How do I troubleshoot printing issues with my Windows WorkSpaces?

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I'm having problems printing from Amazon WorkSpaces for Windows. How do I troubleshoot these issues?

Short description

Windows WorkSpaces supports local printer redirection and network printers. When you print from an application in your WorkSpace, local printers are included in your list of available printers.

Basic remote printing

Basic remote printing is turned on by default. Basic remote printing offers limited printing by using a generic printer driver on the host side. This setting allows for compatible basic printing functionality, but you can't use all the printer's available features. Depending on the device type, basic remote printing might require a matching printer driver on the host side.

Advanced remote printing

Advanced remote printing for Windows clients lets you use specific printer features, such as double-sided printing. To use specific printer features, install the matching printer driver on the host side.

Resolution

To troubleshoot printing issues in Windows WorkSpaces, follow these steps:

1.    Confirm that you can print as expected from your local client computer. Do this to rule out printer hardware problems and to verify that you have the latest printer drivers installed on your local client.

2.    Verify that you have the latest WorkSpaces client application. If not, update your WorkSpace's client application version. Then, attempt printing from your WorkSpace to determine if printing issues persist.

3.    Reboot the WorkSpace from the WorkSpaces console. Rebooting installs or fixes WorkSpaces components that are required for printing.

4.    Verify whether your WorkSpace redirects print jobs to a local client computer.

  • For a Windows local client computer, in your WorkSpace, open Print Management. Under All Printers, verify that the redirected printer's queue is ready. Right-click the redirected printer and choose Print Test Page. Then, verify that the local client print spooler has the print job from your WorkSpace queued.
  • For a macOS local client computer, in your WorkSpace, open Printers & scanners. Choose the redirected printer and choose Manage and Print a test page. Navigate back to Printers & scanners, choose the redirected printer, and choose Open queue. Verify that the local client print spooler has the print job from your WorkSpace queue.

When you print a test page, you obtain details about the printer's properties and driver. You can use this information for additional troubleshooting.

Local printers use the following naming conventions based on WorkSpace protocols:

  • PCoIP: <local-printer-name> (Local - <username>.<computername>)
  • WorkSpaces Streaming Protocol (WSP): <local-printer-name> - Redirected (<-computername>)

For more information about local printers, see Local printers.

5.    When your print jobs still aren't completing, verify if related services are running in your WorkSpace. To verify:

  • In your local WorkSpace, open Task Manager and choose the Details tab.
  • For a PCoIP WorkSpace, verify if the Windows print spooler service (spoolsv.exe) and Teradici PCoIP printing service (pcoip_vchan_printing_svc.exe) are running.
  • For a WSP WorkSpace, verify if the Windows print spooler service (spoolsv.exe) is running and check if printer_host.dll exists in the location C:\Program Files\Amazon\WSP\printer_host.dll.
  • If the Teradici PCoIP printing service isn't running or the WSP WorkSpace printer_host.dll doesn't exist, remote printers in WorkSpaces aren't redirected to your local client. To start or fix the required printing service components, reboot the WorkSpace from the WorkSpaces console.

Note: Remote printing is implemented as a virtual channel. If virtual channels are turned off, then remote printing won't work.

6.    If advanced remote printing features aren't working but basic printing works, check if you have the appropriate group policies configured. Match the printer drivers installed in WorkSpaces to the printer drivers installed on the local client computer. Check the driver versions by running the following command in your Windows WorkSpace:

Get-PrinterDriver

Sometimes, a matching printer driver can't be found for the host operating system. An available printer driver might not be compatible with the printer. In these cases, you can print to those printers by selecting the basic print settings.

7.    If you've completed the troubleshooting steps and haven't resolved the issue, contact AWS Support for assistance.


AWS OFFICIAL
AWS OFFICIALUpdated a year ago