Vista - Printer cncted to Vista 64-bit, can't print from XP puter

I have a new Vista 64-bit computer. Connected to the Vista computer is an HP F4820 Desk Jet printer. My Vista computer connects to the internet via a wireless connection.

In another room in the house, we have an XP computer. It, too, connects to the internet and home network via the wireless connection.

When I got the Vista 'puter and the new printer, and hooked them up, the XP computer was able to print. It took some hoop-and-fire jumping to get it to do so, but it did.

My DVD/CD burner died and I had to kill my computer at the instruction of Dell (grrr), which created more problems than it was worth given that I already knew it was a hardware problem. BUT, anyway, now my XP cannot print.

Vista - has printer sharing ON. Printer is SHARED and in Networking and Sharing, Printer Sharing is ON (not passworded). In Networking and Sharing, the Vista computer: Network discovery: ON, File Sharing: ON, Public Folder Sharing: ON, Printer Sharing: ON, Password protected sharing: OFF, Media Sharing: OFF.

The XP computer has the HP printer drivers on it.

If I enter the printer location as \\computername\printername, it can find the printer. It has the drivers and the print spooler info shows up, BUT nothing prints. I get a "print failed" error. The printer won't work.

However, I have found Vista wants the XP computer to enter a password - To view the Public folder on Vista I have to enter my Vista log-in password. Once I do that, then the XP computer can print.

I need to make it so the XP computer can connect to the printer without needing that password entered. I had it set up that way before, but I've no idea what I did seven months ago to set it up.

Users of the XP machine (my children) do not need to know my Vista password, and having to go into a different area each time the computer has been shut off in order to enter the password is one step extra they don't need to do.

Help?! (If you need more details of various aspects, let me know. I'm sort of frazzled at this point, having spent two days attempting to fix this and a bluetooth connection problem I have since Dell instructed me to reset Windows to its factory condition.)

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide,

~wenmom

"wenmom" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:67327d2c11e260a03a1447a4e6009918@xxxxxx-gateway.com...
.. 64 bit issues.. Printer sharing
I am assuming that you know how to and have made the necessary share
permissions on the computer which is hosting the printer.

To share a network printer being hosted by a computer running a 32 bit
operating system with another computer running a 32 bit operating system,
Vista or XP, you would go to Control Panel > 'Printers' > 'Add Printer' >
'Add a network printer'. Apologies to any who consider that I am stating the
obvious. In fairness, it is obvious.
Sharing a printer being hosted by a computer running 32 bit Vista or XP with
a computer running 64 bit Vista is not obvious, because if you use the above
method, it will not work.

So how? First, you need to know the name of the computer which hosts the
printer, and the name of the printer to be shared.

Sitting at the host computer: The procedure is the same for Vista and XP

Start > My Computer > Properties > Computer Name tab > Change button. Write
down the name that you see here because this is the computer name.
Start > Settings > Printers and Faxes > Right click on the printer to be
shared > Properties > Sharing tab. Write down the name that you see here
because this is the printer name.

OK. Now sit in front of the Vista 64 computer:

Start > Control Panel > Printers > Add printer > Add a local printer > Click
on 'Create a new port' > 'Local Port' > 'Next'.
The port name will look like this: \\Computer name\printer name

So enter the names already retrieved, ensuring that you use the same format,
then click 'OK'.

At this point, you will be presented with the 'Add New Hardware' process.
You can either select the make and model of your printer from the lists or
insert your printer installation disk if you can't find yours. The printer
will be added, and you should be able to print a test page.

Another solution is to use a print server. There are three options if you
take this route.
1. Replace your router with one which includes a print server. This is the
most expensive option.
2. Acquire a wired print server unit and connect it to your existing
router. Beware the cheapest units as they will invariably be USB 1.1
compliant only.
3. Acquire a wireless print server. Setup may not always be
straightforward, but the printer can be moved around.
The benefit of any of the three options above is that the printer is
available all of the time, not being reliant on a host computer's power
state, but they all cost $$$ or more.


--

Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

Hi Mike,

Thank you for your suggestion, but I don't think that's quite what I need.

Your response sounds as though my printer is hooked to the XP system.

My printer is hooked to my Vista 64-bit.

The XP computer cannot print to the printer. If I use the
//computername/printername format in the XP printer set up, it doesn't work.

If, however, I log-in to the Vista computer FROM the XP system, in anyway shape or form prior to attempting to print, THEN it will print.

On the Vista system, the password protection for sharing is OFF. I've turned the system off and then back on to ensure that setting took hold. It still expect the XP computer to be pass-word linked prior to printing.

(I am fairly knowledgeable with computers, my friends think I'm a techie: I don't think I'm that knowledgeable, but I "get" more than most people... and I've been doing web sites for 12 years, starting by writing code: I'm not computer-dumb. This has me beating my head on a wall, though.)

~wenmom

wenmom wrote:
Turn Password Protection ON in Vista and create matching user
accounts/passwords on both machines. If the XP box is Pro/MCE, disable
Simple File Sharing in Control Panel>Folder Options>View.

Now test. I'm assuming you already installed the correct printer drivers on
the XP box.

Details - Create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You
do not need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the
passwords assigned to each user account can be different; the
accounts/passwords just need to exist and match on all machines. DO NOT
NEGLECT TO CREATE PASSWORDS, EVEN IF ONLY SIMPLE ONES. If you wish a
machine to boot directly to the Desktop (into one particular user's
account) for convenience, you can do this:

XP - Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

Vista - Start Orb>Search box>type: netplwiz [enter]
Click on Continue (or supply an administrator's password) when prompted by
UAC

Uncheck the option "Users must enter a user name and password to use this
computer". Select a user account to automatically log on by clicking on the
desired account to highlight it and then hit OK. Enter the correct password
for that user account (if there is one) when prompted. Leave it blank if
there is no password (null).

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

"Mike Hall - MVP" <mikehall@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23G752xR$JHA.3432@xxxxxx
It doesn't matter which way the computer is connected. The process is still
the same.

If the printer is connected to the 64bit machine, just transpose computers
in my instructions..

--

Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

>Create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You
>do not need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the
>passwords assigned to each user account can be different; the
>accounts/passwords just need to exist and match on all machines.

I do not want my (teenage) children to have access to my Vista computer beyond access to the printer. Putting passwords and accounts on my system for them is not an option.

I had everything networked in the past six months - totally different log-ins, always have been password protected, on the XP Desktop computer, the XP Laptop computer and the Vista64-bit... and it worked fine - the XP Desktop and the XP Laptop could see and print to the Vista-64-bit connected printer without problems. They're all on the same "workgroup" - I'm wondering if that "workgroup" is what's messing things up.

Since Dell instructed me to restore my Vista64bit to it's factory state, however, the printing won't work. And now, after messing with things so much, my XP Desktop is asking me for passwords to view the shared docs folder on the XP Laptop, something it's never done until today. I get a log-in window on the XP Desktop to view the Public folder on Vista64 as well.

BUT on the Laptop, I can view the Vista64 Public file and the XP Desktop Shared Docs files without getting a log-in/password box.

The laptop, however, still cannot connect to the printer on the Vista machine (it can't even find it - it doesn't show up as an available printer - unless I do the printer location //computername/printername thing, but then every time I try to print on the laptop or the desktop, it has to be logged on prior to ever trying to print).

I've gone through and made sure the Vista64 bit is all shared, made sure the computer is "findable" on the network. And still, nothing.

My wireless router does not have a printer port.
My printer is not bluetooth enabled (and the XP machines are not either) and I don't think I can plug a wi-fi antenna to the back of the printer, where the square USB plug goes into it (can I?)

Thanks for your help...

Hi
Get one of these and make the printer a Network Printer.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156213
It plugs to the Printer's USB port and then via Network Cable to the Router.
OR this if you want the Printer to the Wireless Router without a cable.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833127074
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).

"wenmom" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:21a9d83b29ca5a80036f1c3e2225db5c@xxxxxx-gateway.com...

hi Mike,
I followed your instructions, but I ended up getting the error message:
"Unable to install printer. The print processor does not exist". Now what?
The computer hosting the printer is Vista Home Premium 64-bit. The other machine I'm trying to print from over the network is Windows 2000.
Thanks.

[QUOTE=Mike Hall - MVP;1081783]"wenmom" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:67327d2c11e260a03a1447a4e6009918@xxxxxx-gateway.com...

"sjpsj" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:ce84eab0067c7aa4333180c390ef9e5e@xxxxxx-gateway.com...
Not sure what to suggest to be honest, short of buying an wireless adapter
for your printer.

The method I suggested has worked for me and continues to work.

You have to use the correct installation files, an original CD will do, and
the installation files must be specifically for the bit version of the OS..

--

Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

Mike Hall - MVP wrote:
Mike,
Thanks for this, it helped me out.

I don't want to hijack someone else's thread, but I needed to modify
your instructions slightly.
Where you wrote "create a new port > local port" didn't work. I had to
create a new "network" port to get the job done. My situation was that I
have a Vista 64 bit hosting the printer, and networked a Vista 32 bit
to it.

Thanks,

Dave T.