Installing Windows 95 Printer Drivers on Windows NT 4.0 Asks for Wrong Disk

ID: Q174333

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When sharing a printer on a computer running Windows NT 4.0 Server or Workstation with Windows 95 clients where the Windows 95 drivers are installed on the server, the wizard prompts you with the following message: 


   Please insert the floppy disk labeled 'Windows 95' into drive A:
   and then click OK.


This message is misleading because, after inserting a Windows 95 floppy disk or CD-ROM and clicking OK, you receive the error message:
Alternate Drivers Cannot Be Installed.


CAUSE

The Windows 95 files on floppy disks and CD-ROMs are cabinet files with .cab extensions. Windows NT does not search the contents of the cabinet files for the necessary printer driver files, such as .inf, .ini, .dll, or .drv.


RESOLUTION

Windows NT will not be changed to expand Windows 95 cabinet files during printer installation; however, there is now an updated version of Ntprint.dll, which provides a better description of the actual disk that is needed. After applying this version of Ntprint.dll, when you install the Window 95 printer drivers, you will be prompted for the following message: 


   Please insert the disk labeled "Windows 95 Flat share" into drive A:.
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.


MORE INFORMATION

For additional information on installing Windows 95 print drivers on Windows NT, please refer to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

Article ID: Q154291
Title: Installing Cross Platform Print Drivers in Windows NT 4.0 


Keywords          : kbprint NT4SP4Fix kbbug4.00 ntprint kbfix4.00.sp4 NTSrvWkst 
Version           : WinNT:4.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: April 10, 1999