I was having a similar problem and found the following doing a Google
search, on your laptop do the following;
" I had the same problem. I found a solution. Logically it makes no sense
to me, but it worked so...
Go to Control Panel. Choose printer. Then choose Add Printer.
ChooseAdd a local printer. Click on Create a new port. The default in the
drop down box is Local Port. Do not change that. Click Next.
A dialogue box will appear asking for you to enter a port name. Type in the
\\computer name\printer name ie. My computer's name is basement and the
printer name is EpsonSty so I typed in \\basement\epsonsty."
Hope it helps.
"dsquared" <dsquared@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news

0EE84B9-6B2F-4544-AF68-0496E2AA4785@xxxxxx
>I have a new laptop running Vista. I'm trying to use a networked (shared)
> printer that's wired to a desktop running XP. I have run through the "Add
> a
> Printer" process on the laptop. I can find the desktop in the network,
> and
> when clicking on that it displays the shared printer (an HP Deskjet 842c).
> Clicking on that printer then adds it to the available printers on the
> laptop. However, when trying to print to that (default) printer via the
> network, nothing happens. If I click on "properties" for that printer, a
> box
> opens momentarily (just flashes) and disappears. No documents are shown
> in
> the "See what's printing" dialogue. Help?
> --
> dsquared