Power Users, Print Operators May Get Errors Installing Drivers

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It is possible to get the above error message on any error that does not allow a copy command to complete. In the above scenario, the error is received when an attempt is made to replace a file that is currently in use. Normally the printer drivers are not in use if they are not installed already. Even with printer drivers that are being reinstalled, the file is only used for short periods of time in a read-only mode. The above file is a print monitor. Print monitors are used to communicate directly between the print spooler and the printing device. This causes the monitor to always be in use if the print spooler service is in use.

By default security, the setup routines built into Windows NT only allow an administrator to replace files in use. This is done to keep other users from replacing system files. Microsoft is researching methods to allow controlled access to updating files. These methods are expected to become available in future versions of Windows NT.

Currently several methods are available to resolve the error message shown above:

1. When the error is displayed, select Skip File. (The file already exists and probably does not need to be copied over.)
2. Edit the file Ntprint.inf located in your Windows NT system \INF directory.
   1. Open this file using NOTEPAD. (It is advisable to make a backup copy of this file in case of errors.)
   2. To locate the entries that point to the file you are receiving errors on, open the Edit menu and click Find.
   3. Remove the entries. This can be done for a specific printer (noted above each section in brackets [ ] ) or for all entries.
   4. Save the file.
3. Edit the registry to add permissions to the key where the commands are stored until the next reboot.
   
   WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.
   1. Run Regedt32.exe.
   2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manage
   3. Highlight this key and select Security, then Permissions.
   4. Add the groups that you wish to be able to install drivers without error with FULL Control.

Because the above error condition is based on the setup APIs built into Windows NT, it could also affect other programs that attempt to update files that are in use during an install from any account other than administrator.