Article ID: 981116 - Last Review: April 10, 2012 - Revision: 2.0

An XPS printer is very slow to print graphics in Vista SP2 and in Windows Server 2008 SP2

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SYMPTOMS

Consider the following two scenarios:
  • Scenario 1:
    • You install the Terminal Services role on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2).
    • You enable the Terminal Services Easy Print feature on this terminal server.
    • You create a terminal server session to the terminal server.
    • You use the printer driver for Microsoft XPS Document Writer to print a document that contains graphics in the terminal server session.
  • Scenario 2:
    • You install an XML Paper Specification (XPS) printer driver for an XPS printer on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 SP2 or Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2).
    • You send a document that contains some large complex graphics to the XPS printer to print.
In both scenarios, it takes a longer time than usual to print the documents. For example, it may take around 5-10 minutes to print a document that usually takes 10 seconds to print. Additionally, some large spool files that are several megabytes are generated when the print jobs are processed.
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CAUSE

This issue occurs because the client cannot optimize the printing of some XPS files that contains custom dashed pens. This behavior causes the client to generate a very large spool file. Therefore, it takes a long time for the printer to process the large spool file.

When the Terminal Services Easy Print feature is enabled, a Graphics Device Interface (GDI)-based print job is converted to the XPS format on the terminal server. Then, the XPS file is transferred back to the client where the print job is printed by using the local printer driver.
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RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, apply the hotfix package that is described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

2667241   (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2667241 / ) An update rollup is available for Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5
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WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, disable the Terminal Services Easy Print feature, and install the printer drivers on the terminal server. To disable the Terminal Services Easy Print feature, set the following Group Policy setting to Disabled:
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Terminal Server\Printer Redirection
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STATUS

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

For more information about the Windows print paths, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
Overview of the Windows print paths (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff563787.aspx)
For more information about the Terminal Services Easy Print feature and related Group Policy settings, visit the following Microsoft Web sites:
General information about the Terminal Services Easy Print feature (http://blogs.technet.com/askperf/archive/2008/02/17/ws2008-terminal-services-printing.aspx)
General information about the Terminal Services Easy Print feature and related Group Policy settings (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753853(WS.10).aspx)
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
954051  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/954051/ ) It takes longer than expected to print a graphics-intensive document by using an XPS printer on a computer that is running Windows Vista Service Pack 1 or Windows Server 2008
For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824684/ ) Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates
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Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008
Collapse this tableExpand this table
File nameFile versionFile sizeDateTimePlatform
Msil_presentationframework_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_78e401120a723078.manifestNot applicable3,18707-Apr-201018:59Not applicable
Msil_windowsbase_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_994b558046190cb6.manifestNot applicable3,13707-Apr-201019:00Not applicable
Package_for_kb981116_client_2~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.0.1.0.mumNot applicable1,53108-Apr-201000:44Not applicable
Package_for_kb981116_client~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.0.1.0.mumNot applicable1,43108-Apr-201000:44Not applicable
Package_for_kb981116_server_1~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.0.1.0.mumNot applicable1,53108-Apr-201000:44Not applicable
Package_for_kb981116_server~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.0.1.0.mumNot applicable1,43108-Apr-201000:44Not applicable
X86_presentationcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_ae5d7d4ca669be7c.manifestNot applicable9,65507-Apr-201018:57Not applicable
X86_system.printing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_756ccdca8c91c2a7.manifestNot applicable3,22907-Apr-201019:01Not applicable
X86_wpf-presentationframework_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_70b2c7136c6bdca9.manifestNot applicable5,58907-Apr-201018:58Not applicable
X86_wpf-presentationhostdll_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_7237d8463674b0c7.manifestNot applicable9,55707-Apr-201018:59Not applicable
X86_wpf-presentationhostexe_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_72209e5e36935339.manifestNot applicable38,37507-Apr-201018:59Not applicable
X86_wpf-presentationhostproxy_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_2cb781b99044926b.manifestNot applicable13,17707-Apr-201019:00Not applicable
X86_wpf-windowsbase_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_599977f15e3b947f.manifestNot applicable10,54607-Apr-201019:00Not applicable
Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008
Collapse this tableExpand this table
File nameFile versionFile sizeDateTimePlatform
Amd64_presentationcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_0a7c18d05ec72fb2.manifestNot applicable9,41307-Apr-201018:43Not applicable
Amd64_system.printing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_d18b694e44ef33dd.manifestNot applicable2,94707-Apr-201018:49Not applicable
Amd64_wpf-presentationframework_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_ccd1629724c94ddf.manifestNot applicable14,89107-Apr-201018:44Not applicable
Amd64_wpf-presentationhostdll_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_ce5673c9eed221fd.manifestNot applicable9,60307-Apr-201018:45Not applicable
Amd64_wpf-presentationhostexe_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_ce3f39e1eef0c46f.manifestNot applicable38,41707-Apr-201018:47Not applicable
Amd64_wpf-presentationhostproxy_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_88d61d3d48a203a1.manifestNot applicable13,20307-Apr-201018:48Not applicable
Amd64_wpf-windowsbase_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_b5b81375169905b5.manifestNot applicable16,29607-Apr-201018:48Not applicable
Msil_presentationframework_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_78e401120a723078.manifestNot applicable3,18707-Apr-201018:59Not applicable
Msil_windowsbase_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_994b558046190cb6.manifestNot applicable3,13707-Apr-201019:00Not applicable
Package_for_kb981116_client_2~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mumNot applicable1,54108-Apr-201000:44Not applicable
Package_for_kb981116_client~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mumNot applicable1,43908-Apr-201000:44Not applicable
Package_for_kb981116_server_1~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mumNot applicable1,54108-Apr-201000:44Not applicable
Package_for_kb981116_server~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mumNot applicable1,43908-Apr-201000:44Not applicable
X86_presentationcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_ae5d7d4ca669be7c.manifestNot applicable9,65507-Apr-201018:57Not applicable
X86_system.printing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_756ccdca8c91c2a7.manifestNot applicable3,22907-Apr-201019:01Not applicable
X86_wpf-presentationframework_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_70b2c7136c6bdca9.manifestNot applicable5,58907-Apr-201018:58Not applicable
X86_wpf-presentationhostdll_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_7237d8463674b0c7.manifestNot applicable9,55707-Apr-201018:59Not applicable
X86_wpf-presentationhostexe_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_72209e5e36935339.manifestNot applicable38,37507-Apr-201018:59Not applicable
X86_wpf-presentationhostproxy_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_2cb781b99044926b.manifestNot applicable13,17707-Apr-201019:00Not applicable
X86_wpf-windowsbase_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22378_none_599977f15e3b947f.manifestNot applicable10,54607-Apr-201019:00Not applicable
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APPLIES TO
  • Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2, when used with:
    • Windows Server 2008 Datacenter without Hyper-V
    • Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V
    • Windows Server 2008 Standard without Hyper-V
    • Windows Server 2008 Datacenter
    • Windows Server 2008 Enterprise
    • Windows Server 2008 Standard
  • Windows Vista Service Pack 2, when used with:
    • Windows Vista Business
    • Windows Vista Enterprise
    • Windows Vista Home Basic
    • Windows Vista Home Premium
    • Windows Vista Starter
    • Windows Vista Ultimate
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Keywords: 
kbexpertiseadvanced kbfix kbautohotfix kbsurveynew kbqfe KB981116
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