How to find out who has used or tried to use your printer?

If you share the printer attached to your XP Pro machine with others, you can find out who has used it - or tried to use it - by enabling auditing on the printer. Here's how you set it up:

1. Log on with an administrative account.
2. In Windows Explorer, click Tools | Folder Options | View tab.
3. Uncheck "Sue Simple File Sharing (Recommended)."
4. Click Start | Control Panel (classic view) | Administrative Tools | Local Security Policy
5. In the left pane, click to expand Local Policies.
6. Click Audit Policy.
7. Double click Audit Object Access in the right pane.
8. Select to audit both successes and failures.
9. Click Start | Printers and Faxes.
10. Right click the icon for your printer and select Properties.
11. Click the Security tab.
12. Click Advanced.
13. Click the Auditing tab.
14. Click Add, and add the Everyone group. Click OK.
15. Select the types of access you want to audit (Print, Manage Printers, Manage Documents, etc.).
16. When some successfully uses the printer or performs other audited tasks, it will be recorded in the System log. When someone who doesn't have permission tries to print, it will be recorded in the Security log. You can view the logs by clicking Start | Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Event Viewer.

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