1. Prerequisites
2. Backup your current configuration
3. Verify driver naming
4. Export printers and drivers from Windows 2003
5. Import printers on Windows 2008
6.Install compatible drivers
7. Cleanup unused drivers

1. Prerequisites

• Local administrator permissions on both servers
• All printers have to be online
• Resolve any printer queue error before proceeding
• Verify on the manufacture website if the printing device is Windows 2008 compatible

If they say Vista x64/x86 compatible it will also work on 2008
If they say Windows 7 x64 compatible it will also work on 2008 r2 and visa-versa

• Do not skip any step of this procedure

2. Backup your current configuration

If you are planning to consolidate any old Windows 2003 server by moving the printers to a production print server, you need to backup your printers before proceeding.

Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 r2 have both an integrated printer migration tool. To activate the tool first install the “Print and Document Services” role from the System Manager.
Run Windows updates, there might be an update available.

After installing the role, open the “Print Management” from the administrative tools.

1. Right click “Print Management”
2. Add/Remove Servers
3. Under “Add server name:” enter the FQDN of your 2008 server or choose to “Add the local server”
4. Click “Add to list” and close with “OK”

5. Back at the Print Management console right click your server and choose “Export printers to a file…”
6. Click Next
7. Choose a location and a file name where you want to store your backup file
8. Click “Next” once again and the printers will be exported

3. Verify driver naming

As described in one of my previous posts, you might experience issues with the driver names during migration.
To anticipate you should verify the drivers before proceeding. Depending the amount of different printing devices, this might take a while.

More information in this post:  0×80070057. The parameter is incorrect

When migrating from one server to another, the migration tool will check if the correct driver is already installed on the new server.
These are the rules:

a. Is a driver with exact the same name already installed?
b. Is the architecture correct for the system?
c. Is the driver from the old system compatible with the new system?
d. Is a driver with exact the same name available from the local repository

Hopefully this drawing will help you determine if you have the correct setup. In the end, you should have exact the same driver names on both servers.
Note that the systems performs an ASCII check, meaning case sensitive!

4. Export printers and drivers from Windows 2003

These steps are already documented by Kurt Roggen, one of my favourite bloggers.
Follow his instructions at his blog

5. Import printers on Windows 2008

These steps are already documented by Kurt Roggen, one of my favourite bloggers.
Follow his instructions at his blog

After you have done the import, the printer migration tool will create a filter in your event viewer.
The filter will only show migration messages, warnings and errors.

6. Install compatible drivers

In my opinion it is important that you cleanup the system after the migration. This will make any migration or transition to another server in the future a lot easier.
Download the newest drivers from the manufactures website and install them. If your workstations have a different architecture from your server, do not forget to install those drivers too.
No surprise, the driver has to have exactly the same name.

If the drivers have different names, you can follow the procedure in one of my previous posts to fix this issue. 0×80070057. The parameter is incorrect
Make sure to document these changes for further migrations or transitions.

7. Cleanup unused drivers

Make sure to cleanup any unused or incompatible driver. Same reason as before, it will make future migrations a lot easier.