created the print queue configuration, there is no problem reading this configuration and all of the print jobs functions as expected. However, when a Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 client makes a connection to this shared printer on the Windows NT 4.0 print server, it is vended the added version-3 printer driver. In this illustration, the version-3 printer driver is not written to be able to correctly interpret the data structure which stores the print queue configuration and this does have an impact on printing functionality because the version-3 printer driver on the Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 client does not “see” all of the installed options as they are configured in the version-2 printer driver on the print server.

Figure 80: Mixed driver-version compatibility

Symptoms of driver incompatibility in a mixed OS environment

There is no single set of symptoms to be seen when client and server printer drivers are not compatible, but common symptoms include the clients not being able to see the proper queue configuration with respect to installed device options and default settings. Other problems in functionality can include the inability to print in landscape or from a specific paper tray.

When an incompatible mix of version-2 and version-3 printer drivers is present in the environment, unexpected behavior can occur due to some of the more subtle behaviors of Point and Print that are not obvious. The following figures illustrate an environment that contains incompatible version-2 and version-3 printer drivers. This section examines examples of how incompatible drivers can affect printing functionality.

In the example illustrated in the following figure, there is a Windows NT 4.0 print server and a Windows 2000 print server. The Windows 2000 client illustrated in this figure is a laptop computer user who occasionally travels between different office locations for business.

In Event #1, at the home office, the Windows 2000 client makes a connection to the local print server. This local print server is running Windows NT 4.0 and contains only a version-2 driver for the printer in question. Suppose, for example, that this is the “HP LaserJet 4000 Series PCL 6” version-2 driver. The Windows 2000 client is vended this version-2 printer driver and because client and server are both running the same printer driver, printing works as expected.

In Event #2, the client takes a business trip to a remote site. While at the remote site, the client user needs to print and makes a connection to a shared printer. The server for this shared printer at the remote site is hosted from a print server that has been migrated to Windows 2000 and contains a version-3 driver, which is also the “HP LaserJet 4000 Series PCL 6” printer driver. Now, the client computer already has a printer driver named “HP LaserJet 4000 Series

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Print server operating system migration

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