How do I print from server VM to local printer

Question

I have a 2 user office network which I am trying to move to Azure. I was hoping to use one instance of Windows Server 2022 as that allows two users and makes maintaining everything much easier.

The problem I have is if I RDP into the VM from my desk my local printers do not get redirected and so I cannot print from the VM to my local printer.

As a test I have created a Windows 10 VM and if I RDP to that the printer is available.

Is it possible to redirect a local printer to Windows Server 2022? If so how?

Thank you for any help.

Answer 1

For a print server, I always Enable the policy to block printer redirection.

It is a best practice for print servers but may be on this machine that is not a print server, someone did enable the policy

Computer / Admin templates / Windows Components

The policy to turn off printer redirection is not enabled by default.

Check the Windows Application logs during the log on. I think RDS logs to that event channel.

Thanks

Answer 2

Good Morning, do not allow client printer redirection is "not configured". Should I set it to "disabled"?

Answer 3

Just as an update, I do get Fax (redirected 2), Microsoft Print to PDF (redirected 2) etc listed as printers but not my local HP printer but when connecting to my test Windows 10 VM the HP printer is listed.

Answer 4

Hi @Neil Taylor not configured is disabled. You are good there and getting the redirected printers. Were any of the other default settings changed for RDS printers. The MS Remote Desktop EasyPrint driver should be in use for the printer. It's a driver I have never trusted, because I opened bugs when I could make it crash that the TS team didn't want to address, so I typically delete it off my print servers. They might have fixed the bugs but as I previously stated, I turn the feature off in my environment. Have you installed the same HP driver on the server you are remoting to? The name must match between client and server. The redirected printer can't be added without a driver. The default is to set up the redirected printer using the Easy Print driver. I don't trust it. Install the actual driver for printer on the server. I would then log off from the session, then log back in. If the printer is failing, I do expect RDS event logs. Event 1111 was the event when the driver is missing so the printer can't be redirected. Thanks

Answer 5

Hi @Alan Morris thank you for your further response.

If I try and install my printer on my Server 2022 VM I get a message saying "this OS is not supported" so I went to the HP website and found the driver for Server 2019. I ran up a Server 2019 VM and tried to install the driver and I still get the same error message!!!!

The frustrating bit is that the printer works on my Windows 10 VM.

I may have to resign myself to having two networked Windows 10/11 VMs rather than using one install of Server 2022.