Download Pcounter Workstation Manager

Pcounter Workstation Manager
April 18, 2013
Copyright © 2013
A.N.D. Technologies
4104 24th Street #627
San Francisco, CA 94114
USA
http://www.pcounter.com
[email protected]
(415) 701-9222
(415) 651-9000
Contents
Contents
Requirements .................................................................................................................................. 3
Hardware/Software Requirements ................................................................................................ 3
Restrictions .................................................................................................................................. 3
Overview and Installation ................................................................................................................. 3
Supported Printers and Spooling ..................................................................................................... 3
Printer Configuration Profiles ........................................................................................................... 5
Pcounter Popup Notes ................................................................................................................. 5
Scripting .......................................................................................................................................... 6
Troubleshooting ............................................................................................................................... 7
Access Denied Errors ................................................................................................................... 7
Group Policy Editor ................................................................................................................... 7
Windows Explorer on Win XP ................................................................................................... 8
RPC Server Unavailable (1722) Errors ...................................................................................... 9
Windows Vista/7/8 Enabling File and Printer Sharing ................................................................ 9
Remote Registry Service ............................................................................................................ 10
Administrative Shares................................................................................................................. 11
Virus Scanning ........................................................................................................................... 11
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Requirements
Hardware/Software Requirements


Windows NT 4.0 Workstation or higher. Windows 2000 Professional or higher.
Pcounter running on a Windows data or print server.
Restrictions



This usage of PCOUNTER.EXE is only supported on workstations. It is not supported on servers.
The results may be unpredictable if this usage of PCOUNTER.EXE is deployed on workstations using
Pcounter ports.
WSManager will limit management to 5 workstations during evaluation/trial modes.
Overview and Installation
The Pcounter Printer Control service (PCOUNTER.EXE) can be used as a low profile print monitor to track
local printers attached to workstations. All data is converted into Pcounter log format (CSV) and is integrated
into the Pcounter reporting structure.
Run WSManager to configure and setup PCOUNTER.EXE. Generally it is recommended to run
WSManager from the Pcounter Data Server, as the list of workstations and printer configuration profiles is
maintained there.
Copy WSManager.exe to a directory on the data server (the Pcounter share or the Pcounter program
directory) and run it from that location.
WSManager is used to distribute software and configuration data to workstations.
The workstations will also receive their own copies of PCOUNTER.INI, which contains the Global and Popup
Settings, as well as the printer configuration profiles, which can then be applied to local printers.
Supported Printers and Spooling
Pcounter Workstation Manager should be able to track any type of printer that is defined as a local printer on
the workstation. This includes (but is not limited to) printers that are configured to use Windows TCP/IP
Ports, USB Ports, Parallel Ports and the Local Port. However, Pcounter Workstation Manager cannot track
network printers where the queues are hosted on remote servers. (Use the Pcounter server product for
that.)
It is still possible for Pcounter Workstation Manager to track jobs sent to network print queues, if the desktop
printer object is changed from a Network Printer to a Local Printer.
1. Open the Printers control panel.
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2. Select “Add a printer”.
3. Create a new Local Printer.
4. Add a new Local Port and for the port name, enter the UNC path to the remote network print queue (ie.
\\SERVER\SHARE).
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5. Select the printer driver – if a network printer connection already exists, then the printer driver should
already be installed – otherwise install the new printer driver.
6. After the “Local” version of the network printer is created, then the “Network” desktop printer object can
be deleted at the workstation.
Printer Configuration Profiles
Printer configurations are organized into profiles for ease of deployment. Each profile may be assigned to
multiple printers, on multiple computers. If a tracked printer has not been assigned a specific profile, then it
will use the default.
Pcounter Popup Notes
Disabling popups
Enable popup on jobs 0 pages or larger
Enabling popups on all jobs
Enable popup on jobs 1 pages or larger
Popups only on jobs 5 pages or largerEnable popup on jobs 5 pages or larger
Ppopup.exe should be run with the following syntax in order to recognize Pcounter on the local machine.
D:\path\ppopup.exe /server=\\. (Note the “.” at the end)
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Scripting
It is possible to issue commands using PCOUNTER.EXE, in order to install and update services. In fact,
WSManager generates script commands and runs them from the GUI.
In all cases, a remote computer name may be specified. If it is not, then action takes place on the
local computer.
If the command is intended to configure a local machine, then the Pcounter Data Server should be
specified in an environment variable, for example: SET DATASERVER=\\YOURDATASERVER
D:\path\pcounter.exe install [\\computerName]
Installs Pcounter service, copies profile and configuration files, and starts the service.
D:\path\pcounter.exe update [\\computerName]
Updates Pcounter service, copies profile and configuration files, and restarts the service.
D:\path\pcounter.exe remove [\\computerName]
Removes Pcounter service.
D:\path\pcounter.exe start [\\computerName]
Starts Pcounter service.
D:\path\pcounter.exe stop [\\computerName]
Stops Pcounter service.
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Troubleshooting
Access Denied Errors
Configuration scripts should be run with Administrator or equivalent permission.
If installation fails on remote Windows XP machines in a workgroup, it may be because Simple File
Sharing is enabled, which effectively disables remote administrative access to a machine. Simple
File Sharing can be disabled in the following ways:
Group Policy Editor
1. Run “gpedit.msc”
2. Choose “Local Computer Policy”
3. Click “Computer Configuration”
4. Expand the following branches:
a. Windows Settings
b. Security Settings
c. Local Policies
d. Security Options.
5. Right click and set Network Access: Sharing and security model for local accounts to
Classic – local users authenticate as themselves.
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Windows Explorer on Win XP
1. Click “Tools” on the tool bar and click “Folder Options” on the drop down menu.
2. Go to the View tab
3. In the Advanced Settings field scroll down to the bottom and uncheck Use simple file sharing.
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RPC Server Unavailable (1722) Errors
Please make sure that ports 137-139 are open from the computer running WSManager to
workstations.
This error will also occur if File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is disabled or not installed.
If it is impossible to configure a workstation remotely, then it will have to be done from the workstation
desktop. Using an Administrator-equivalent account, run WSManager using a UNC path to the
executable on the data server, for example: \\DATASERVER\PCOUNTER\WSManager.exe
Windows Vista/7/8 Enabling File and Printer Sharing
1. Launch control Panel
2. Go into the Network and Sharing Center
3. Click on “Change advanced sharing settings”
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4. Make sure File and Printer Sharing are turned on.
5. If file and printer sharing was turned off, turn it on and press “Save changes”
Remote Registry Service
The Remote Registry service is required by WSManager. The service is disabled by default on Win 8.
WSManager will attempt to start and stop this service in order to write registry values if necessary.
If WSManager fails to start the service automatically:
1. Run “services.msc”
2. Locate “Remote Registry” service.
3. Right click it and choose “Properties”
4. In the General tab change the Startup type to “Automatic”
5. Click “OK” and start the service
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Administrative Shares
The administrative shares are disabled by default in a workgroup (but enabled in an AD domain).
These are required for WSManager to copy files to the remote computers. To enable:
1. run Regedit
2. browse to the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
\System
Create a new DWORD value called LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy, set to 1, and restart the
computer.
Virus Scanning
Please make sure that Pcounter.exe, the Windows Spooler, and spool folders are exempt from virus
scanning.
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