Wednesday, November 2, 2011

SQL 2008 R2 Express, psclientprint activex continually prompts for install

Problem:  Every time a user clicks print (when hosted by a SQL 2008 R2 Express server using Reporting services), the rsclientprint activex control tries to install.  This isn't such a problem for local machine admins, but for general users it's unacceptable. I tried installing this control as an admin but it still prompts for install.  This is a known problem with the default rsclientprint cab files on the SQL server. The express edition has not been updated to fix this as of 11/2/2011.

Solution:  Install SQL Server 2008 R2 Full edition (on a different server), update with SP1, then CU3 (cumulative update 3) from Microsoft. Or ask a colleague already running an up-to-date SQL server.  This will update the reporting client files, rsclientprint-ia64.cab, rsclientprint-x64.cab and rsclientprint-x86.cab. Note: the files need to come from an R2 server, not a 2008 server.  The FileVersion needs to start with 2009 and be a build greater than 1600.

Copy these files from
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSRS10.MSSQLSERVER\Reporting Services\ReportServer\bin into the SQL Express server folder,
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSRS10_50.SQLEXPRESS\Reporting Services\ReportServer\bin.
On the client machine, log in as a local admin, click print and install the activex control as normal, then when regular users login they won't be prompted to install it over and over again.

If you open one of the cab files, then the inf file you'll notice on the very bottom FileVersion=2009,100,1600,1.  On the new files it will be FileVersion=2009,100,2789,0

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