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Table of contents:

IExpress can run in one of three modes:

1. Extract files and run an installation command. This is an “installer-builder” mode, similar to 7-Zip’s 7zS.sfx module or WinRAR’s SFX “temporary mode”.
2. Extract files only. This prompts a user for a destination directory, similar to 7-Zip’s 7z.sfx or 7zCon.sfx modules.
3. Create compressed files only (ActiveX Installs). A .cab file maker front-end. [I have no idea why it mentions “ActiveX Installs”, but I will find out.]

I am primarily interested in the first mode.

The IExpress output package executable has the same architecture as the version of iexpress.exe you run (ie, x86 or x64). On an x64 machine, by default, that will produce an x64-only IExpress package. When this package is executed on an x86 machine, it will fail, and display a nasty message about the file being incompatible.

You can avoid this by generating an x86 package. Execute the iexpress.exe which is in SySWOW64, eg:

C:\ixptest>%SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\iexpress.exe /n test.sed

Even if your installation requires x64, you can still display a friendlier error message to x86 users during the install process, perhaps in your installation script.

When executing a batch file, be sure to run it using cmd /c explicitly:

If you don’t do this, it will be run via command.com – yes, the 16-bit one! Depending on your system, one of the following will happen:

1. On systems that have a working NTVDM, you’ll really get a 16-bit “DOS” experience.
2. On x64 systems, your batch file will not execute at all. (wextract will say: “Error creating process <Command.com /c C:\Users\...\Temp\IXP000.TMP\file.bat>.”)

If you decide to specify the full path, I suggest you use C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c. If the IExpress package is x86 (as recommended), the call to cmd.exe will be redirected to SysWOW64 on x64 machines.

At the Package Name and Options screen, you are given the option Store files using Long File Name inside Package:

Always select this option! What filesystem are you using nowadays that doesn’t support more that 8.3 filenames?! :-)

iexpress.exe appears to use the location of your SED file for its temporary files. To inspect the intermediate results, I applied a deny ACE to this directory:

C:\>icacls C:\ixptest /deny user:(OI)(DE,DC)
processed file: C:\ixptest
Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files

That icacls command explained:

• Replace user with your username.
• The (OI) means object inherit, which indicates that the ACE should apply to files in the same directory.
• The (DE,DC) means delete, delete child, respectively.

When you’re done, use the following command to undo that:

C:\>icacls C:\ixptest /remove:d user

In the investigation below, I use the following SED file, which was auto-generated by IExpress:

[Version]
Class=IEXPRESS
SEDVersion=3
[Options]
PackagePurpose=InstallApp
ShowInstallProgramWindow=0
HideExtractAnimation=0
UseLongFileName=1
InsideCompressed=0
CAB_FixedSize=0
CAB_ResvCodeSigning=0
RebootMode=N
InstallPrompt=%InstallPrompt%
DisplayLicense=%DisplayLicense%
FinishMessage=%FinishMessage%
TargetName=%TargetName%
FriendlyName=%FriendlyName%
AppLaunched=%AppLaunched%
PostInstallCmd=%PostInstallCmd%
AdminQuietInstCmd=%AdminQuietInstCmd%
UserQuietInstCmd=%UserQuietInstCmd%
SourceFiles=SourceFiles
[Strings]
InstallPrompt=
DisplayLicense=
FinishMessage=
TargetName=C:\ixptest\test.exe
FriendlyName=test
AppLaunched=cmd
PostInstallCmd=<None>
AdminQuietInstCmd=
UserQuietInstCmd=
FILE0="setup1.exe"
FILE1="setup2.exe"
[SourceFiles]
SourceFiles0=C:\ixptest\foo\
SourceFiles1=C:\ixptest\bar\
[SourceFiles0]
%FILE0%=
[SourceFiles1]
%FILE1%=

The setup?.exe files are just copies of Notepad. Note that they have to have different names, despite coming from different source directories – more on this later.

Essentially this extracts the files to a temporary directory, then runs cmd.exe and waits.

Using procmon, one can see exactly the process that IExpress uses. Start Process Monitor, then run IExpress:

C:\ixptest>%SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\iexpress /n test.sed

The result, according to Process Monitor:

1. iexpress.exe creates a file C:\ixptest\~test.DDF with instructions for makecab.exe.
2. iexpress.exe launches makecab.exe /f "C:\ixptest\~test.DDF"
3. makecab.exe reads the DDF file and creates three files: ~test.CAB, ~test_LAYOUT.INF and ~test.RPT.
   • During this process, makecab creates a series of files in %temp%, with names like cab_pid_N and inf_pid_N, where pid is the process ID of makecab, and N is a sequential integer.
   • It also creates some zero-byte files C:\ixptest\CABnnnnn.TMP, eg CAB00356.TMP, where nnnnn is a right-padded number beginning with the process ID of makecab.
4. iexpress.exe reads the RPT file, and deletes the DDF, INF and RPT files (without having examined the INF file).
5. iexpress.exe copies wextract.exe into C:\ixptest\test.exe.
6. iexpress.exe merges test.exe and ~test.CAB into a new, temporary file C:\ixptest\RCX441A.tmp.
   • During this process, it seems some of the executable part (ie the “wextract portions”) of the temp file are modified, possibly to adjust for things like the new executable length.
7. Finally, iexpress.exe renames RCX441A.tmp to C:\ixptest\test.exe, overwriting it. It deletes the ~test.CAB file.

7-Zip has this to say about the generated ~test.CAB file:

C:\ixptest>set path=%path%;C:\Program Files\7-Zip

C:\ixptest>7z l "~test.CAB"

7-Zip [64] 9.20  Copyright (c) 1999-2010 Igor Pavlov  2010-11-18

Listing archive: ~test.CAB

--
Path = ~test.CAB
Type = Cab
Method = LZX
Blocks = 1
Volumes = 1

   Date      Time    Attr         Size   Compressed  Name
------------------- ----- ------------ ------------  ------------------------
2015-01-20 04:52:54 ....A       215040               setup1.exe
2015-01-20 04:52:54 ....A       215040               setup2.exe
------------------- ----- ------------ ------------  ------------------------
                                430080       146334  2 files, 0 folders

No surprises here – a standard CAB file. Notice, though, that it has no “subdirectories”.

;Auto-generated Diamond Directive File. Can be deleted without harm.
.Set CabinetNameTemplate=C:\ixptest\~test.CAB
.Set CompressionType=LZX
.Set CompressionLevel=7
.Set InfFileName=C:\ixptest\~test_LAYOUT.INF
.Set RptFileName=C:\ixptest\~test.RPT
.Set MaxDiskSize=CDROM
.Set ReservePerCabinetSize=0
.Set InfCabinetLineFormat=*cab#*=Application Source Media,*cabfile*,0
.Set Compress=on
.Set CompressionMemory=21
.Set DiskDirectoryTemplate=
.Set Cabinet=ON
.Set MaxCabinetSize=999999999
.Set InfDiskHeader=
.Set InfDiskLineFormat=
.Set InfCabinetHeader=[SourceDisksNames]
.Set InfFileHeader=
.Set InfFileHeader1=[SourceDisksFiles]
.Set InfFileLineFormat=*file*=*cab#*,,*size*,*csum*
"C:\ixptest\foo\setup1.exe"
"C:\ixptest\bar\setup2.exe"

This file is used by makecab.exe. Its directives are documented elsewhere [1][2], so I won’t go into much detail. Suffice it to say that this file generates a ‘plain’ CAB file.

Interestingly, you can see the “shell” of this file in the .text section of iexpress.exe:

.Set CabinetNameTemplate=%s

Note the %s C-style (printf) substitution there.

;*** BEGIN **********************************************************
;**                                                                **
;** Automatically generated on: Mon Sep 07 22:01:32 2015           **
;**                                                                **
;** MakeCAB Version: 10.0.9800.0                                 **
;**                                                                **
;*** BEGIN **********************************************************


[SourceDisksNames]
1=Application Source Media,C:\ixptest\~test.CAB,0

[SourceDisksFiles]
setup1.exe=1,,215040,c1fe9638
setup2.exe=1,,215040,c1fe9638
;*** END ************************************************************
;**                                                                **
;** Automatically generated on: Mon Sep 07 22:01:32 2015           **
;**                                                                **
;*** END ************************************************************

According to [2] (emphasis in original):

The key feature of MakeCAB is that it takes a set of files and produces a disk layout while at the same time attempting to minimize the number of disks required.

This hearkens back to the days when products were shipped on floppy diskettes. Remember Windows 95 (13 disks), Windows NT 3.1 (22 disks), or Windows 98 (38 disks!)?

MakeCAB Report: Mon Sep 07 22:01:32 2015

Total files:              2
Bytes before:       430,080
Bytes after:        146,124
After/Before:            33.98% compression
Time:                     0.30 seconds ( 0 hr  0 min  0.30 sec)
Throughput:            1414.14 Kb/second

Fairly self-explanatory – just a summary report.

7-Zip shows us how wextract.exe was modified when forming test.exe:

C:\ixptest>7z l test.exe

7-Zip [64] 9.20  Copyright (c) 1999-2010 Igor Pavlov  2010-11-18

Listing archive: test.exe

--
Path = test.exe
Type = PE
CPU = x86
Characteristics = Executable 32-bit
	[...snip...]
----
Path = .rsrc\RCDATA\CABINET
Size = 146334
Packed Size = 146334
--
Path = .rsrc\RCDATA\CABINET
Type = Cab
Method = LZX
Blocks = 1
Volumes = 1

   Date      Time    Attr         Size   Compressed  Name
------------------- ----- ------------ ------------  ------------------------
2015-01-20 04:52:54 ....A       215040               setup1.exe
2015-01-20 04:52:54 ....A       215040               setup2.exe
------------------- ----- ------------ ------------  ------------------------
                                430080       301056  2 files, 0 folders

Looks like the CAB was actually added as an RCDATA resource named CABINET. Neat!

That’s a somewhat different approach than 7-Zip’s 7zS.sfx, in which one simply gloms the installer config file and 7z archive onto the end of the executable.

Here is what the environment looks like during the execution of the install program:

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.9926]
(c) 2015 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\IXP000.TMP>set
ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData
APPDATA=C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
CommonProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
CommonProgramW6432=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=WIN-1F6OEAJ3U9Q
ComSpec=C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Users\user
LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users\user\AppData\Local
LOGONSERVER=\\WIN-1F6OEAJ3U9Q
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=1
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\7-Zip
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86
PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432=AMD64
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=Intel64 Family 6 Model 70 Stepping 1, GenuineIntel
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=6
PROCESSOR_REVISION=4601
ProgramData=C:\ProgramData
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files (x86)
ProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)
ProgramW6432=C:\Program Files
PROMPT=$P$G
PSModulePath=C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\
PUBLIC=C:\Users\Public
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\Windows
TEMP=C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp
TMP=C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp
USERDOMAIN=WIN-1F6OEAJ3U9Q
USERDOMAIN_ROAMINGPROFILE=WIN-1F6OEAJ3U9Q
USERNAME=user
USERPROFILE=C:\Users\user
windir=C:\Windows
__COMPAT_LAYER=ElevateCreateProcess WRPMitigation

The current directory is C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\IXP000.TMP.

Note that the cmd.exe is actually the x86 (32-bit) one, since the x86 version of IExpress generated an x86 executable. If you really need an x64 cmd.exe, you can run %SystemRoot%\Sysnative\cmd.exe from your x86 cmd.

A question that gets asked a lot is, “How can I prevent the IExpress temporary files from being deleted?” or “How can I extract the files to a specific [predetermined] location?”

The problem is that the extracted files from a “type 1” installer package get cleaned up after the install program is finished, and the “type 2” installer prompts the user for the extraction location. My answer on Stack Overflow is a fairly complete response to this.

Essentially, you should create a installer-type package, and include in it a script of some sort (eg, a batch file) that copies the files from the temporary location (eg %temp%\IXP000.TMP) to a more permanent location of your choosing, perhaps something like:

@echo off
xcopy /y * "%ProgramFiles%\MyProgram\"
del /f "%ProgramFiles%\MyProgram\copyfiles.bat"

“Can IExpress-generated cabinets contain subdirectories?” or “How can I preserve my folder structure?”

The short answer is: no. To understand this, it’s useful to know how the CAB file within the package is generated.

As seen above, IExpress generates a DDF file (based on your SED file) which contains a series of directives followed by a list of full pathnames of files to include. But no matter the source location, the files are all placed into the ‘root’ of the CAB file^*, as no destination directives were specified. This also creates a requirement that all files be named uniquely (irrespective of their source location).

If we could somehow intercept the DDF file and modify it before makecab.exe ran, we could add subdirectories by adding new directives. The end of the DDF file could look something like:

[...snip...]
.Set InfFileHeader1=[SourceDisksFiles]
.Set InfFileLineFormat=*file*=*cab#*,,*size*,*csum*
.Set DestinationDir=foo
"C:\ixptest\foo\setup1.exe"
.Set DestinationDir=bar
"C:\ixptest\bar\setup2.exe"

If we run makecab.exe directly on a file like this, we can see the paths in the generated CAB file:

C:\ixptest>7z l "~test.CAB" | find "A"
Listing archive: ~test.CAB
Path = ~test.CAB
   Date      Time    Attr         Size   Compressed  Name
2015-01-20 04:52:54 ....A       215040               foo\setup1.exe
2015-01-20 04:52:54 ....A       215040               bar\setup2.exe

But I don’t really see a convenient way of modifying the DDF file, as it exists for only a few seconds.

You could use the same method as described in Persisting files above: in your install script, move the files to their appropriate subdirectories. Obviously this would get increasingly tedious as the number of files increases.

[* CAB files don’t really have “directories”, per se, but are nevertheless supported by several utilities, including 7-Zip.]

If the files you’re including are already compressed, you might not want to compress them within the CAB archive. To do that, add Compress=0 to your SED file, anywhere in the [Options] section:

[Options]
Compress=0

You can use 7-Zip to check whether it’s compressed. For a ‘typical’ IExpress file, the Method will be LZX:

C:\ixptest>7z l test.exe
[...]
Path = .rsrc\RCDATA\CABINET
Type = Cab
Method = LZX
Blocks = 1
Volumes = 1
[...]

Whereas for an uncompressed CAB, the Method will be None:

C:\ixptest>7z l test.exe
[...]
Path = .rsrc\RCDATA\CABINET
Type = Cab
Method = None
Blocks = 1
Volumes = 1
[...]

[ This SED option causes the Compress directive to be changed in the DDF file to: .Set Compress=0 ]

As the generated package is based on wextract.exe, the Details pane will look something like this:

You can override some of those fields using a custom definition in your SED file. You need to define the VersionInfo option in the [Options] section, then add the new section.

Here is an example that takes the data from notepad.exe:

[Options]
VersionInfo=VersionSection
[VersionSection]
FromFile=C:\Windows\notepad.exe

You can further customize that with additional [VersionSection] options. According to a quick dump of iexpress.exe, the available fields are:

CompanyName
InternalName
OriginalFilename
ProductName
ProductVersion
FileVersion
FileDescription
LegalCopyright

An example:

[Options]
VersionInfo=VersionSection
[VersionSection]
FromFile=C:\Windows\notepad.exe
LegalCopyright=© Fabrikam, Inc. All rights reserved.

Which will look something like:

Ta-da!

Note that this only updates the string version information, not the binary version information. See my answer on Stack Overflow for more details.

It’s been reported that IExpress has “security vulnerabilities”, eg:

• Stefan Kanthak – “privilege escalation for dummies”
• Stefan Kanthak – “yet another (trivial) UAC bypass resp. privilege escalation”

However I’m rather inclined to agree with the (unnamed) Microsoft representative who said:

“I still do not see any security vulnerability here. I can see an escalation of UAC privileges, but as has been documented on numerous occasions, UAC is not considered to be a security boundary, so such an escalation is not considered to be a security vulnerability.”

In any case, let us examine these claims to see how they came about.

Tvs Speed 40 Plus Passbook Printer Driver ((link)) -

TVS Speed 40 Plus Passbook Printer Driver

Introduction

The TVS Speed 40 Plus is a high-performance passbook printer designed for banks, financial institutions, and other organizations that require fast and reliable printing of passbooks and other financial documents. To ensure seamless integration with various operating systems and applications, a printer driver is required. In this paper, we will discuss the TVS Speed 40 Plus passbook printer driver, its features, and its importance in facilitating efficient printing operations.

Overview of TVS Speed 40 Plus Passbook Printer

The TVS Speed 40 Plus is a thermal printer that uses advanced technology to produce high-quality prints at incredible speeds. With a printing speed of up to 40 pages per minute, this printer is designed to handle high-volume printing tasks with ease. Its advanced features include:

• High-resolution printing (up to 203 dpi)
• Fast printing speed (up to 40 ppm)
• Large paper capacity (up to 200 sheets)
• Compact and durable design

TVS Speed 40 Plus Passbook Printer Driver

The TVS Speed 40 Plus passbook printer driver is software that enables communication between the printer and the operating system or application. The driver acts as a translator, converting print data from the application into a format that the printer can understand. The TVS Speed 40 Plus passbook printer driver supports various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Unix.

Key Features of TVS Speed 40 Plus Passbook Printer Driver

The TVS Speed 40 Plus passbook printer driver offers several key features that make it an essential component of the printing system:

• Easy Installation: The driver is easy to install and configure, ensuring that the printer is up and running quickly.
• Support for Multiple Operating Systems: The driver supports various operating systems, making it compatible with different environments.
• Customizable Settings: The driver allows users to adjust print settings, such as paper size, orientation, and print quality, to suit specific printing needs.
• Error Handling: The driver provides error handling and notification features, ensuring that users are alerted to any issues that may arise during printing.

Importance of TVS Speed 40 Plus Passbook Printer Driver

The TVS Speed 40 Plus passbook printer driver plays a crucial role in facilitating efficient printing operations:

• Enables Communication: The driver enables communication between the printer and the operating system or application, ensuring that print data is transmitted accurately.
• Optimizes Printing Performance: The driver optimizes printing performance by adjusting print settings and managing print queues.
• Reduces Errors: The driver helps reduce errors by providing error handling and notification features.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the TVS Speed 40 Plus passbook printer driver is an essential component of the TVS Speed 40 Plus printing system. Its features, such as easy installation, support for multiple operating systems, customizable settings, and error handling, make it an indispensable tool for banks, financial institutions, and other organizations that require fast and reliable printing of passbooks and other financial documents. By understanding the importance of the TVS Speed 40 Plus passbook printer driver, users can optimize their printing operations and ensure seamless integration with various operating systems and applications. tvs speed 40 plus passbook printer driver

The story of the TVS Speed 40 Plus passbook printer driver is one of high-speed banking reliability and critical technical synergy. As a specialized 24-wire impact dot matrix printer, its lifeblood is the Compuprint SP40 Plus driver

, which allows it to handle the complex, varied media required in modern financial institutions. The Technical Backbone The "magic" behind the Speed 40 Plus

is its ability to communicate with host environments via a 128 KB input buffer. For the driver to function optimally, users often must manually configure specific settings such as:

Horizontal Pitch: Often set to 20 CPI for banking passbooks.

Margins: Setting a right margin (e.g., 100 characters) to ensure the print stays within the tight lines of a vertical or horizontal passbook.

Interface Choice: While it supports USB and Serial, many legacy setups still rely on the robust LPT (Parallel) cable for secure, direct data transfer. Compatibility and Installation

The driver’s reach extends across decades of software, supporting everything from Windows 2000 to Windows 11, as well as Linux environments.

Official Downloads: Drivers are primarily sourced through the TVS Electronics Product Support portal or via the Compuprint website.

Plug-and-Play: For newer Windows OS versions, the printer is designed for automated discovery, though a specialized CD-ROM typically accompanies the unit for manual installation of specific emulations like IBM 4722 or Olivetti PR2. Troubleshooting the "Plot" Every story has its hurdles. For the Speed 40 Plus

, driver-related issues often manifest as "all lights blinking" or "calibration errors".

The TVS Speed 40 Plus is a high-performance, 24-wire impact dot matrix passbook printer designed primarily for banking and financial institutions. It features a maximum print speed of 580 characters per second (cps) and supports versatile media including vertical and horizontal passbooks, envelopes, and multi-part forms (1 original + 6 copies). Driver & Software Information

To ensure full functionality, you must install the correct drivers. The TVS Speed 40 Plus is often compatible with Compuprint SP40 Plus drivers. TVS Speed 40 Plus Passbook Printer Driver Introduction

Official Download Path: Drivers are typically available on the TVS Electronics Product Support page.

Direct Driver Link: A direct zip file for Windows drivers is often hosted at: https://tvs-e.in 40. PLUS/driver/Speed 40 Plus - Windows driver.zip.

OS Compatibility: The printer supports Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and Windows 7 (both 32-bit and 64-bit). For Windows 10/11, standard Compuprint SP40 drivers bundled within Windows or available via Windows Update may provide basic functionality. Technical Specifications Specification Print Technology 24-wire Impact Dot Matrix Max Print Speed 580 cps (VHSD), 520 cps (HSD), 400 cps (Draft) Connectivity USB 2.0, Serial (RS232C), and Parallel (IEEE 1284) Media Thickness 0.65 mm to 2.7 mm Reliability

10,000 Power-On Hours (MTBF); 400 million characters head life Emulations

IBM Proprinter XL24, Epson LQ2550, Olivetti PR2/PR40plus, IBM 4722 Setup & Installation Guide Speed 40 Plus Passbook Printer - TVS Electronics

The TVS Speed 40 Plus is a heavy-duty passbook printer widely used in banking and financial sectors for its reliability and speed. To ensure the hardware communicates correctly with your computer, installing the correct driver is essential. Understanding the TVS Speed 40 Plus

The Speed 40 Plus is designed for high-volume document handling. It features: High Print Speed: Optimized for rapid passbook updates. Durability: Built for continuous commercial use. Connectivity: Standard USB and Parallel port interfaces. Why You Need the Correct Driver

A printer driver acts as a translator between your operating system and the hardware. Without the specific TVS Speed 40 Plus driver, you may experience: Connectivity errors ("Printer not found"). Misaligned text on passbook pages. Missing fonts or garbled characters. Slow printing performance. Step-by-Step Installation Guide 1. Download the Driver

Always source drivers from the official TVS Electronics website or the original installation media. Ensure you select the version that matches your operating system (e.g., Windows 10, Windows 11, or Linux). 2. Physical Setup Power off the printer. Connect the USB or Parallel cable to your PC. Plug in the power cord and turn the printer on. 3. Installation Process Run the Setup: Open the downloaded .exe file.

Follow Prompts: Choose your preferred language and click "Next."

Port Selection: Select the correct port (usually USB001 for modern setups). Finish: Restart your computer to finalize the integration. Troubleshooting Common Issues Printer Offline

Check the cable connections. Ensure the "Use Printer Offline" setting is unchecked in your Windows "Devices and Printers" menu. Print Alignment Problems High-resolution printing (up to 203 dpi) Fast printing

If text is printing outside the passbook columns, go to Printer Properties > Preferences and adjust the paper size settings to match your specific passbook dimensions. Driver Not Recognized

If Windows fails to see the driver, try disabling your antivirus temporarily during installation or run the installer as an "Administrator." Maintenance Tips for Longevity

💡 Keep it clean: Use compressed air to remove paper dust from the sensors.💡 Update regularly: Check for firmware updates on the TVS portal to improve compatibility with new software.💡 Use genuine ribbons: Low-quality ribbons can clog the print head and void your warranty.

The TVS Speed 40 Plus passbook printer, a rebranded Compuprint SP40 Plus, requires the specific SP40 Plus driver for installation. Configuration involves manual driver installation, setting the printer to 20 CPI, and using LPT or USB interfaces for optimal performance. For detailed setup instructions and technical specifications, refer to the document at TVS Speed 40 Plus Printer Setup Guide | PDF - Scribd

---

Linux / CUPS (Ubuntu, Fedora)

TVS does not provide precompiled binaries, but a PPD (PostScript Printer Description) works.

1. Download the generic epson9.ppd (Epson 9-pin driver).
2. Use sudo cupsctl --remote-any
3. Install via USB, and set the Device URI to usb://TVS/Speed%2040%20Plus
4. In lpadmin, add option: -o pdftops-renderer-default
5. Note: MICR does not work natively on Linux. You must use a Windows VM for cheque printing.

---

7. Linux / CUPS Setup (if needed)

1. Install cups and cups-client.
2. Use lsusb to confirm device detection.
3. Add printer via CUPS web interface (localhost:631).
4. Choose “TVS Speed 40 Plus” from list or use “Raw” queue with custom PPD.
5. For serial: stty -F /dev/ttyS0 9600 cs8 -cstopb -parenb before printing.

---

Installing on Windows (typical steps)

1. Download the correct driver package for your OS and model.
2. Unzip the package and run the installer (or use “Add Printer” if using an INF).
3. For USB models: connect the printer after installing the driver; Windows should recognize the device and bind the driver.
4. For serial models: configure the COM port (baud rate, parity, data bits, stop bits) matching the application settings.
5. Test printing via Windows “Print Test Page” or included utility; verify passbook feed works and alignment is correct.
6. If using OPOS/UPOS: install the OPOS control object and configure with the OPOS utility; assign logical device name used by the POS application.

---

Part 4: Step-by-Step Installation Guide (Windows 10/11)

Follow this sequence precisely. Installing in the wrong order is the #1 cause of “printer not found” errors.

Where to Find Legacy Drivers (Windows XP / 7)

If you are still running legacy banking software (like Finacle or TCS BaNCS on Windows 7), finding the driver can be difficult because TVS has archived older versions.

Best sources for legacy drivers:

1. The Internet Archive (Wayback Machine): Search for tvs-ele.com/downloads/SP40/
2. Driver backup repositories: If you have an old, working PC, use a tool like "Double Driver" to export the working driver.
3. Request from TVS Support: Email their support team with the serial number of your printer and request the "Legacy 32-bit XP Driver."

Introduction

In the high-stakes world of financial and retail banking, passbook printers are the unsung heroes. They handle millions of transactions daily, updating tiny digits on flimsy paper stocks with precision. Among the most reliable workhorses in this niche is the TVS Speed 40 Plus Passbook Printer.

However, even the most robust hardware is rendered useless without the correct software bridge: the TVS Speed 40 Plus Passbook Printer Driver. A mismatched or outdated driver leads to garbled text, paper jams, misaligned entries, or the printer not responding at all.

This article serves as the definitive resource for everything related to the TVS Speed 40 Plus driver. Whether you are an IT administrator for a bank, a retail manager, or a technician, this guide will walk you through driver acquisition, installation, common error codes, and advanced configuration.

---

Where to Download the Correct Driver

Important: TVS Electronics does not always provide a single "universal" driver for all OS versions. Instead, follow this hierarchy:

UAC Installer Detection attempts to detect whether an application that isn’t UAC-aware needs elevation.

Having neither the time nor the interest to examine old versions of IExpress (say, anything older than the version bundled with Windows 7), I can’t say what the behaviour of ‘old’ wextract.exe is with regards to UAC.

However, I can see that relatively recent wextract.exe contains a manifest with the following:

  <trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
    <security>
      <requestedPrivileges>
        <requestedExecutionLevel
          level="asInvoker"
          uiAccess="false"/>
      </requestedPrivileges>
    </security>
  </trustInfo>

According to MSDN, asInvoker means: The application will run with the same permissions as the process that started it. In other words, no UAC elevation will be requested for IExpress-generated packages (by default). Of course, the executable inside the package might itself request elevation.

Now that I’ve explored the two mechanisms in play, I’ll summarize the vulnerability mentioned by Kanthak:

1. Download or create an IExpress package which triggers UAC’s Installer Detection.
   • Probably this requires an old version of IExpress, as new versions of wextract.exe seem to have a manifest that would prevent this.
   • One such file that exists already is CAPICOM-KB931906-v2102.exe. The wextract.exe for that file has a date of 2004-08-03 23:01:37, and an OS Version of 5.1 (ie, Windows XP/2003).
2. Place an executable in the same directory as the IExpress package, and give it the same name as its install program (msiexec.exe in this case).
   • The author supplies a very handy program called sentinel.exe for this purpose (just rename it to, eg, msiexec.exe).
3. Execute the IExpress package. UAC prompts for elevation based on the details of the IExpress package itself; but when you elevate, the ‘fake’ msiexec.exe executes from the same directory, rather than from System32. And it is executing with elevated privileges.

Of course, the user still had to consent to the UAC elevation, so it’s not a ‘bypass’, strictly speaking. Essentially it’s unexpected behaviour – you’re ‘piggybacking’ off of a UAC elevation for a different program.

If you’re concerned that someone might try to hijack your IExpress package for nefarious purposes, you can either:

• Specify the install program to be an executable that you bundled in your install package; or
• Specify the install program by full path to the executable.

Obviously the latter is difficult if you want to maintain good compatibility (eg, Windows not being installed in C:\Windows).

1. Makecab Directive File syntax
2. Microsoft MakeCAB User’s Guide

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Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or feedback.