Networking problem!!

[stealer]

Hi All,

Somebody please help me. I have been working on this problem for the last 36 hours straight.(well not quite but almost)

I am having trouble sharing a printer using 1 xp pro machine and 1 winME machine. Both machines are sharing a cable modem by way of a Linksys 5 port hub. (not a router).
Each machine can see each other and I have no problems moving files from one to the other or getting on the web.
My printer is hooked up on the winxp pro machine. This is what happens when I try to add a new printer using the add printer wizard on the win ME machine.

1. click on add printer wizard icon on the ME machine.

2. Select network printer.

3. Use the "browse button" so the win ME machine can find the printer on the Xp pro machine.

4. (This is where I start to lose it.) The add printer wizzard asks for the make and model of the printer. The printer is a HP 722c and that model of HP printer is not listed in the WinME database.

5. So the only option that I have is to click on the "have disk" button.

6. I point to the cd rom drive where the hp printer cd is.

7. Then the printer wizzard tells me to Use setup.exe to install software.

Does this sound right to you. I don't really want to copy all the setup files on the WinMe machine, do I?

Anyway I tried running setup and it tells me that it cannot find any Hp printer attached to the parallel ports.

So the only option that I have is to install the software anyway and then try to point the software to the Winxp machine later.

So after I have the printer software installed I go into the printer properties and then go to the details tab. I change the "print to the following port" from lpt1 to "\MAINWINXP\Printer" which is the correct path to the printer on the winxp machine.

This seems to work until I have to print something. Then get a printer error message saying that the computer has lost communication with the printer. Then a printer folder error saying there was an error writing to \\MAINWINXP\Printer(HP Deskjet 720C v10.3):
Your file waiting to be printed was deleted.


Anyway thats where I am now.
Please help!!

Thanks
Stealer

[ski]

Is 'Print Sharing' enabled on the XP machine?

[stealer]

Hi Ski,

Yes print sharing is enabled.
Any other ideas.

Thanks
Stealer

[Matt]

While I have only used printer sharing with Win98 1st edition I have had similar problems before. After going through all the steps to share the printer on the network I would set up the computer (without the printer) by selecting the printer from the network places folder and after installing the software everything would work. However, if I ever shut down the computer sharing the printer or turned the printer off I would sometimes get a similar error. To correct that I would just reselect the printer over the network and reconnect. It sounds like you are never making a connection to the remote printer so you might want to try this instead of the add printers control panel:
1. find the shared printer over the network, it should be in the main folder of the computer that it sharing it.
2. Select that printer as your primary printer. (I dont completely remeber all the steps for this, but you should have an install option if you right click on the printer icon. Otherwise try double clicking on the printer icon.
3. You might need to install the software if you have not already, but the computer should be able to get some of the needed information off of the computer sharing the printer.

[diurnal]

http://www.wown.com/
Try this link

------------------
Sledgehammer will save the day!

[stealer]

Hi Matt


Yes you are correct. If I right click on the printer and select "connect" it brings up the "add printer wizard". Since my hp722c printer is not in it's database I am forced to click on the "have disk" button. It then asks me where to search for the software/drivers. I point it to the correct directory on the cd rom and it tells me that I must run setup.exe from the cd rom. When I run setup and reboot I get a prompt telling me that the software cannot find any printer attached to the system.

I posted this same question to another board and got this response

Are the ME drivers for the printer installed on the XP machine? Right click on the printer on your XP machine, select sharing, then press the additional drivers button. You may have to install the ME drivers on your XP box to get the ME machine to print to the networked printer.


And I answered with this.

I also have tried what you asked so many times today that I have lost count. When I try to add the drivers for Win95,98,and ME it asks me for the path to the drivers. (This is where I start to pull hy hair out).
I insert the HP disk and point to the ONLY .inf file there is and it tells me that I must run the .exe file to install the drivers. So when I try to run setup Windows XP gives me all kinds of erors because it is not xp compatiable software. I also tried downloading the software from the hp website. I download a .exe file and it expands into 4 files labled disk 1 to disk 4. Disk 1 has the setup file which I still need to run to install the software but again Windows xp gives me errors because same as before this is not XP software.


This problem is really making me insane. This should not be this hard. It seems to me that if I had just the drivers and did not have to install all the other hp software this might be a little easier.


Thanks for all the help.

Stealer

[stealer]

Hi Matt

Yes you are correct. If I right click on the printer and select "connect" it brings up the "add printer wizard". Since my hp722c printer is not in it's database I am forced to click on the "have disk" button. It then asks me where to search for the software/drivers. I point it to the correct directory on the cd rom and it tells me that I must run setup.exe from the cd rom. When I run setup and reboot I get a prompt telling me that the software cannot find any printer attached to the system.

I posted this same question to another board and got this response

Are the ME drivers for the printer installed on the XP machine? Right click on the printer on your XP machine, select sharing, then press the additional drivers button. You may have to install the ME drivers on your XP box to get the ME machine to print to the networked printer.


And I answered with this.

I also have tried what you asked so many times today that I have lost count. When I try to add the drivers for Win95,98,and ME it asks me for the path to the drivers. (This is where I start to pull hy hair out).
I insert the HP disk and point to the ONLY .inf file there is and it tells me that I must run the .exe file to install the drivers. So when I try to run setup Windows XP gives me all kinds of erors because it is not xp compatiable software. I also tried downloading the software from the hp website. I download a .exe file and it expands into 4 files labled disk 1 to disk 4. Disk 1 has the setup file which I still need to run to install the software but again Windows xp gives me errors because same as before this is not XP software.


This problem is really making me insane. This should not be this hard. It seems to me that if I had just the drivers and did not have to install all the other hp software this might be a little easier.


Thanks for all the help.

Stealer

[stealer]

diurnal

Thanks for the link. I am checking it out right now..
Stealer

[Matt]

Well, one thing that you can try is: Install the printer as if your computer was directly connected to the printer. After doing so you will have the drivers on your computer... however, I am not sure how easily you can share a printer over two different OS's. You'd think that Microsoft would see this problem comming a long time ago. One last thing, have you passworded the printer?

[stealer]

Hi All,


Just wanted to let you know that the problem is now solved. The solution was that I had to disable bi directional communications on the win Me machine.

Thanks for all your help.
Everybody have a great Holiday and a great New Year.
Stealer