How can I run rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry via group policy to install printers on systems.

Ok, I should give more of an explaination....

I have created a .cmd file (could just as well be a .bat file, i just felt like making a .cmd today).  Inside of this file I have it running the command:
        rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /c\\%1 /n\\%2

        start /wait sc \\%1 stop spooler
        start /wait sc \\%1 start spooler

I then have made a GPO to run the newly created cmd file.  "\\domain\NETLOGON\PrinterAdd.cmd"  and as variables, I have %COMPUTERNAME% and servername\printershare.  (Of note, the GPO is applied to a Computer OU, and the script is set in the Computer Settings of the GPO.   The GPO is set to Loopback - Merge.)

This should, run the command and in place of the variables %1 and %2 insert the appropriate values so that we end up with something that equates to:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /c\\ComputerName /n\\Servername\PrinterShare

Which would, err, should add the printer globally (for any and all users on the local system).  I added the spooler bit at the end so that it will force a restart of the spooler service so I dont have to log off and log back on to see the newly added printer.

In fact, it does work correctly.  However, the problem I run into, is that the above script needs to be ran as local admin rights.  So any domain admin account or local admin account will do.  The problem is, that I want to use this for a lab in a school where the students and teachers will not have the appropriate access to run this.  In my testing, I created a "test" student account and it when I logged on the first time, the printer was there, I deleted it and restarted and relogged in again as the same user, and the script is not being applied.

I believe the reason for this is the lack of credentials.  So to my question.

Is there a way to get the above code to work for restricted users?  I.e. something similar to a RunAs  but for an entire policy?  I would prefer to not have the username/password hard coded into the script, but maybe as a second variable, or have it call another file that would make it easy to check the credentials used by the script at all locations it gets called on.

I could use the vbs scripting method of objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection strUNCPrinter  but I have had some difficulties lately and am looking for an alternative.  And I dont want to make it so that one of the people who do have admin access have to go by and log in for the script to work everytime a student decides to delete their printer.

Any help is appreciated.Start Free Trial