If you're running a SAMBA domain server, you may want to share your network printers out to both your Linux workstations using CUPS and to your Windows workstations using SAMBA. Nobody likes having to run around to all the workstations, download drivers and install the new printer. It's much easier if the SAMBA server will automatically push the drivers out to Windows computers.

The setup for printer sharing is pretty easy, but it can be a headache to have the SAMBA server push out the Windows drivers needed for the Windows desktops to make installation simple.

I'm going to assume you have both CUPS and SAMBA already working, and you're just trying to solve the problem of pushing Windows printer drivers out.

Make sure your /etc/samba/smb.conf file has a [print$] section that looks something like this:

[print$]
   comment = Printer Drivers
   path = /var/lib/samba/printers
   browseable = yes
   read only = yes
   guest ok = yes
   use client driver = yes
   # you can modify the next two lines to match your needed permissions
   valid users = "@Domain Users"
   write list = "@Domain Admins"

At the end of your /etc/cupsd.conf file, add the following lines:

mime.convs:
application/octet-stream application/vnd.cups-raw 0 -

mime.types:
application/octet-stream