Quick Links

Printing
  • Adding via Wizard
  • Adding via Explorer
  • Installing by Floor
    • Network File Access
  • Home Directory
  • Project Directory
  • File System Structure
    • Remote Access
    File Transfer via WinSCP
    Software

    Printing

    Introduction

    Setting up an Allen School printer on your Windows computer is done in one of two ways, depending on whether it's your own laptop or desktop, or if it's a lab-managed device. If you log into the computer with your CSENetID credentials, it's a lab-managed device. Any Windows computer in an instructional lab is a lab-managed device. Nearly all Windows computers in research labs are lab-managed devices. Nearly all Windows computers in faculty and staff offices are lab-managed devices.

    Caveat: Undergraduate students have access to printers in the instructional labs in Allen and Gates, and not to printers on upper floors, or to the poster printers.

    Install a Printer from your Laptop / Personal Device.

    1. Open a "File Explorer" window and, in the Location Bar, type "\\rps.cs.washington.edu" and press the Enter key.
    2. If you are prompted for credentials here, enter your CSENetID credentials - "csenetid\username" for the username, and the password for that account. You may wish to check the "Remember My Credentials" box at this point.
    3. The File Explorer window will now be populated with printers. Right-click on the printer you wish to install and select "Connect..."
    4. The drivers for that printer will be installed on your device. You may be asked if you "trust" the printer and the answer to that question is "Yes."

    If you are running Windows 11 and you get an error connecting, what you need to do is the following:

    1. Press the Windows "Start" button and type "CMD."
    2. Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as Administrator."
    3. In the Command Prompt window that opens up, type the following, to change that registry key:

      reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print" /v RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled /t reg_dword /d 00000000

      4. reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC" /v RpcAuthentication /t reg_dword /d 00000000

      reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC" /v RpcOverNamedPipes /t reg_dword /d 00000001

      reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC" /v RpcOverTCP /t reg_dword /d 00000000

      reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC" /v RpcUseNamedPipeProtocol /t reg_dword /d 00000001

    4. You may need to reboot your computer after changing the registry keys. After you reboot, you should be able to add the printer.

    If after completing the above steps you still get the Windows error "0x000006d1" when connecting, what you need to do is the following:

    1. Press the Windows "Start" button and type "CMD."
    2. Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as Administrator."
    3. In the Command Prompt window that opens up, type the following, to change that registry key:

      reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers" /v ForceCSREMFDespooling /t reg_dword /d 00000000

    4. You may need to reboot your computer after changing the registry keys. After you reboot, you should be able to add the printer.

    Install a Printer from a Lab-Managed Device.

    1. Press the Windows "Start" button and select "Settings," and then select "Devices."
    2. Select "Printers & Scanners."
    3. Select "Add a printer or scanner" and, after a few seconds, select "The printer that I want isn't listed."
    4. An "Add Printer" dialog box will appear.
    5. Select the "Select a shared printer by name" radio button, and enter "\\rps\" and then choose the printer you wish to add from the menu that appeared under where you typed "\\rps\."
    6. Select "Next."
    7. Set the name of the newly-added printer, if you'd like.
    8. Select "Next," and then select "Finish."

    Network File Access

    Under the "O:" (pronounced "oh drive") on a domain Windows workstation, you can access shared files, folders, and directories that reside on a wide variety of CSE file servers. This includes, for example, project, web and course directories.

    Mapping Your Home Directory

    Your home directory is automatically mounted for CSE domain joined machines, on the "Z:" (pronounced "zee drive"). For mapping a Home Directory via Windows Map Network Drive on a personal machine:

    1. Determine which server your home directory resides on (e.g. "cash", "cube", "companion", etc., etc., NOTE: for web\homes or public_html use the server "ready"
    2. Navigate to File Explorer
    3. Right-Click on This PC in the left-hand menu of File Explorer, then select Map network drive...
    4. Select the Drive letter you want assigned to the share. You can choose any available letter.
    5. In the Folder text box, put your home directory path:
      • \\<home_directory_server_name>.cs.washington.edu\<username>
    6. Click Finish.

    Mapping a Project Directory

    For mapping a Research Project Directory via Windows Map Network Drive

    1. Determine which server your project directory resides on (e.g. "turret", "portal", etc., etc.
    2. Click on the Windows START menu
    3. Right-Click on Computer, then select Map network drive...
    4. Select the Drive letter you want assigned to the share. You can choose any available letter.
    5. In the Folder text box, put \\servername\projects\<project name>
    6. Click Finish.

    For mapping a Research Project Directory via Windows Map Network Drive (for wired connections only):

    1. Click on the Windows START menu
    2. Right-Click on Computer, then select Map network drive...
    3. Select the Drive letter you want assigned to the share. You can choose any available letter.
    4. In the Folder text box, put \\csenetid.cs.washington.edu\cs\unix\projects\<project name>
    5. Click Finish.

    High-Level File System Structure

    The following table shows the topmost directory structure of remotely-accessible directories in the department.

    Dfs path prefix        Comment
O:\nt                  Restricted CSE IT resources

O:\unix\projects       Same as /projects, research UNIX
       \homes\         Special group home directories (cubist/grail/network/sys)

O:\cse                 Like /cse, research UNIX
O:\sources             Like /sources, research UNIX

    Remote Access

    Information on connecting to Allen School computing resources from a remote location can be found in this document.

    File Transfer: Using WinSCP to access CSE Linux fileservers remotely

    1. Download the WinSCP Installation package here: http://winscp.net/eng/download.php
    2. Run the installer, "Typical Installation" is fine. "Commander interface" vs "Explorer interface" is up to you. Both work well and have descriptions in the installer.
    3. Launch WinSCP.
    4. Enter the remote server you would like to connect to (for example: barb.cs.washington.edu), and your CSE Linux username and password. Click Login.

    Once connected, consider changing these preferences (Options-> Preferences):

    • Open files using your computer's program defaults: Environment-> Panels-> Double-click pane-> Set the drop down to 'open' instead of 'edit' (http://winscp.net/eng/docs/ui_pref_panels#double-click).
    • Switch to Windows Explorer look and feel: Environment-> Interface-> Select "Explorer".
    • Save a session and create a shortcut on your desktop:
      1. Connect to a server via WinSCP
      2. Save your session: Session-> "Save Session"
      3. Once saved, close WinSCP and restart it.
      4. Select the saved session from the list in the WinSCP login window, then select "Shell icon..."-> "Desktop Icon"

    Software

    We install a user-customizable set of popular applications on Windows machines deployed to Faculty, Staff, and Grad Students. There is a huge set of applications on the instructional systems. There is also a large collection of Microsoft software available to all faculty and students via the MSDNAA program. MS Office is licensed for machines in labs and offices. Students may purchase MS-Office for personal machines at special pricing.

    Since we do not install or support all the software that might be of interest to people, users are generally given local administrator privileges on Windows desktops and you may install other packages you like (provided you are legally entitled to do so!)