PRINTBRM.exe – Windows CMD Command

Print queue Backup/Recovery/Migration.

Syntax
      PRINTBRM -b -s \\server_name -f file_name options

      PRINTBRM -r -s \\server_name -f file_name options

      PRINTBRM -q options

Key
   -s server_name The unc path to the print server.
   -b             Back up the server to the specified file.
   -r             Restore the configuration in the file to the server.
   -q             Query the server or the backup file.
   -f file_name   The backup file.
   -d directory   Unpack the backup file to the directory (with -r),
                  or repack a backup file from the directory (with -b).
   -o force       Forces overwriting of existing objects.
   -p all         Publish all printers in the directory, or
   -p org         Publish the printers that were originally published.
   -nobin         Omit binary files from the backup.
   -lpr2tcp       Convert LPR ports to standard TCP/IP ports on restore.
   -c file_name   Use the specified configuration file.
   -noacl         Remove ACLs from print queues on restore.
   -?             Help

PrintBRM is not be included in the Windows PATH but will be found at %Windir%\System32\spool\tools\printbrm.exe

In Windows 2008 PrintBRM replaces the old Win 2003 PrintMig utility, it is backward compatible with 2003.
in Windows Server 2012 PrintBRM supports both v3 and v4 print drivers and can backup to.CAB files greater than 2 GB.

Get a list of all printer share names for a print server: net view \\printserv1

PrintBRM can be run over the network to remote servers, but the Print$ share must exist on both the source and target server and the Remote Registry Service must be running.

If you move printers to a different domain, use the -NoACL parameter to prevent the restoration of the print queue’s ACLs.

A backup or export operation using PrintBRM produces a compressed file that is used for the restore or import operation. This includes XML files for drivers, forms, port monitors, ports, printers, spooler directories. These details can be edited by using the -d option to unpack the file to XML, edit the files and then repack into a modified export file.

Example

Backup your printer queues:

C:\> Printbrm.exe –b –nobin –s \\PrintServerf4t –f C:\scripts\backup.printerExport

On the new print server computer, manually install the updated printer drivers.
Create a BrmConfig.xml configuration file to map the old drivers to the new drivers:

<BrmConfig>
  <PLUGINS>
  </PLUGINS>

  <LanguageMonitors>
  </LanguageMonitors>

  <DriverMap>
    <DRV old="OldDriverName1" new="NewDriverName1"/>
    <DRV old="OldDrverName2" new="NewDriverName2"/>
  </DriverMap>
</BrmConfig>
Restore the printers specifying your configuration file using your configuration file:
C:\> PrintBrm.exe –r –c BrmConfig.xml –f D:\scripts\backup.printerExport –o force