Why can one Vista machine print on XP printer but not another?

[Greg]

Up until now have had XP desktop connected to internet and Vista laptop
connected to it with crossover cable. Vista laptop has been able to run the
XP machine's non-vista compatible HP officejet printer over the network.

Now we have connected a new Vista desktop to the network, and made it the
primary machine, connected to the internet, with the XP desktop and Vista
laptop connected to it with a hub. The printer is still connected to the XP
machine.

Strange thing is, the Vista laptop can still print using the printer on the
XP machine, but the Vista desktop cannot. When you choose the printer, it
just crashes - just keeps on waiting forever and you have to close the
program doing the printing. Why?

 

[Dan [MSFT]]

Greg,

Try checking:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/network/evaluate/vista_fp.mspx.

Dan

 

[Greg]

Thankyou but I have already seen that page and as usual with MS help it's
about as useful as an udder on a bull.

The desktop machine can SEE the XP printer and even access its preferences
and settings, but just not print to it.

The only differences between the two Vista machines are:

1. The desktop is the primary machine on the network, through which the
other two access the internet
2. The desktop is running Business and the laptop Home Premium
3. The desktop has UAC turned on the laptop has it turned off
4. The desktop can't use the XP printer the laptop can. Go figure.

Why is Vista to XP networking so kludgy and unreliable? Nothing ever seems
to work properly or even when it does it stops working after a while.

 

[Alan Morris [MSFT]]

Is the Vista driver installed on the desktop for this device? Did you
install the Vista driver on the XP machine so the Vista clients can use the
Vista driver? Since UAC is off and it's working on the laptop, it's
possible that the driver shared by the XP machine does not work properly
with UAC.

I can't speak on the network issue. I am on a huge network with domain
authentication and some band of administrators that manage the whole
process.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Kerry Brown]

As I pointed out in the thread you started in another newsgroup you have
pinpointed the difference between the two computers. It's very likely the
problem has something to do with UAC. What is the make and model of the
printer? Does it have a Vista compatible driver? If it does have you
installed this driver?

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
http://www.vistahelp.ca

 

[Greg]

No I don't believe it does have a Vista driver. I can't remember what I did
on the laptop to get it to work. I thought maybe I had installed a Vista
driver on the XP machine, but I can't have because when I looked again on
the HP website it specifically says there is no Vista support for the HP
Officejet T65. Could I have installed the XP driver on the Vista laptop?
Would that work? Vista can't use XP drivers can it?

I have tried (on the Vista desktop machine) turning UAC off, turning the
firewall off and configuring it different ways, logging on to different
logons on the XP machine, nothing works. The laptop with Vista Home Premium
can run the XP machine's printer, the desktop with Vista Business cannot.

Thanks for your help.

Is the Vista driver installed on the desktop for this device? Did you
install the Vista driver on the XP machine so the Vista clients can use
the Vista driver? Since UAC is off and it's working on the laptop, it's
possible that the driver shared by the XP machine does not work properly
with UAC.

I can't speak on the network issue. I am on a huge network with domain
authentication and some band of administrators that manage the whole
process.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.

Thankyou but I have already seen that page and as usual with MS help it's
about as useful as an udder on a bull.

The desktop machine can SEE the XP printer and even access its
preferences and settings, but just not print to it.

The only differences between the two Vista machines are:

1. The desktop is the primary machine on the network, through which the
other two access the internet
2. The desktop is running Business and the laptop Home Premium
3. The desktop has UAC turned on the laptop has it turned off
4. The desktop can't use the XP printer the laptop can. Go figure.

Why is Vista to XP networking so kludgy and unreliable? Nothing ever
seems to work properly or even when it does it stops working after a
while.

 

[Alan Morris [MSFT]]

Try installing the XP driver in XP compatibility mode on the Vista Desktop.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

No I don't believe it does have a Vista driver. I can't remember what I
did on the laptop to get it to work. I thought maybe I had installed a
Vista driver on the XP machine, but I can't have because when I looked
again on the HP website it specifically says there is no Vista support for
the HP Officejet T65. Could I have installed the XP driver on the Vista
laptop? Would that work? Vista can't use XP drivers can it?

I have tried (on the Vista desktop machine) turning UAC off, turning the
firewall off and configuring it different ways, logging on to different
logons on the XP machine, nothing works. The laptop with Vista Home
Premium can run the XP machine's printer, the desktop with Vista Business
cannot.

Thanks for your help.

Is the Vista driver installed on the desktop for this device? Did you
install the Vista driver on the XP machine so the Vista clients can use
the Vista driver? Since UAC is off and it's working on the laptop, it's
possible that the driver shared by the XP machine does not work properly
with UAC.

I can't speak on the network issue. I am on a huge network with domain
authentication and some band of administrators that manage the whole
process.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.

Thankyou but I have already seen that page and as usual with MS help
it's about as useful as an udder on a bull.

The desktop machine can SEE the XP printer and even access its
preferences and settings, but just not print to it.

The only differences between the two Vista machines are:

1. The desktop is the primary machine on the network, through which the
other two access the internet
2. The desktop is running Business and the laptop Home Premium
3. The desktop has UAC turned on the laptop has it turned off
4. The desktop can't use the XP printer the laptop can. Go figure.

Why is Vista to XP networking so kludgy and unreliable? Nothing ever
seems to work properly or even when it does it stops working after a
while.

Greg,

Try checking:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/network/evaluate/vista_fp.mspx.

Dan

Up until now have had XP desktop connected to internet and Vista
laptop
connected to it with crossover cable. Vista laptop has been able to
run the
XP machine's non-vista compatible HP officejet printer over the
network.

Now we have connected a new Vista desktop to the network, and made it
the
primary machine, connected to the internet, with the XP desktop and
Vista
laptop connected to it with a hub. The printer is still connected to
the XP
machine.

Strange thing is, the Vista laptop can still print using the printer
on the
XP machine, but the Vista desktop cannot. When you choose the printer,
it
just crashes - just keeps on waiting forever and you have to close the
program doing the printing. Why?