Cannot activate printer sharing in Vista Ultimate

In Windows Vista Ultimate...with a Brother MFC 7820N printer added...(or deleted)...I visited the Network & Sharing Center...I have a broadband home network with a designated location as Private. I can activate via radio button all options (network discovery, file sharing, public folder sharing, password protection sharing, & media sharing)...as evidenced by the radio button turning green....However, when I select the radio button to "turn on printer sharing" and press "Apply", I get the usual UAC box and press "Continue". Thereafter, the radio button remains grey...indicating that printer sharing is not active. I have reviewed settings in the Windows Firewall and confirmed that file and printer sharing exceptions are allowed...Likewise, my Antivirus software firewall is set to allow incoming and outgoing traffic but I did disable the AV firewall...but still get the same negative result.

All of my research indicates that file and printer sharing work together...but not in this case. Any ideas?

Renegade07

Here is a MS Tech Net article that explains how to set up file and printer sharing. I would go through the paper and make sure your config is correct and go from there.

File and Printer Sharing in Windows Vista

I hope this helps. Reply back after you do that and if does not fix you up, let us know

I was aware of, read, and followed every step to the nth detail of the noticed paper...before I posted...and again....after reviewing your post. And again, the portions regarding printer sharing could not be executed.

Thanks for your suggestion.

Renegade07

The only place i have to go then after reading your original post is...

o Have you scanned for malware, spyware, or the like? Have you ran SpyBot Search & Destroy, Malwarebytes, or used Microsoft's Security Essentials to see if you have any "nasties"?

o Do you have any third-party software installed to handle your wireless?

o Have you edited the registry in any way that could be tied to this problem?

Just some ideas.

RCShadow...Thank you for your ideas. I never touch the registry...and I scan with McAfee twice a week...and use Windows Defender as well. Nothing has been identified during scans of the past 2 years. The network is wired...I have a desktop with Vista Premium with no issues of network discovery or sharing. In fact, I shared a printer attached to that machine....and my Vista Ultimate machine can see and share files from the Vistra Premium machine...as well as print from the shared printer added to that computer. The MS article you referred is how I set up that machine and I executed the steps flawlessly. Only when I tried to do the same with my Vista Ultimate machine did I run into the previously stated issues.

I will seek out your recommended software to locate any possible "nasties".


Thanks again,

Renegade07