Dot matrix remote printing from Windows 7

[VirtualForce]

Hey guys.

Got myself a nice little problem.

We have a hosted remote server (Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard / SP 1) setup to which users connect using Windows Remote Desktop Connection.
We have three flavours of client desktops that connect to the remote server, Win XP, Vista and Win 7.

All of them have been patched and updated to the latest and up to date. Win XP and Vista prints perfectly! However, from Windows 7 (both x86 and x64) the printing from the remote desktop is very bad and almost unreadable. Thats just doing normal Windows Printer Test Pages.

The printers are all dot matrix, some examples are EPSON FX-890, LX-300 and LX-300 II's.
Win XP and Vista's Remote Connection have been updated to the latest version, Service Packs including .net 3.5SP1. But they work fine, had to fiddle with Unires.dll in windows to get all Win XP's to work correctly.

But Windows 7 (x86 and x64) doesnt want to play ball. I'll upload some examples in a bit. From a normal laserjet the test page from the client desktop and remote desktop prints 100% but its only the damned dot matrix printers.

Again, I've updated to the latest Service Packs, Remote Desktop Connection and .Net Framework 4 Client Profile.
I've played around with various driver versions but it doesnt help. I've spoken to the guys who do the remote hosting and they say testing on their side is fine.

I think it must be the Easy Printer driver with Windows 7 that causes the issue.

Can anybody help?

 

[Bobbin]

Don't know if this will help...

http://community.spiceworks.com/top...-easy-print-windows-7-and-dot-matrix-printers

Quote from link:

Can Win7 print to them on it's own?

If it can, then you can try some using printer redirection to use the drivers. Had to do this today for a printer that Easy Print just would not print to.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/239088

Then also set the policy "Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Terminal Server\Printer Redirection\Use Terminal Services Easy Print printer driver first" to Disabled. This way if there is a printer driver installed for that printer it will use that, otherwise it will use the Easy Print driver.

 

[VirtualForce]

hehe, I hate when I leave things out...

Yeah, we currently use print redirection and thats when it prints crappy. I've also just spoken to the hosting service and they'll have a look at the part you quoted.

Thank you!

 

[VirtualForce]

Bobbin, I can kiss you....but I won't...wait, are you female and hot???

It works awesomely but now all users (Win XP, Vista and Win 7) are forced to print to A4 instead of the required letter size. I've checked that letter size is specified in the device settings and the Advanced options of the client desktop printer.

Busy googling a bit more on this.

Thanks again!

 

[Bobbin]

Lol. Glad to see it worked.

Hmmm...not sure what could be causing the A4 story if the drivers are set right. Are you spooling from specific software? Perhaps the software you are spooling from also has its own settings?

In my case our finance system is really iffy with page size no matter what the driver says and I have to make sure the printer session started on the software is also configured correctly. And this part is really just hit and miss because the system we use is pretty old.

 

[mcmx]

Hi VirtualForce,

I'm having the same problem, you said you solved it but, would you care to help me? how did you solve it?

Disabling the Easy Print driver first or using the printer mapping? or both?

Thanks,