.

I contacted HP support and was told that this is not supported on a Win2K3 Cluster. I had to install the printer on a seperate (non-clustered) server in order to share it out and make it available for network printing.

Perhaps one day HP will fix their drivers to allow the 2600N to work with a cluster. Until then... best of luck.

[Stewart White]

I've tried the following trick which can resolve some cluster printer driver installation issues:
1. Install the real printer driver on each of the cluster nodes
2. When setting up the print queue (e.g. Run \\Printers from a PC then open printers and Faxes, click on Add Printer) on the cluster, specify the Manufacturer as Generic and the Printer as Generic/Text Only rather than the real name (DON'T print a test page at this point - for obvious reasons)
3. Open Properties for the clustered print queue created in step 2 then select the Advanced tab and under Driver, select the driver from point 1 in the drop-down list (DON'T click on New Driver)

Although this works with some drivers I've found that some wackier PostScript drivers don't like it (there's a whole set of additional instructions for those but I am working on a generic utility for them)

If you've got any problems with the above you can e-mail me at infoATSIGNittroubleshooters.com (replace the ATSIGN with @ obviously)