HP UPD - Driver Configuration Support Guide

3 HP Driver Deployment Utility
The HP Driver Deployment Utility (HP DDU) was created to simplify the deployment of printer drivers
onto a client PC. It is a simple utility that packages the driver files and the code needed to deploy
them into an *.EXE and *.CAB file. These files are run on the client PC to copy the driver files to the
Windows driver store and for network packages, to install the printer.
NOTE: Windows requires a user to have administrator rights to install a printer driver.
The HP Driver Deployment Utility works with printer drivers that can be installed by an INF,
supporting only traditional mode installation (dynamic mode is not supported). It is designed to work
with printer drivers that have their files contained in one directory structure. Because this utility is
generic, it does not have knowledge of how specific drivers are packaged. It packages all files in the
directory (and subdirectories) where the driver INF was found. The driver must be expanded so that
the HP DDU can process the INF files. If you download an .exe with the driver files, you need to run it
first to unpack all the files. Then run the HP DDU to package for deployment on the client system.
If you need the ability to configure unique settings for your driver deployment, the HP UPD installer
may be a better choice as an install tool. The HP UPD installer allows the configuration of settings
from the command line.
The HP Driver Deployment Utility can be used with the HP UPD installer, but the HP UPD command
line will not be accessible. The HP DDU is designed to package and stage/install printer drivers.
Driver specific features, like those found in the HP UPD installer are specific to the HP UPD installer
and not supported by the HP DDU.
Examples of where the HP Driver Deployment Utility installer could be used are to deploy a direct
connect driver in traditional mode or a network install in traditional mode.
NOTE: Administrative rights are necessary on the client system where the install is being
performed. For a direct connect, administrative rights are only required to run the .exe package. You
can then connect the printer without administrative rights. For a network connection, the exe package
will copy files to the driver store, create the port, install the driver and finally create the printer object.
For a list of supported operating systems, see the current HP DDU Release Notes included in the HP
Printer Administrator's Resource Kit (PARK). You can download the PARK from the following HP
Web site:
www.hp.com/go/upd.
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