Skip to main content

PrinterCleanup.exe Utility

Overview​

PrinterCleanup.exe is a Tricerat utility that maintains Windows printer registry keys by removing invalid entries. It addresses a common Windows limitation where printer entries are added to registry keys but not properly removed when printers are deleted.

The Problem​

Windows maintains two registry keys that contain printer names:

  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PrinterPorts

These keys are managed by Microsoft—values are added when printers are installed and should be removed when printers are deleted. However, Windows does a poor job of maintaining these keys, typically adding entries but failing to remove them when printers are deleted.

Impact​

While stale printer entries usually don't cause problems, some poorly designed applications read these registry keys directly and treat them as valid printer lists. This can result in:

  • Applications showing deleted printers as available
  • Print dialog errors when users select stale printer entries
  • Confusion about which printers are actually available
  • Failed print jobs

Properly designed applications use the standard Windows print dialog (like Notepad and Microsoft Word), which isn't affected by stale registry entries.

Solution: PrinterCleanup.exe​

PrinterCleanup.exe removes invalid entries from these registry keys, keeping them synchronized with the actual installed printers. Several Tricerat customers use this utility with excellent results.

Implementation​

The recommended approach is to run PrinterCleanup.exe automatically at user logon using a Run registry key.

Automatic Logon Configuration​

Create a registry Run value to execute the utility each time a user logs into the server:

Registry Path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Or for per-user execution:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Registry Configuration:

Registry Run key configuration for PrinterCleanup.exe

PowerShell Implementation​

# System-wide (runs for all users at logon)
New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" `
    -Name "Tricerat PrinterCleanup" `
    -Value "C:\Program Files\Tricerat\PrinterCleanup.exe" `
    -PropertyType String `
    -Force

# Per-user (runs for current user at logon)
New-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" `
    -Name "Tricerat PrinterCleanup" `
    -Value "C:\Program Files\Tricerat\PrinterCleanup.exe" `
    -PropertyType String `
    -Force

Manual Execution​

You can also run PrinterCleanup.exe manually from the command line:

"C:\Program Files\Tricerat\PrinterCleanup.exe"

Logging Behavior​

By default, PrinterCleanup.exe creates a log file each time it runs. Log files are written to:

C:\ProgramData\Tricerat\Logs
info

No Tricerat diagnostic logging needs to be enabled—PrinterCleanup.exe logs independently.

Managing Log Files​

Log files can accumulate over time, especially when the utility runs at every logon. You have two options:

During initial implementation, keep logging enabled so you can verify the cleanup behavior and troubleshoot any issues. Review the logs with Tricerat support if you're implementing this for a customer.

Option 2: Disable Logging​

Once you've verified that PrinterCleanup.exe is working correctly, you can disable log file creation with the -noLog option:

"C:\Program Files\Tricerat\PrinterCleanup.exe" -noLog
caution

Don't disable logging initially. If issues arise and you have no logs, troubleshooting becomes much more difficult.

PowerShell with -noLog Option​

# System-wide with logging disabled
New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" `
    -Name "Tricerat PrinterCleanup" `
    -Value "`"C:\Program Files\Tricerat\PrinterCleanup.exe`" -noLog" `
    -PropertyType String `
    -Force

Deployment Recommendations​

When implementing PrinterCleanup.exe for customers:

  1. Enable logging initially: Don't use -noLog during initial deployment
  2. Collect initial logs: Run the utility a few times and collect the log files
  3. Review with Tricerat: Share the initial logs with Tricerat support to verify correct operation
  4. Monitor performance: Check that the utility runs quickly and doesn't impact logon times
  5. Consider -noLog: After verification, optionally disable logging to prevent log accumulation

Use Cases​

PrinterCleanup.exe is particularly valuable in:

  • Multi-session environments: Terminal servers and VDI hosts where users frequently connect/disconnect
  • Dynamic printer environments: Environments where printers are frequently added, removed, or replaced
  • Application compatibility: Situations where legacy or custom applications read printer registry keys directly
  • ScrewDrivers deployments: Environments using ScrewDrivers where printers are dynamically created per session

Group Policy Deployment​

You can deploy PrinterCleanup.exe via Group Policy:

  1. Copy the utility: Place PrinterCleanup.exe in a shared network location or ensure it's installed via GPO
  2. Create Logon Script: Use Group Policy Preferences or Logon Scripts to execute the utility
  3. Target OUs: Apply to organizational units containing your session hosts or VDI machines

Example Logon Script​

@echo off
REM Tricerat PrinterCleanup utility
if exist "C:\Program Files\Tricerat\PrinterCleanup.exe" (
    "C:\Program Files\Tricerat\PrinterCleanup.exe"
)

Troubleshooting​

Utility Not Running​

Check that:

  • The utility file exists at the specified path
  • The registry Run key is properly configured
  • The user has execute permissions for the utility
  • Review the log file (if logging is enabled) for error messages

Printers Still Showing in Applications​

Some applications cache printer lists. After running PrinterCleanup.exe:

  • Restart the application
  • Log off and log back in
  • Clear application-specific printer caches if available

Performance Impact​

PrinterCleanup.exe typically runs very quickly (under one second). If you notice logon delays:

  • Check the log file for errors or warnings
  • Ensure the utility has appropriate permissions
  • Contact Tricerat support if issues persist