Microsoft KB Archive/149659

= Printer Driver Files Dated 6/3/80 =

Article ID: 149659

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51

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This article was previously published under Q149659



SUMMARY
In the \System32\Spool\Drivers\W32x86 directory, there are several printer driver files dated June 3, 1980 (6/3/80). These printer drivers are stored for compatibility with Windows NT 3.1 clients and applications.



MORE INFORMATION
In Windows NT 3.1, all printer drivers are stored in the \System32\Spool\Drivers\W32x86 directory. Because version 3.5 drivers are not compatible with version 3.1 drivers, printer drivers are stored in a version directory in versions 3.5 and later. When a new printer driver is installed, the driver version is checked and copied into the appropriate version directory as follows:

  Windows NT 3.1 drivers:

\System32\Spool\Drivers\w32x86\0

Windows NT 3.5 and 3.51 drivers:

\System32\Spool\Drivers\W32x86\1

Because Windows NT supports both old and new printer drivers, both versions can be set up on the same print server; both Windows NT 3.1, and 3.5 or 3.51 clients will be able to access the correct version of the printer driver files.

The date on these files is set to 6/3/80. Setting the date back to 6/3/80 ensures that the file name and date will not conflict with any other versions of the driver that may be installed, and also allows multiple versions of a printer driver to be installed.

During Setup, Windows NT checks the version of the printer driver and copies the printer driver to the 0 or 1 directory. Then the printer driver is also copied into the W32x86 directory to ensure compatibility with Windows NT 3.1, because some Windows NT 3.1 driver installation programs or applications may still look there for the printer driver. Finally, the date for the driver in the W32x86 directory is set to 6/3/80, a date which is earlier than the first release of Windows NT. This ensures that the driver name and date will not be identical to those of any other driver in the version directories.

Additional query words: prodnt

Keywords: KB149659

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