Print Operators Members Cannot Add Printer Driver on Domain Controller (259574)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

This article was previously published under Q259574

SYMPTOMS

When a member of the Print Operators group attempts to install a third-party printer driver on a domain controller with a system volume that uses the NTFS file system, the installation may not succeed and the following error message may appear:

Printer driver was not installed - access denied

CAUSE

When you add the printer driver, Windows 2000 copies the printer's .inf file to the %SystemRoot%\Inf folder. However, members of the Print Operators group do not have permission to write to the %SystemRoot%\Inf folder, and access is denied.

WORKAROUND

Use one of the following workarounds to install the printer driver:

Install the printer driver while you are logged on as an administrator or a member of the Server Operators group.
Give members of the Print Operators group Write permission on the %SystemRoot%\Inf folder.
Copy the .inf file to the %SystemRoot%\Inf folder in advance while you are logged on as an administrator or a member of the Server Operator group.

MORE INFORMATION

This behavior does not occur with the printer drivers that are included with Windows 2000 because the .inf files already exist in the %SystemRoot%\Inf folder.

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

244600 Default NTFS Permissions in Windows 2000

217050 Description of Default Security Settings in Windows 2000

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	11/4/2003
Keywords:	kbActiveDirectory kbDriver kbprb kbprint w2000adprint w2000print w2000printdrv KB259574