Printer Redirection Architecture in Windows Server Terminal Services

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In Windows Server Terminal Services, a client's local printer ports are redirected when you establish a Terminal Services session. After a connection is established, the following procedure occurs:

1. The list of local printers (COM, LPT, and USB) on the client is enumerated from the registry.
2. Printer driver string names on the client are queried.
3. The driver string names are compared to currently installed printers for matching driver names.
4. If the server has a matching string for a currently installed driver, the printer is redirected.
5. If the server does not find a matching driver name from those drivers that are currently installed, the server checks for a matching string name in Ntprint.inf. If a match is found, the server extracts and installs the driver from the Driver.cab file on the server, and then the server redirects the client printer that is using that driver.
6. If the server does not find a matching driver name in Ntprint.inf, it does not redirect the client printer, and an event that states that the printer could not be redirected is logged.
   
   For additional information about the events that may be logged, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   239088 Windows 2000 Terminal Services Server Logs Events 1111, 1105, and 1106

NOTE: The client's network printers are not redirected. For additional information about why network printers are not redirected, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

264039 Windows 2000 Terminal Services Does Not Redirect Network Printer

The Ntprint.inf file is located in the %SystemRoot%\Inf folder on the Windows Server-based computer, which is usually C:\Winnt\Inf.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

243552 How to Add a Redirected Client Printer Using Terminal Services

Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2) includes new functionality that updates the way in which Windows 2000 handles printer redirection in Terminal Services. It allows for greater flexibility in determining how drivers are mapped and allows a greater range of printers to be redirected using a mapping file. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

275495 Printer Redirection or Upgrade May Not Work