VMWare Horizon usb redirect not working for printers

[scottjones74]

printing to USB printers has stopped working since upgrading to horizon 2206 (have upgraded to 2209 to see if that helped and it did not).

we are non-persistent instant clones, print drivers are installed in the image, USB redirect is installed with the agent, USB is allowed in horizon admin.   Even checked GPO's and registry ([HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VMware, Inc.\Installer\Features_HorizonAgent] "PrintRedir"="Local" for VMware printing )

It was working on previous versions of horizon 8.  We are using windows 10 enterprise version 21H2.

The issue occurs on zero clients, thin clients, and horizon client from a windows laptop, so I know its something with the image or a setting.  I have built two new master images from scratch to try and find the issue but cannot.  The printer is “seen” in the control panel, but it does not load the driver.  If I run the master image, the driver is loaded immediately.  

any help or direction is appreciated, this should be a simple fix but i cannot find it. 

[ozbarge]

Microsoft support is not aware of any KB9996666. Can you please check with that customer and confirm the KB number?

[Cortez_C_Cortez]

We have a ticket open with VMware and with Microsoft on this issue.  I reached out via my Microsoft ticket and they have no known KB9996666.  Could you please verify what the correct KB is?  This hang up creates a security, supportability, and usability issue for us and the other affected customers. 

[scottjones74]

There is no KB that fixes this for us or anyone else that I know of if you are using vmware. 

[MR26]

We are having similar issues. USB based printing works fine on Horizon client(laptop) where as it does not work with Zero clients.  We have tried all possible ways suggested by VMware with no luck. KB9996666 from Microsoft is no where found under catalog. 

Does anyone have any work around as we are facing the issues from June month of 2022.. 

[mbenner]

I'm also experiencing this issue. It doesn't impact my Windows 2016 server image at all, but does impact my Windows 10 22H2 image on my stratodesk thinclients.

The issue sounds similar to the one referenced by this article https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/89812. Except it doesn't work with the native driver installed either.

Is this impacting Windows 11 images as well? I'd like to find a workaround that moves me forward rather than reverting to a prior version of Windows.

[ofox]

The issue here is pertaining to certain Win10 OS versions on VMs, while the issue mentioned in KB  https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/89812 was about some driver in VMs - no matter what Windows OS version is.

If you are using a thin client as opposed to a zero client please try to use printer redirection feature rather than USB redirection feature for those USB printers. In Horizon 8 the only printer redirection feature is VMware Integrated Printing(VIP), while in Horizon 7 the default is Virtual Printing(i.e. ThinPrint). Using printer redirection feature would not hit this the issue discussed here.

Note that, the difference between a thin client and a zero client from Horizon perspective, the former runs Horizon Linux client or a customized version of that inside so it supports almost full of Horizon features. While zero client does NOT have Horizon client software inside thus only supports very limited Horizon features(Yes USB-R, no VIP etc.)

[peetey100]

I have had more success with the latest HP universal print driver - at least with HP printers! 

has anyone else found the HP universal driver works ? the latest 7 version?

[Jackson_Goverme]

Any updates on this? This issue is killing us.

[scottjones74]

replying to ofox -This is not correct, the issue persists on both zero and thin clients (I have both).  I have proven this on my open vmware support ticket and provided logs to them.  I have found no viable work around.  We have no issues on laptops or desktops, only in vmware horizon. 

[peetey100]

@scottjones74 - have you tried changing the printer driver of the usb printer to the latest HP universal print driver? version 7? that worked for me

thanks

[peetey100]

at least it work on  a laptop runing horizon client with usb printer plugged into laptop

[Cortez_C_Cortez]

We also didn't have any luck with VIP on zero or thin clients and we use both as well.  We also didn't have any luck with the latest HP Universal Print Driver 7.0.1.24923.  We also use Lexmark printers in our environment, so we'll need to get both HP and Lexmark working on 21H2 or 22H2. 

[scottjones74]

We have HP, Savin, and Kyocera printers.  

[peetey100]

I've ad the on thin clients and zero clients however on a laptop with usb printer connected the hp universal printer seems to work - as long as this driver is installed on laptop

[Bufordx10]

Same issue here upgraded to 2209 from 2111 and printing to HPs stopped working. Opening a ticket with VMware as well. 

[ofox]

To scottjones74, if you're using Thin Client that runs Horizon client software inside, then you could use VIP feature for all printers and it should not have the issue discussed here. If you're using Zero client(no Horizon software in there) then you have to leverage USB redirection feature for USB printers, which would hit the issue. This is what I meant.

If you are having a printing issue with Thin Client + VIP combination then it is very likely a different issue. You could engage your VMware contact.

[ofox]

Also, an update for the issue.

We have finally got a ticket number 2302240030001178 with Microsoft. Will update here once there's any confirmed progress.

[Bufordx10]

In testing, we think it might be Microsoft updates we are testing to confirm and try to narrow it down to what update. Looks like KB5022282 might be the cause of our issue. After removing it printing works again at least in 1 pool.

[Jackson_Goverme]

Any updates on this?

[mbenner]

I can confirm that VMware Integrated Printing(VIP) does work on my stratodesk no touch os thin clients with the OS images in question. This issue is only impacting my devices that use USB Forwarding as @ofox indicated.