Knowledge Base

Error message when you try to install a shared "Web Point and Print" printer in Windows Vista: "The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process"

Article ID: 928905

Article Last Modified on 3/15/2007

APPLIES TO

Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition
Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition
Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition
Windows Vista Business
Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition
Windows Vista Enterprise
Windows Vista Home Basic
Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows Vista Starter
Windows Vista Ultimate

SYMPTOMS

When you try to install a printer by using the Web Point and Print feature on a Windows Vista-based computer, you may receive the following error message:

The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

This problem occurs when you try to install an Internet Print Protocol (IPP) printer from a Windows Vista-based print server and if the following conditions are true:

You are logged in with a user account that is localized for a language locale that uses a non-Latin character set .
The Windows Vista installation is localized for a language locale that uses a non-Latin character set .

Additionally, the installation does not finish.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because the "Web Point and Print" executable program (Wpnpinst.exe) does not support installing an IPP printer if the user account is localized to use a non-Latin character set.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem and install and use an IPP printer, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Install and use an IPP printer in an intranet environment

This method applies to both a printer driver that is included with Windows Vista and to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) printer driver. When you install an IPP printer that is located on an intranet-connected Windows Vista-based print server, a direct remote procedure call (RPC) connection is created. Windows Vista authentication requires that the user account that is used to connect to the IPP printer must meet one of the following conditions:

The user account must be a domain account.
The user account that is used to connect to the IPP printer must be created on both the client computer and on the print server computer.
The user account on the print server computer must use the same credentials as the account on the client computer.

When you use Windows Vista authentication, you can install an IPP printer by using identical user account credentials if the following conditions are true:

The user account on the client computer is localized for a language locale that uses a non-Latin character set.
The user account on the Windows Vista-based print server is configured for a language locale that uses a non-Latin character set.

To do this, follow these steps:

Start Windows Internet Explorer.
On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
On the Security tab, click Local intranet, and then move the slider to the Medium-low setting.
Click to clear the Enable Protected Mode (requires restarting Internet Explorer) check box, and then click OK.
In the Address bar, type the following, and then press ENTER:

http://Contoso/printers/

Note In this example, Contoso is a placeholder for the name of a print server. After you press ENTER, a list of all the printers that are located on the Contoso print server is displayed in your browser window.
In the list of available printers, click the name of the printer that you want, and then click Connect under Printer Actions.

The printer is connected to your computer, and Windows Vista installs the appropriate printer driver for your computer.

After the installation is complete, the icon for this printer is added to the Printers folder on your computer. You can then use, monitor, and administer the printer as if it were attached to your computer on a printer port.

Note After the installation is complete, re-enable protected mode in Internet Explorer.

Method 2: Install and use a non-OEM IPP printer in an Internet environment

This method applies only to a printer driver that is included with Windows Vista. A user account that is localized for a language locale that uses a non-Latin character set can install an IPP printer that is located on the Internet by using a Windows Vista-based print server. The print server can be configured to use any one of the following server authentication modes:

Anonymous
Basic
Windows

When you install the IPP printer, you must authenticate with the credentials of a non-Latin-character-set-based localized account that is created on the Windows Vista-based print server.

Note The local user account must have the same user name and password as the user account that is created on the Windows Vista-based print server. To do this, follow these steps:

Start Internet Explorer.
On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
On the Security tab, click Local intranet, and then move the slider to the Medium-low setting.
Click to clear the Enable Protected Mode (requires restarting Internet Explorer) check box, and then click OK.
In the Address bar, type the following, and then press ENTER:

http://Contoso/printers/

Note In this example, Contoso is a placeholder for the name of a print server.
In the User name box, type the user account name of the non-Latin-character-set-based localized account that is created on the Windows Vista-based print server.
In the Password box, type the user account password, and then click OK. A list of all printers on the print server is displayed in your browser window.
In the list of available printers, click the name of the printer to which you want to connect, and then click Connect under Printer Actions.

The printer is connected to your computer, and Windows Vista installs the appropriate printer driver for your computer.

After the installation is complete, the icon for this printer is added to the Printers folder on your computer. You can then use, monitor, and administer the printer as if it were attached to your computer on a printer port.

Note After the installation is complete, re-enable protected mode in Internet Explorer.

Additionally, you can give all local user accounts access to the installed HTTP port and printer. This is possible because the credentials that you use to install the IPP printer are saved in encrypted form on your computer. To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start , and then click Printers.
Right-click the printer that you installed, click Run as administrator, and then click Properties.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.

Click Ports.
In the port list, click the new HTTP printer port, click Configure Port, and then type the valid user account credentials for the printer.
Click Use the same security settings for all users, and then click OK.

Method 3: Install and use any IPP printer in an Internet environment

This method applies both to a printer driver that is included with Windows Vista and to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) printer driver. A user account that is not localized can install an IPP printer that is located on the Internet by using a Windows Vista-based print server. The print server can be configured to use any one of the following server authentication modes:

Anonymous
Basic
Windows

When you install the IPP printer, you must authenticate with the credentials of an account that is created on the Windows Vista-based print server.

Note The local user account must have the same user name and password as the user account that is created on the Windows Vista-based print server.

To do this, follow these steps:

Start Internet Explorer.
On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
On the Security tab, click Local intranet, move the slider to the Medium-low setting.
Click to clear the Enable Protected Mode (requires restarting Internet Explorer) check box, and then click OK.
In the Address bar, type the following, and then press ENTER:

http://Contoso/printers/

Note In this example, Contoso is a placeholder for the name of a print server.
In the User name field, type the user account name of the user account that is created on the Windows Vista-based print server.
In the Password field, type the user account password, and then click OK. A list of all printers on the print server is displayed in your browser window.
In the list of available printers, click the name of the printer that you want, and then click Connect under Printer Actions.

The printer is connected to your computer, and Windows Vista installs the appropriate printer driver for your computer.

After the installation is complete, the icon for this printer is added to the Printers folder on your computer. You can then use, monitor, and administer the printer as if it were attached to your computer on a printer port.

Note After the installation is complete, re-enable protected mode in Windows Internet Explorer.

Additionally, you can give all local user accounts access to the installed HTTP port and printer. This is possible because the credentials that you use to install the IPP printer are saved in encrypted form on your computer. To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start , and then click Printers.
Right-click the printer that you installed, click Run as administrator, and then click Properties.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.

Click Ports.
In the port list, click the new HTTP printer port, click Configure Port, and then type the valid user account credentials for the printer.
Click Use the same security settings for all users, and then click OK.

STATUS

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

MORE INFORMATION

How Internet printing works

With the Internet printing feature of Windows Vista, you can use a Web browser to connect to printers that are shared on a print server that is running Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS). Printing is implemented by way of the Internet Print Protocol (IPP) that is encapsulated in the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

By typing the address (URL) of a shared printer in the Address bar of your browser, you can connect your computer to a shared printer and print from that printer in the same manner as if it were attached to your computer on a local port. You can view a Web page on which all printers on a print server are listed. Or you can view a Web page that is specific to the printer to which you want to connect.

From the Web page of a specific printer, you can view information about the printer. This information includes such things as the printer model, the location, and the number of documents waiting to be printed. This information also includes printer properties, such as print speed, and whether the printer supports color printing. You can pause, resume, and cancel the printing of any document that you send to the printer. In addition, if you have Manage Printers permission for the printer, you can also pause or resume operation of the printer.

Keywords: kbsettings kbprinters kbprint kbpending kbbug kbexpertiseinter kbnetworkconnectivity kbnetwork kbtshoot KB928905

Microsoft KB Archive/928905

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