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Q227908: Domain-Level Printer List Is Not Refreshed

Article: Q227908
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kbnetwork kbprint
Last Modified: 11-JUN-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
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IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS
========

When you use the Add Printer Wizard to add a printer, networked printers are
listed at both the domain level and the server level. The list of printers at
the domain level may not be correctly refreshed as printers on a server are
removed, and the printers remain in the list. Printers at the server level are
appropriately refreshed and removed from the list.

Also, no domain-level printers may be listed, even when there are networked
printers at the server level in the printer browse list.

CAUSE
=====

When a printer is shared, the share name is announced to approximately three
servers in that domain. Then, the selection algorithm is re-announced every 10
minutes. Names are also re-announced when new shares are created on the server.
The Spooler service listens to these announcements, adds the printer(s) to its
list of printers, and records a time stamp. The time stamp is refreshed every 10
minutes. If a printer is not refreshed in 70 minutes, it is removed from the
list.

RESOLUTION
==========

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems
that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot
guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor
incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

The "NetPrinterDecayPeriod" registry value specifies how long to cache a
networked printer. The cache is used to present the list of printers when the
browse list is used. The time-out value can be changed in the registry. This
setting needs to be made on the print server.

The following registry entries manipulate client and server behavior in regard to
print browsing:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print

DisableServerThread REG_DWORD
Range: 0 or 1
Default: 0 (false)
Set this to 1 (true) to disable the browse thread on the current computer. This
thread is used to call other print servers to notify them that this printer
exists.

ServerThreadTimeout REG_DWORD
Range: Milliseconds
Default: 36,000 (36 seconds)
Specifies the amount of time the ServerThread sleeps before it calls all the
other print servers to notify them of the printers on this computer.

NetPrinterDecayPeriod REG_DWORD
Range: Milliseconds
Default: 3,600,000 (1 hour)
Specifies how long to cache a network printer. The cache is used to present the
list of printers when the browse list is used.

RefreshTimesPerDecayPeriod REG_DWORD
Range: 1 - 5
Default: 2
Specifies how many times to inform the browse masters and backup servers per
decay period. The default value is two times per hour. Do not set a zero value
if you specify both RefreshTimesPerDecayPeriod and ServerThreadTimeout; the
system will wait for the maximum of either the ServerThreadTimeout or the
RefreshTimesPerDecayPeriod.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products that are
listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION
================

For additional information about printer browsing and printer browsing registry
entries, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q161734 Windows NT Print Browsing Architecture


Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbenv kbnetwork kbprint 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : :4.0
Issue type        : kbbug

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