Windows 7 / Getting Started

Migrate Print Servers Using Print Management

To migrate print servers using Print Management, follow these steps:

  1. Open Print Management, right-click the printer server that contains the print queues and printer drivers that you want to export, and then click Export Printers To A File.
    This launches the Printer Migration Wizard.
  2. Review the list of items to be exported and then click Next.
  3. Click Browse to specify the location where you want to save your printer export file (*.printerExport), type a name for this file, and then click Open.
  4. Click Next to export the print server's print queues and printer drivers as a compressed cabinet (CAB) file with the .printerExport extension.
  5. If errors are reported during the export process, click Open Event Viewer to view the related events.
  6. Click Finish to complete the export process.
  7. Right-click the destination print server to which you want to import the previously exported print queues and printer drivers and then click Import Printers From A File.
  8. Click Browse, find the previously saved printer export file, and double-click it.
  9. Click Next, review the items to be imported, and then click Next again.
  10. Choose the options you want to select on the Select Import Options page of the wizard (these options are described following this procedure).
  11. Click Next. If errors are reported during the import process, click Open Event Viewer to view the related events.
  12. Click Finish to complete the export process.

Note If the printers being migrated were deployed using Group Policy, you can use Group Policy to remove the deployed printer connections from users' computers before migrating your print server. When the migration is complete, you can use Group Policy to redeploy the migrated printers.

The available options on the Select Import Options page are:

  • Import Mode Specifies what to do if a specific print queue already exists on the destination print server. The possible choices are:
    • Keep Existing Printers; Import Copies (the default)
    • Overwrite Existing Printers
  • List In The Directory Specifies whether to publish the imported print queues in AD DS. The possible choices are:
    • List Printers That Were Previously Listed (the default)
    • List All Printers
    • Don't List Any Printers
  • Convert LPR Ports To Standard Port Monitors Specifies whether to convert Line Printer Remote (LPR) printer ports in the printer settings file to the faster Standard Port Monitor when importing printers.
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In this tutorial:

  1. Managing Printing
  2. Enhancements to Printing in Windows 7
  3. Printing Enhancements Previously Introduced in Windows Vista
  4. Additional Printing Enhancements in Windows 7
  5. How Printing Works in Windows 7
  6. Understanding XPS
  7. Understanding the Windows Printing Subsystem
  8. Understanding Printer Driver Isolation
  9. Understanding the Print Management Console
  10. Enhancements to the Print Management Console in Windows 7
  11. The Print Management Console
  12. Adding and Removing Print Servers
  13. Configuring Default Security for Print Servers
  14. Adding Printers Using the Network Printer Installation Wizard
  15. Creating and Using Printer Filters
  16. Creating and Using Driver Filters
  17. Managing Printers Using Print Management
  18. Configuring Properties of Printers
  19. Publishing Printers in AD DS
  20. Managing Printer Drivers
  21. Configuring Printer Driver Isolation Mode
  22. Configuring Printer Driver Isolation Mode Using the Print Management Console
  23. Configuring Printer Driver Isolation Mode Using Group Policy
  24. Troubleshooting Driver Isolation
  25. Exporting and Importing Print Server Configurations
  26. Printer Export Files
  27. Performing Bulk Actions Using Print Management
  28. Client-Side Management of Printers
  29. Installing Printers Using the Add Printers Wizard
  30. Searching for Printers
  31. Installing Printers Using Point and Print
  32. Using Devices And Printers
  33. Using the Color Management CPL
  34. Managing Client-Side Printer Experience Using Group Policy
  35. Configuring the Add Printer Wizard
  36. Disable Client-Side Printer Rendering
  37. Configuring Package Point and Print Restrictions
  38. Extending Point and Print Using Windows Update
  39. Deploying Printers Using Group Policy
  40. Preparing to Deploy Printers
  41. Deploying a Printer Connection
  42. Limitations of Deploying Printers Using Group Policy
  43. Migrating Print Servers
  44. Migrate Print Servers Using Print Management
  45. Migrating Print Servers Using PrintBRM
  46. Monitoring and Troubleshooting Printers
  47. Configuring E-Mail Notifications
  48. Configuring Print Server Notifications
  49. Configuring Script Actions
  50. Configuring Detailed Event Logging