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Migrating a print server from 2012 to 2019 steps?

I am migrating our print server from a Windows Server 2012 VM to a physical Windows Server 2019 box. I wondering if my steps sound correct.

  • Export the printer queues on the 2012 box by right-clicking the node in Print Management and selecting export to file

  • Import that file from Print Management on the 2019 box

  • Rename the 2012 box, give it a different IP and reboot

  • Rename the 2019 box with the name the old 2012 box had, give it the IP of the old box and reboot

  • Test printing


Does this sound correct or am I missing something?



windows-server-2019windows-server-2012windows-server-print
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MISAdmin-6413 answered

During my testing, I found that our Zebra printers would not install on Windows 10 once the printers were migrated to Server 2019. I use Group Policy with the "Update" option to install these printers. I couldn't even install them manually without an error similar to "a policy is preventing this printer from installing". It turned out to be the driver version on the new server. I had to get the newest driver from Zebra. I changed the driver in each queue and the printers installed but some features didn't work correctly. I then deleted the print queues and re-created them using the latest drivers. This was very tedious because each queue had many setting changes that needed to be made. I wish there was a quicker way of doing this.

Now I'm thinking that because of the driver change, I'm going to need to change the Group Policies for these queues from "Update" to "Replace" once the new server goes live. Hopefully that deletes the queues on the client PCs and replace them with the new ones.

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MISAdmin-6413 answered GaryReynolds commented

Hi Gary, yes, good point. WIll add that. Thanks. I'm hoping someone can reply with info on how this will work... especially on the clients who already have the PCs pointing to the queues via \\printer name\queue.

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GaryReynolds avatar image GaryReynolds ·

As you are changing the target server name to be the same as the source, the client will connect to the new server when they try to print.

The only other thing to check, if there are any specific permissions applied to the queues, have these been carried over.

As I suggested, testing is critical and if there are any doubt or concerns, test again and close out the concerns.

The advantage with your approach, if something does go wrong, you have the option to failback to the original server.

Gary.

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GaryReynolds answered

Hi,

I've never used the export feature, so can't confirm if this will work our not, but I would add an additional step between steps two and three on your list, - confirm the imported printers and queues work before continuing.

Gary.

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