# blocks NT 4.0 driver policy



## MrHelaman (Jan 11, 2012)

I have a customer who uses server 2008r2. They are a gardening center and they use a thermal printer in order to print labels to stick on their pots. It is an older printer and naturally has the kernel mode drivers. You probably already know where I'm going with this comment.

The printer is directly connected to a Windows XP machine where it has been shared. On two of the workstations they wish to install the drivers. Right of the box we got the error cannot install kernel mode drivers. I had gone in to the group policy and turned off or disabled the not allowing kernel mode drivers. 

So I go back in and click on printers and devices and I can see the thermal printer but when I click on it, immediately I get an error that the NT 4.0 drivers have been blocked due to a policy-setting.

We have been wrestling with this problem for several days, I've been googling and even popped in the Yahoo searches in order to find a way to disable this policy. I have managed to get the drivers on the server and workstation by using the IP of the windows XP machine. Naturally, I'm still not printing to the thermal printer. 

Also, there are no user mode drivers available so no sense even suggesting that. The customer considered buying a new printer but the support at the manufacturers (Toshiba) told her that even a brand-new printer will have the same problems. The the gentleman at the support center tried to walk us through installing the drivers. He says normally once the kernel mode is disabled there is no problem. I think it has to do with this is a very current version of Windows server 2008r2.

Yes the customer knows the risk of installing kernel mode printer drivers. They are kind of over a barrel and need to be able to set up this printer which will work with their POS system which is why they proceeded to set up a server and workstations. By the way, they are the largest garden center in our County and they really need to automate their system.

So first of all is it even possible to disable this block NT 4.0 drivers on the server? If it is possible how do you do it? Or is there even a workaround? We are all getting a little desperate, they are about ready to begin using their POS system and need the printer in order to complete the process.

TIA


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## peterh40 (Apr 15, 2007)

Try these policies in GPEDIT on Windows 2008 R2:
Computer Configuration, Windows Settings, security settings, Local Policies, Security Options and change 
Devices: Prevent users from installing printer drivers.

The policy for disallowing kernel mode drivers seems to only apply to Windows 2003 or lower.


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