Create a new GPO under Group Policy Management

Assign the Printer based on Computer or User Configuration.

  • Expand Preferences – Control Panel Settings – Printers – Assign New Printers

For Windows XP Clients follow the steps below:

Install update on XP Clients to support 2008 Preferences. (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943729)

To use the PushPrinterConnections.exe file
1. Using Group Policy Management console (gpmc.msc), right-click the GPO with your printer connections settings, and then click Edit.
2. In the Group Policy Object Editor tree, navigate to one following locations:
"If the printer connections are deployed per-machine, go to Computer Configuration, Windows Settings, Scripts (Startup/Shutdown).
"If the printer connections are deployed per-user, go to User Configuration, Windows Settings, Scripts (Logon/Logoff).
3. Right-click Startup or Logon, and then click Properties.
4. In the Logon Properties or Startup Properties dialog box, click Show Files.
5. Copy the PushPrinterConnections.exe file to this location and then close the window.
6. In the Logon Properties or Startup Properties dialog box, click Add.
7. Type PushPrinterConnections.exe in the Script Name box.
8. If you want to enable logging, type log in the Script Parameters box. Log files are written to %windir%\temp\ppcMachine.log (for per-computer connections) and %temp%\ppcUser.log (for per-user connections) on the computer on which the policy is applied.
9. Click OK.