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Win7 cannot print to printer on WinXP computer

2K views 10 replies 2 participants last post by  Alex Ethridge 
#1 ·
I cannot print from this Win7 computer across the network to a printer located on a WinXP computer.

Win7 computer is running Home Premium and the XP is XP Pro with SP3. Other computers, all running XP Pro, can print to this printer just fine. The prnter is an HP Officejet 6500 series (e709a).

I have loaded the driver on the Win7 computer, browsed the network to the desired printer, double-clicked to set it up. I get an instant response that the print jobs fail. I have uninstalled, reinstalled and rebooted several times -- no luck.

Firewalls are turned off. All computers are on the same "WORKGROUP" (no domain).
 
#3 ·
Who can know for sure which ones and zeros Windows bounces around inside that dark box?

I downloaded the basic-features driver from HP, uninstalled the existing driver (previously downloaded from HP), restarted the computer and installed the basic-features driver. It took some time as it displayed its progress bars to decompress and install. No luck.

I repeated all the above steps for the full-featured driver and still no luck.

This has something to do with a Windows 7 to XP maladjustment, I'm sure, as all other systems on the network are Windows XP and they have no problem.
 
#4 ·
Driver should be OK then, but if you want to check ...

Start - Devices and Printers - right click the printer - Printer properties (not Properties at the bottom of the list) - About tab - you will see a list of drivers and the top one should show some resemblance to the printer name.

While in the Printer properties look at the Ports tab. My printer is connected to my router, but I think your port setting should be similar. The port with a check mark should be a 'Standard TCP/IP Port.' Click on Configure Port... and you should see a Printer name or IP Address that gets you to the printer on the XP machine. In my case it's just the IP address of my printer (see attachment).
 

Attachments

#5 ·
The printer is connected directly to the XP machine via USB.

The port with the check-mark is USB001; but, all printer properties on the Windows 7 machine are grayed out so making changes to the port is impossible. I have checked the printer properties on other XP machines and they are all also configured to USB ports.

All of what I am writing is from memory as I am not presently at that location so I cannot give you exact wording. I may be back there later this week or the first part of next.
 
#6 ·
I'm wondering if the printer (on the Windows 7) is installed as if it is connected by USB?

If the actual printer on the XP shows in the Windows 7's Network window try connecting to that. I think that should give you a printer installation that will actually include the path to the actual printer.
 
#7 ·
By the way, I have forgotten to thank you for your replies.

The way I did it was to first install the printer driver on the Win7 system. I had three choices:

  • Define a TCP port for the printer
  • Carry the printer across the building and physically connect it to a USB port
  • Continue a USB installation without connecting the printer
I chose the latter because it was the easiest for-sure way to get the driver into Windows. After the installation was finished, I restarted the computer, browsed to the remote XP system and double-clicked the printer. This method has always worked for me in the past.

Windows supposedly set it up and put the printer into the list of available printers.

I'm just stumped and looking to make a list of things to try when I go back there.
 
#8 ·
You're welcome for my replies. :) What you just described sounds good to me, and is what I was trying to get at.

The only other thing that comes to mind--because it used to happen to me--is double (triple? quadruple?) check in Devices and Printers whether there are multiple instances of the printer there. If so, make sure the desired one is the default and, most importantly, is the one selected for any printing.

When I had the situation of using a printer that was sometimes connected by USB, sometimes to the router, and sometimes to a remote PC I renamed them like "USB printer," "Network printer," "Remote PC printer." That way when a job failed or went into the queue I could quickly realize I used the wrong printer.

Whatever the port is named I think in Port settings it should be identifying the printer; maybe \\NameofXPpc\printer_name.
 
#9 ·
I did delete all other instances of the previous printers in Devices and Printers.

I have a laptop that is configured for dual booting XP and 7. The next time I go there, I'm going to see what it will do with each OS. If it works with XP and not 7, it might not tell me how to fix it; but, at least I'll know where the problem is nested.
 
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