How do I troubleshoot printing issues with my Windows WorkSpace?

Short description

Windows WorkSpaces support local printer redirection and network printers. When you print from an application in your WorkSpace, you can find local printers in your list of available printers.

In WorkSpaces, basic remote printing is activated by default. With basic remote printing, you can access limited printing capabilities. This setting uses a generic printer driver on the host side to allow compatible printing.

You can use advanced remote printing in PCoIP WorkSpaces clients to access specific printer features, such as double-sided printing. To use advanced remove printing, you must install the matching printer driver on the host side. If you encounter issues with an advanced remote printing feature, then see When I print from a Windows WorkSpace to a local printer, why do I experience document formatting or printer feature issues?

Note: You can use network printing and cloud printing in the WorkSpaces clients for iPad, Android, Chromebook, web access, and Linux. However, you can't use local printing in these clients.

Resolution

Print a test page

First, check print a test page from your local client computer to rule out printer hardware problems. This test also verifies that you have the latest printer drivers installed on your local client. If you can't print from your client computer, then use the printer documentation and support to resolve the issue.

If you can print from the local client computer, then make sure that you're using the latest WorkSpaces client application. For information about how to check your client version, see Determine your client version. Also, reboot the WorkSpace to install or fix required printing components.

If you still encounter issues, then complete the following steps to reset the print spooler on the WorkSpace:

1. In the taskbar search box, enter Services, and then select Services.
2. Choose the Standards tab, and then choose (double-click) Print Spooler.
3. Choose Stop, and then choose OK.
4. In the taskbar search box, enter %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers, and then select %WINDIR%\system32\spool\PRINTERS.
5. Delete all files in the folder.
6. In the taskbar search box, enter Services, and then select Services.
7. Choose the Standards tab, and then choose (double-click) Print Spooler.
8. Choose Start, and then for Startup Type, select Automatic.
9. Choose OK.

To check whether the local printers redirect in the WorkSpaces, complete the following steps:

1. Open your WorkSpaces client.
2. Choose the start menu, and then enter Print Management. Then, choose Print Management.
3. Under All Printers, check the Queue status column to verify that the redirected printer's queue is ready.
4. Open the context (right-click) menu for the redirected printer, and then choose Print Test Page.
5. Verify that the local client print spooler queues the print job from your WorkSpace.

Note that local printers use the following naming conventions based on the WorkSpace protocol that you use:

• PCoIP: local-printer-name (Local - username.computername)
• DCV: local-printer-name - Redirected (Client computername)
• DCV: local-printer-name - Redirected (computername)

Note: When you print a test page, you get information about the printer's properties and driver that you can use for additional troubleshooting.

Troubleshoot common printing issues

First, make sure that you correctly configured your local printer.

Check your system configurations

Complete the following steps:

1. In the taskbar search box, enter Services, and then select Services.
2. Choose the Standards tab.
3. For Print Spooler, check that the Status is Running and that the Start type is Automatic.
   For PCoIP WorkSpaces, also check these values for Teradici PCoIP Printing Service.
4. For a service that isn't Running, open the context (right-click) menu for the service, and then choose Start.
5. For a service that doesn't have an Automatic start type, choose (double-click) the service name. Then, select Automatic in the Startup type dropdown list. Finally, choose Apply.

Also, make sure that your antivirus or security software doesn't block required WorkSpaces components.

(PCoIP only) Check that the required processes are running

In the taskbar search box, enter Task Manager, and then select Task Manager. In the Details tab, verify that there are two pcoip_vchan_loader.exe process running. One vchan process is for clipboard redirection and other is for printer redirection. If you don't see two processes running, then proceed to the next troubleshooting section.

Make sure that the required files and drivers are installed

For PCoIP WorkSpaces, navigate to C:\Program Files\Teradici\PCoIP Agent\drivers\Printer-Plugin, and then make sure that the following files are present in the folder:

• pcoip_printer_msg.dll
• pcoip_vchan_printing_svc
• pcoip_vchan_remoteprintserver.dll

For DCV WorkSpaces, navigate to C:\Program Files\NICE\DCV\Server\drivers\printer, and then make sure that the following files are present in the folder:

• awsvirtualprinterdriver.cat
• AWSVirtualPrinterDriver.dll
• AWSVirtualPrinterDriver.gpd
• AWSVirtualPrinterDriver.inf
• AWSVirtualPrinterDriver.ini
• AWSVirtualPrinterDriver-PipelineConfig.xml

To check whether the generic printer drivers are installed on the WorkSpaces, run the following PowerShell command:

PCoIP:

Get-PrinterDriver | Where-Object -Property Name -EQ -Value "Teradici Client Render XPS"

DCV:

Get-PrinterDriver | Where-Object -Property Name -EQ -Value "AWS Virtual Printer"

If the driver or files are missing, then complete the following steps to install them:

1. Use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to connect to your WorkSpace.
2. Chose the start menu, and then enter Add or Remove Programs.
3. For PCoIP WorkSpaces, choose PCOIP Standard Agent. For DCV WorkSpaces, choose WSP. Then, choose Uninstall.
   Note: You need local administrator permission to uninstall the programs.
4. Use the WorkSpaces console to reboot the WorkSpace.
5. Wait for 15 minutes, and then connect to the WorkSpaces client to print a test page.

Troubleshoot printing issues in WorkSpaces that use network printers

If you use network printers, then it's a best practice to configure the printers in WorkSpaces, not redirect them from local client machine to WorkSpaces. Make sure the WorkSpace can communicate with the network printers on the required ports for your configuration.

Related information

Printing from a WorkSpace

Configure printer support for DCV

Configure printer support for PCoIP