I wrote this script to help a customer clean up old orphaned and stale printer objects from user profiles. This script can safely be executed in each user session and works a treat.
However, you may first want to try my script to remove printers the traditional way.
Here is the RemoveOrphanedPrinters.vbs script.
Option Explicit
' This script will remove registry keys and values. It was specifically written to clean out
' old orphaned/stale printer objects from a users registry hive that cannot be removed using
' the conventional methods.
' If any registry key or value contains the strings listed in the arrOrphanedPrinters array,
' it will be removed.
' This script could easily be modified to rename printer objects.
' Written by Jeremy@jhouseconsulting.com on 28th July 2008.
' Note that the RegValueExists and RegKeyExists functions were written by torgeir, a Microsoft
' MVP in Scripting and WMI. They were made freely available on the Internet.
Dim arrOrphanedPrinters, strComputer, strKeyRoot, strKeyPath, objRegistry, arrSubkeys
Dim strSubkey, return, BlnReturn
arrOrphanedPrinters = Array("iprint","printing")
Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
strComputer = "."
Set objRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & _
strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")
strKeyRoot = "HKCU\"
strKeyPath = "Printers\Connections"
If RegKeyExists(strKeyRoot & strKeyPath) Then
return = objRegistry.EnumKey (HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath, arrSubkeys)
If return=0 and IsArray(arrSubkeys) Then
For Each strSubkey In arrSubkeys
BlnReturn=InArray(strSubkey,arrOrphanedPrinters)
If BlnReturn Then
DeleteSubkeys HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath & "\" & strSubkey
End If
Next
End If
End If
strKeyRoot = "HKCU\"
strKeyPath = "Printers\DevModePerUser"
If RegKeyExists(strKeyRoot & strKeyPath) Then
' wscript.echo strKeyRoot & strKeyPath & " exists."
Call DeleteValues(strKeyRoot,strKeyPath)
End If
strKeyRoot = "HKCU\"
strKeyPath = "Printers\DevModes2"
If RegKeyExists(strKeyRoot & strKeyPath) Then
' wscript.echo strKeyRoot & strKeyPath & " exists."
Call DeleteValues(strKeyRoot,strKeyPath)
End If
strKeyRoot = "HKCU\"
strKeyPath = "Printers\Settings"
If RegKeyExists(strKeyRoot & strKeyPath) Then
' wscript.echo strKeyRoot & strKeyPath & " exists."
Call DeleteValues(strKeyRoot,strKeyPath)
End If
Set objRegistry = Nothing
wscript.quit(0)
Sub DeleteSubkeys(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath)
Dim strComputer, objRegistry, arrSubkeys, strSubkey
strComputer = "."
Set objRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")
objRegistry.EnumKey HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath, arrSubkeys
If IsArray(arrSubkeys) Then
For Each strSubkey In arrSubkeys
DeleteSubkeys HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath & "\" & strSubkey
Next
End If
objRegistry.DeleteKey HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath
Set objRegistry = Nothing
End Sub
Sub DeleteValues(strKeyRoot,strKeyPath)
Dim strComputer, objRegistry, return, i, arrValueNames, arrValueTypes, BlnReturn
strComputer = "."
Set objRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")
return = objRegistry.EnumValues (HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath,_
arrValueNames, arrValueTypes)
If return=0 and IsArray(arrValueNames) Then
For i=0 To UBound(arrValueNames)
BlnReturn=InArray(arrValueNames(i),arrOrphanedPrinters)
If BlnReturn Then
objRegistry.DeleteValue HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath, arrValueNames(i)
End If
Next
End If
Set objRegistry = Nothing
End Sub
Function RegValueExists(sRegValue)
' Returns True or False based of the existence of a registry value.
Dim oShell, RegReadReturn
Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
RegValueExists = True ' init value
On Error Resume Next
RegReadReturn = oShell.RegRead(sRegValue)
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
RegValueExists = False
End if
On Error Goto 0
Set oShell = Nothing
End Function
Function RegKeyExists(ByVal sRegKey)
' Returns True or False based on the existence of a registry key.
Dim sDescription, oShell
Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
RegKeyExists = True
sRegKey = Trim (sRegKey)
If Not Right(sRegKey, 1) = "\" Then
sRegKey = sRegKey & "\"
End If
On Error Resume Next
oShell.RegRead "HKEYNotAKey\"
sDescription = Replace(Err.Description, "HKEYNotAKey\", "")
Err.Clear
oShell.RegRead sRegKey
RegKeyExists = sDescription <> Replace(Err.Description, sRegKey, "")
On Error Goto 0
Set oShell = Nothing
End Function
Function InArray(item,myarray)
Dim i
For i=0 To UBound(myarray) Step 1
If instr(1,item,myarray(i),1) > 0 Then
InArray=True
Exit Function
End If
Next
InArray=False
End Function
Enjoy!
Jeremy Saunders
Technical Architect | DevOps Evangelist | Software Developer | Microsoft, NVIDIA, Citrix and Desktop Virtualisation (VDI) Specialist/Expert | Rapper | Improvisor | Comedian | Property Investor | Kayaking enthusiast at J House Consulting
Jeremy Saunders is the Problem Terminator. He is a highly respected IT Professional with over 35 years’ experience in the industry. Using his exceptional design and problem solving skills with precise methodologies applied at both technical and business levels he is always focused on achieving the best business outcomes. He worked as an independent consultant until September 2017, when he took up a full time role at BHP, one of the largest and most innovative global mining companies. With a diverse skill set, high ethical standards, and attention to detail, coupled with a friendly nature and great sense of humour, Jeremy aligns to industry and vendor best practices, which puts him amongst the leaders of his field. He is intensely passionate about solving technology problems for his organisation, their customers and the tech community, to improve the user experience, reliability and operational support. Views and IP shared on this site belong to Jeremy.