A user who has administrator permission can delete printers on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 after you deploy the "Prevent deletion of printers" Group Policy

Applies To
Windows 7 Enterprise Windows 7 Home Basic Windows 7 Home Premium Windows 7 Professional Windows 7 Starter Windows 7 Ultimate Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard

Symptoms

Consider the following scenario:

  • You deploy the Prevent deletion of printers Group Policy in your environment.
  • You have a client computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2.
  • A user who has administrator permission logs on to the client computer.

In this scenario, the user can still delete printers in Devices and Printers unexpectedly.

Cause

This issue occurs because of a problem that concerns device removal processing in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2.

Resolution

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem that is described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not exist, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft website:

http:⁠//support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must be running one of the following operating systems:

  • Windows 7
  • Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (SP1)
  • Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1 (SP1)

For more information about how to obtain a Windows 7 service pack or a Windows Server 2008 R2 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

976932
                
 Information about Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2

Registry information

To use the hotfix in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The global version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 file information notes

Important Windows 7 hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 R2 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, hotfixes on the Hotfix Request page are listed under both operating systems. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system to which each hotfix applies.

  • The files that apply to a specific product, SR_Level (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.

    Version Product SR_Level Service branch
    6.1.760
    0.
    21xxx
    Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM LDR
    6.1.760
    1.
    21xxx
    Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 LDR
  • The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2 and for Windows 7" section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are very important to maintaining the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows 7

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Bwcontexthandler.dll 1.0.0.1 64,000 16-Jan-2012 05:29 x86
Bwcontexthandler.dll 1.0.0.1 64,000 16-Jan-2012 06:05 x86
Fdprint.dll 6.1.7600.21128 249,344 16-Jan-2012 05:30 x86
Fdprint.dll 6.1.7601.21899 249,344 16-Jan-2012 06:07 x86

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Bwcontexthandler.dll 1.0.0.1 69,632 16-Jan-2012 06:26 x64
Bwcontexthandler.dll 1.0.0.1 69,632 16-Jan-2012 06:23 x64
Fdprint.dll 6.1.7600.21128 297,472 16-Jan-2012 06:27 x64
Fdprint.dll 6.1.7601.21899 297,472 16-Jan-2012 06:25 x64
Bwcontexthandler.dll 1.0.0.1 64,000 16-Jan-2012 05:29 x86
Bwcontexthandler.dll 1.0.0.1 64,000 16-Jan-2012 06:05 x86

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Bwcontexthandler.dll 1.0.0.1 176,640 16-Jan-2012 06:30 IA-64
Bwcontexthandler.dll 1.0.0.1 176,640 16-Jan-2012 05:14 IA-64
Fdprint.dll 6.1.7600.21128 558,080 16-Jan-2012 06:31 IA-64
Fdprint.dll 6.1.7601.21899 558,080 16-Jan-2012 05:15 IA-64
Bwcontexthandler.dll 1.0.0.1 64,000 16-Jan-2012 05:29 x86
Bwcontexthandler.dll 1.0.0.1 64,000 16-Jan-2012 06:05 x86

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

More Information

The Group Policy that is mentioned in the Symptoms section can be set at the following location:

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\PrintersFor more information about "Prevent deletion of printers," visit the following Microsoft TechNet website:

Group Policy Settings For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows 7

File name Update.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,835
Date (UTC) 17-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 11:35
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-bwcontexthandler_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21128_none_df99ceabfd3990f8.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 9,991
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 06:00
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-bwcontexthandler_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21899_none_e135a465fa97a690.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 9,991
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 06:42
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-printing-fdprint_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21128_none_58d3c791ff80cd6b.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 25,982
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 05:59
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-printing-fdprint_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21899_none_5a6f9d4bfcdee303.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 25,982
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 06:40
Platform Not Applicable

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2

File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-bwcontexthandler_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21128_none_3bb86a2fb597022e.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 9,995
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 07:01
Platform Not Applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-bwcontexthandler_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21899_none_3d543fe9b2f517c6.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 9,995
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 07:35
Platform Not Applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-printing-fdprint_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21128_none_b4f26315b7de3ea1.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 25,986
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 06:59
Platform Not Applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-printing-fdprint_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21899_none_b68e38cfb53c5439.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 25,986
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 07:31
Platform Not Applicable
File name Update.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,857
Date (UTC) 17-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 11:35
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-bwcontexthandler_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21128_none_df99ceabfd3990f8.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 9,991
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 06:00
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-bwcontexthandler_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21899_none_e135a465fa97a690.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 9,991
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 06:42
Platform Not Applicable

Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2

File name Ia64_microsoft-windows-bwcontexthandler_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21128_none_df9b72a1fd3799f4.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 9,993
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 07:01
Platform Not Applicable
File name Ia64_microsoft-windows-bwcontexthandler_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21899_none_e137485bfa95af8c.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 9,993
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 07:23
Platform Not Applicable
File name Ia64_microsoft-windows-printing-fdprint_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21128_none_58d56b87ff7ed667.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 25,984
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 07:00
Platform Not Applicable
File name Ia64_microsoft-windows-printing-fdprint_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21899_none_5a714141fcdcebff.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 25,984
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 07:22
Platform Not Applicable
File name Update.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,947
Date (UTC) 17-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 11:34
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-bwcontexthandler_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21128_none_df99ceabfd3990f8.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 9,991
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 06:00
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-bwcontexthandler_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21899_none_e135a465fa97a690.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 9,991
Date (UTC) 16-Jan-2012
Time (UTC) 06:42
Platform Not Applicable