Method 1: Disable the automatic search for network printers and folders by changing folder options
To disable the automatic search for network printers and folders, follow these steps: Click Start, click Control Panel, click Appearance and Themes, and click Folder Options to open the Folder Options dialog box.
Click the View tab.
In the Advanced Settings list, click to clear the Automatically Search for Network Folders and Printers check box.
Click OK.
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NoteThis functionality is disabled if more than 32 computers with shared resources are detected on your network, if you are joined to a domain, if you are using a dial-up or a VPN connection, or if an administrator has disabled the functionality by using Group Policy.
Method 2: Disable the automatic search for network printers and folders by changing the registry key
To change the registry key to disable automatic search for network printers and folders , follow these steps:
- Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
Locate the following registry subkey:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Advanced
- Right-click System, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
Type NoNetCrawling, and then press ENTER.
Double-click NoNetCrawling.
In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
Close Registry Editor.
Method 3: Group policy in DC
1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. Click the Active Directory container of the domain you want to manage
(an Organizational Unit or a domain). Right-click that container, and then
click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, and then click New to create a "New" Group
Policy.
4. In Group Policy Editor, expand the following folders: Computer
Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Printers.
o Allow Printers to be published to the Directory:
Enables or disables publishing of printers in the directory.
o Automatically publish new printers in the Active Directory:
On by default, this setting can be turned off so that only shared printers
specifically selected are placed in the directory.