Shared printer driver update not detected by clients

Gareth Davies 276 Reputation points
2022-11-09T16:49:04.383+00:00

We have a Server 2016 standard file and print server. All printers installed on there are from the same manufacturer and use the same driver.
Following a firmware update on the servers we had to update the printer driver.

Normally stopping and starting the spooler service on the client machine or telling the end user to reboot their machine twice will pull the new driver and all is good, however that is no longer happening. All client machines are Windows 10 build 21H1 or 21H2.
The only way to get the new driver installed on the client machines is to remove and add the printer on each machine.

Has there been a change to how Windows treats shared printer drivers that is making this happen?

Windows 10 Network
Windows 10 Network
Windows 10: A Microsoft operating system that runs on personal computers and tablets.Network: A group of devices that communicate either wirelessly or via a physical connection.
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Windows Server Printing
Windows Server Printing
Windows Server: A family of Microsoft server operating systems that support enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.Printing: Printer centralized deployment and management, scan and fax resources management, and document services
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  1. Alan Morris 1,156 Reputation points
    2022-11-11T15:00:29.077+00:00

    The change Microsoft made was to require admin access on the client to load the software from the server with a Type 3 driver.

    I'm guessing you are using a Type 3.

    The client printing should fail until the driver on the client matches the driver on the server with a Driver update needed message.

    Did you attempt to print from a client after the driver update?

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