Printing asking for admin password on student use computers

[GabeShack]

So we are seeing an issue where every now and then certain computers are asking for an admin name and password to allow it to continue printing. It almost seems it happens when the printer pauses or has an error and then requires the admin credentials to resume but I'm not positive about that yet.

Im trying to figure out if its related to me pushing printers to the computers using casper remote, or if its related to printers being on a configuration profile for that group of computers.

We currently only seem to see this on 10.9.5 student use computers. I also lock them down so students cannot add other printers as this tended to cause unwanted printouts in various classrooms.

The weird part is this only seems to affect random machines, not the entire classroom.

In the meantime I set a policy to remove all printers and then re-add them each day.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Gabe Shackney
Princeton Public Schools

[millersc · Accepted solution]

We saw same thing when printer run out of paper or jam. Making the user an "operator" and not an "administrator" is how to fix. Allows for them to resume the print queue. Simple one line.

security authorizationdb write system.print.operator allow

[GabeShack]

Thanks @millersc !
Do I have to run that once per user? Or is this a universal fix?

Gabe Shackney
Princeton Public Schools

[millersc]

Run once. Create a new policy, Configure Files and Processes, drop the one line in there and scope it to what works for you. Can even set it up for first run script if you have that in your work flow on new imaging units.

[cloufek]

millersc can you give me some more specifics about this script. After creating the policy under general should login and startup be checked along with enable and activation dates? On the Files and Process tab is the script only needed in the execute command area and the rest of the page can remain blank? Then scope it to a group of computers and all users, or do I only have to scope it to the machine because it is executing at the root level?

At the system level—>computer management—>check-in—>Login/Logout Hooks, everything is checked except Perform login hook actions in background.

Is that all I have to do to allow users admin rights to resume printing? Thanks.

[tknighton]

In case you ever have to fix this manually, it's in the Advanced tab of the Parental Controls system preference, under the "limit printer administration" checkbox