How to install a printer driver for an unlisted Windows OS

When installing a network printer on a Windows OS, Additional Drivers can be installed which are automatically downloaded to clients as they connect to the network printer. Unfortunately, only client OSs released at the time of the print server's OS (which could actually be any Windows OS which is sharing printers) are listed. This makes it impossible to install Additional Drivers from the server console for Windows 2000 or Windows XP drivers on a Windows NT print server, or XP drivers on a 2000 print server. However, these drivers can be "pushed" to a network printer from a client of the appropriate type.

1. Login to a client workstation of the affected type with administrative privileges. Ideally the account you use should also also have administrative rights on the print server.
2. Install the new driver on the client. This can be accomplished by either adding the driver directly through the Printers window (File -> Server Properties -> Drivers tab -> Add button) or by temporarily installing a "dummy" local printer using the new driver, then deleting the printer. The driver will stay installed.
3. If the account you are using does not have administrative rights on the print server, log out and log back in with an account that does.
4. Click Start -> Run and enter "\\" (without quotes) where SERVERNAME is the name of the print server. Press Enter.
5. A window will open showing a list of shares available on that server and a Printers and Faxes icon. Open Printers and Faxes.
6. Find the printer to which you want to add the new driver. Right-click it and choose Properties. If you are prompted to install a suitable driver for the printer, use the same driver as you installed locally.
7. Click the Sharing tab and click the Additional Drivers button.
8. Select the client OS for the new driver you wish to install and click OK.
9. You may be prompted to browse to the folder containing the client driver you installed locally, above.
10. Close all open windows.

If you run into any difficulties with this installation process, first double-check to ensure your account has administrative privileges. In rare instances, you may have to attempt the process more than once if you encounter an error.

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