Samba as a print server

[Frank Varnavas]

Craig Huckabee <huck at cs.wisc.edu> writes:
>    Is anyone else successfully using SAMBA as a print server for
>    Windows NT workstations?
> 
>    We're trying to eliminate our NT servers and our NT domain and print=
> ing
>    is the last real snag I have.  I've set up a Solaris 2.5.1 machine
>    running 1.9.17p2 of SAMBA as a test.
> 
>    When I try to add a printer I get the error described in section 3.7
>    of the FAQ ("You do not have sufficient access to your machine to co=
> nnect
>    to the selected printer, since a driver needs to be installed locall=
> y.").
>    So, I added the printer driver name and added the print$ share on th=
> e
>    SAMBA server, and copied the driver files required to that share.
> 
>    But, I still get the same error.  So, I cranked up the debug level
>    and tried to find the problem - nothing obvious stuck out.
> 
>    Can anyone tell me what else to try or change to make this work?
>    I've added on my short smb.conf file below.
> 
>    Thanks,
>    Craig
> 

I have asked in the past that the following be added to the FAQ or the
docs directory but so far no luck.  Here goes again.

When an NT client attempts to connect  to a printer  on a non-NT print
server the attempt is failed with an error, something like:
 
   "You have insufficient access to your computer to perform the
    operation because a driver needs to be installed"
 
This is  because  domain users  must  have 'Power User'  status on the
desktop to connect to printers on a non-NT print server.

This  error  occurs regardless of  whether  the driver  in question is
already installed or not.  What it really means is  that the server is
a non-NT  server  and the client does  not  have permission to  create
printers  locally.   Apparently when a   connection to a  non-NT print
server is made the printer is defined  locally.  Such an action can be
performed   by  either a   local    administrator  or  a Power   User.
Unfortunately there is no way to limit the powers of a Power User, nor
is there any way to grant the Printer Creation right to another group.
 
This permission policy is documented in PSS database WINNT, ID Q101874

Sorry
Frank Varnavas (varnavas at ny.ubs.com)