Client-mapped printers, how to troubleshoot from the server end?, in the Printing forum on BrianMadden.com

I have a user in a far off land (Boston) that can't print to their client-mapped printer from their Citrix session. I see them log in and map the printer, and I see what appear to be successful print logs in the event logs, but something is happening on the user's end to block the print jobs. They can print just fine on other computers to the same printer. Everything dictates that it's an end user PC issue, but I would like to be able to troubleshoot it a bit further and confirm that there's a connection breakdown from the server to the client.

I've tried mapping to the client session's printer and printing through there with the same results. Should there be an open port that I can telnet to from the server that I can compare with a working PC? I've tried the default 1494 to several client machines with no luck. Or if there's another way to confirm that the server can not connect to this PC, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks,
Matt

Printing goes through a virtual channel within the ICA session, so you can't really telnet to anything.

If you make the user a local administrator on the problem PC, does the printer then map?

Do other client side printers on this problem PC get mapped (i.e. is the problem isolated to a single printer driver)?

Are you using native printer drivers, manufacturer custom drivers, or the Citrix UPD?

Assuming you are using native drivers, try changing the client side driver to something more generic. For example, if the client side printer is an HP Color Laserjet 4700, try using the native MS driver for an HP Color Laserjet 5 printer. Does that work?

This sounds like a driver problem, but you've haven't provided enough information to be certain...

>> If you make the user a local administrator on the problem PC, does the printer then map?

The printer already maps, and print jobs appear to go through as far as the event logs are concerned, but they never make it to the printer.

>> Do other client side printers on this problem PC get mapped (i.e. is the problem isolated to >> a single printer driver)?

Yes, client-side printing works for everyone else, and it works for others that use this same printer.

>> Are you using native printer drivers, manufacturer custom drivers, or the Citrix UPD?

Native HP drivers.

>> Assuming you are using native drivers, try changing the client side driver to something >> >> more generic. For example, if the client side printer is an HP Color Laserjet 4700, try >> >> using the native MS driver for an HP Color Laserjet 5 printer. Does that work?
>>
>> This sounds like a driver problem, but you've haven't provided enough information to be >> >> certain...

I'm 99% sure it's a local PC problem. It's possible that that PC has the wrong drivers loaded and I am waiting on the admin to test and get back to me. I was just hoping that it would be possible to troubleshoot this from a server connection perspective and be able to say that something on the client is blocking communication.

The printer is getting mapped properly, so it is unlikely that the server event logs will provide useful troubleshooting information (although it's worth a quick look). The client PC event logs might prove more useful.

As I asked before, do other client side printers on this problem PC get mapped? What I'm driving at is whether ANY client side printers from this PC actually work via Citrix - if other drivers map and print properly on this PC then it's likely a driver issue with the problem printer. That was also the reason I asked whether making the user a local admin resolves the issue as this would indicate a permissions issue. You need to investigate both of these avenues to narrow things down.

You said you are using "Native HP drivers" - the only native drivers are MS certified drivers that come with the OS, any drivers downloaded from HP are not native. Try using the MS native drivers that come with Windows XP on the client side as manufacturer drivers are sometimes flakey.

Finally, what HP model is giving you the problems? Not all HP printers are compatible with Citrix.

Well, I have had the same type of issues and the printer is not turned on...

Is it a Windows client?

Get the users to connect to Citrix and then test a local print from a local App, then map a Citrix UPD (if Windows) select 'preview on client' and then print, does the user get a copy of the print in the viewer?  Is there a time delay and/or B/W restrictions?  Then using the preview option print to a selection of local/network printers/print to file/PDF Printers, just to get an idea.

--Emil