Word errors out after network printer install

[LSI]

In preparation for a file/print server migration, I installed all of our
network printers on a new Windows Server 2003 box, which was to be a
temporary print server until after the migration. Our original print servers
were all Windows 2000 Advanced Server. When I connected to the new print
server and deleted the connections to the old server, users started getting
application errors from the entire MS Office 2000 suite (winword.exe has
generated an error and must close. An error log is being generated). This
same error occurred with Outlook and Excel. Client PC's are a blend of
Windows 2000 Pro and Windows XP Pro; the issue was more prevalent in W2K Pro.
Deleting the connections to the new print server and re-establishing the
connections to the original print server fixed the issue. Any idea why
changing a network printer connection would cause such an error? Where is
this "error log" specified in the error dialog box?

 

[TF]

Have you changed the default Windows printer on all workstations to one of
the new printers on the new server? If Word cannot find a printer, it won't
work.

 

[LSI]

I added the same three network printers (just on a different print server) to
each client, noted which of the old connections was the default, set the same
printer as default (this time on the new server), then deleted the
connections to the original three printers.

I found through some experimentation that adding the three printers in the
same manner, then printing a test page to each from Word, Excel, Outlook,
etc., setting the new default printer and finally deleting the original
connections seems to overcome the problem.

I still haven't found the elusive "error log" that was being generated. It
either doesn't exist, or it's hidden so well as to be of no use to an admin.

Thanks for your input!

 

[TF]

You're welcome - even though it didn't really find out why!

terry