Defualt Printer keeps Changing

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In Windows XP SP2 whenever I re-boot my default printer changes. Any
ideas on how to keep the default from changing?

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

If you're using Windows XP Professional, you may audit the following registry key (which is where the default printer setting is stored):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows

By auditing the above key, you can determine the name of the process which is reverting the default printer setting at every restart. In the above branch, the value named "Device" stores the name and location of the printer which you set as the default.

More details on registry auditing:

How to use Group Policy to configure auditing of Windows registry keys in XP Professional?:
http://www.winxptutor.com/auditreg.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

<ad...@ejourney.com> wrote in message news:1170993059....@h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

[ad...@ejourney.com]

On Feb 9, 3:26 am, "Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ram...@XOX.mvps.org> wrote:
> If you're using Windows XP Professional, you may audit the following registry key (which is where the default printer setting is stored):
>
> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
>
> By auditing the above key, you can determine the name of the process which is reverting the default printer setting at every restart. In the above branch, the value named "Device" stores the name and location of the printer which you set as the default.
>
> More details on registry auditing:
>

Alas, I don't have Professional. Any ideas for the Home edition?

> How to use Group Policy to configure auditing of Windows registry keys in XP Professional?:http://www.winxptutor.com/auditreg.htm
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
> Windows® XP Troubleshootinghttp://www.winhelponline.com
>

> <a...@ejourney.com> wrote in messagenews:1170993059....@h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

>> Any ideas for the Home edition?

You could try using RegMon to monitor registry accesses in realtime. This is ideal if the default printer changes during the current logon session, but not during logon/logoff.

RegMon for Windows v7.04
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/regmon.mspx

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

<ad...@ejourney.com> wrote in message news:1171025625.9...@k78g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

[Nyco_ork]

Ramesh, I have the same problem, although I'm not sure if the default printer
is changed at logon/logoff or during a session. It seems totally random. I've
followed your link to the tutorial about registry monitoring.

My question is this: once the user has determined which app is changing the
default printer, what's the solution? Is there any way to "lock" the default
printer so that apps can't change it without, say, administrator approval?

RB

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Hi RB,

>> what's the solution?

Uninstall/re-configure that application. Or, run a .REG file at every startup to set the default printer as per your choice.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

"Nyco_ork" <Nyc...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:FF1CCF2B-46B1-4726...@microsoft.com...

[Nyco_ork]

Thanks, Ramesh