Local printer installation via PowerShell logon script?

Posted by thehajo@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 12 comments

Hey y'all, I've created a PowerShell script that queries what AD groups the user is in. Using these groups, it will then installs printers depending on the name of the groups. From my testing so far it works, although it adds about 10 seconds of wait during logon when it first installs the printers. My questions are: How dumb is this? Should i kill it with fire? Is this r/ShittySysadmin material? (Yes, I'm try to avoid using a print server here to cut some costs, please don't crucify me for that)

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12 Comments

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Professional-Vast-97@reddit

How about a printer gpo and item level targeting with groups?

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thehajo@reddit (OP)

Because for some reason i missed the part where you can do local printers directly in GPOs, i thought only shared printers were possible... God i feel stupid now

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Professional-Vast-97@reddit

If I were you and it’s a small company with few servers, I’d install print service on one of the existing servers already for easier management

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Bluetooth_Sandwich@reddit

Especially if you have a shared file server, throw the printer management on that, it simplifies the overall process.

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thehajo@reddit (OP)

I just looked into it, and i remembered why I didn't use a GPO with item level targeting. Because that still requires me to give it a path to a deployed printer. Using PowerShell would let me circumvent that. Oh well, guess i have no other choice

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sitesurfer253@reddit

Yes please do this. Item level targeting is like 9/10 times the right answer

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coak3333@reddit

Starting a printer server is just a service as opposed to another licence.

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anonymousITCoward@reddit

I do this for machines that I roll out, I wouldn't suggest running it as a logon script. If you're on the same network you should be able to run the script remotely as well. I suppose if you built in A LOT of error control you could run it as a logon script but you shouldn't have to.

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lechango@reddit

10 seconds is a lot better than a 20 minute helpdesk call.

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Master_Direction8860@reddit

I take the 10 seconds over 20 minutes any day, especially when dealing with unrealistic user demands..

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sryan2k1@reddit

Why not use GPP and targeting?

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thehajo@reddit (OP)

Because for some reason i wasn't aware of the fact that you can do local printer installations with GPOs... I somehow must've been under the assumption that you can only do shared printers... Oh well, i guess this cleaner and more easy to trace. Thank you very much!