Printer, Network, Computers with Different Windows Operating Syste

G

Guest

I have a wireless network in my home. Previously I had two computers on that
network – a desktop and a laptop, both running Windows 98 SE. Attached
directly to the desktop by a parallel cable is an HP 890C Deskjet printer. I
set that printer up as “shared†so that the laptop could send documents to it
and I wouldn’t need a second printer. In essence, I wanted the desktop to be
the printer server for the network. The set-up worked fine when I made the
default printer for the laptop the shared HP 890C. I had no trouble printing
to it from the laptop.

Recently I bought a new laptop, a Dell Inspiron 9300 running Windows XP Pro.
I retired the older laptop.

Once again, I sought to enable the Dell to see the HP as its default
printer. THIS HAS NOT WORKED AT ALL. Here’s what happens:

I start with the “Add a Printer†icon under Printers and Faxes. This starts
the printer wizard. I specify that I want to use a printer that is attached
to another computer, then I identify that computer by its network name. As
soon as I hit Next after that step, I get the following message:

“The server for the ‘HP Deskjet 890C Series’ printer does not have the
correct printer driver installed. If you want to search for the proper
driver, click OK. Otherwise click Cancel and contact your network
administrator or original equipment manufacturer for the correct printer
driver.â€

When I click OK, I am taken to the list of available printer drivers. I then
select the driver for the HP Deskjet 890C. I install it and select it as the
default printer.

When I try to print a test page, I get the following message:

“Test page failed to print. Would you like to view the print troubleshooter
for assistance? Unable to create a print job.â€

The troubleshooter doesn’t seem to help. If I try to print anything else to
the printer, I get a message that tells me that there was an error, to make
sure the printer is plugged in and to reinstall the printer driver.

I have tried reinstalling the 98 printer driver on the 98 machine, using a
download from HP. I have also tried to get a new driver from HP for the XP
machine, but the HP website won’t let me download one, telling me that XP
comes with all the right drivers. The Dell support people say it is a
Microsoft problem and they, Dell, don’t do software.

HELP!!!!!!
 
C

Carey Frisch [MVP]

Open your Control Panel and click on the "Add Hardware" icon.
The "Add Hardware Wizard" will appear.

1. Click on Next and place a dot next to "Yes, I have already connected the hardware".
2. Click Next and scroll all the way down to "Add a new hardware device".
3. Click once to highlight it and click Next.
4. Place a dot next to "Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced)".
5. Click Next and scroll down to "Printers", click once to highlight and click Next.
6. Place a dot next to "Use the following port" and click Next.
7. In the "Install Printer Software Screen", on the left side scroll down to "HP"
and click once to highlight, then on the right-side scroll down to
"HP DeskJet 890C", click on it to highlight and click Next to install the drivers.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I have a wireless network in my home. Previously I had two computers on that
| network – a desktop and a laptop, both running Windows 98 SE. Attached
| directly to the desktop by a parallel cable is an HP 890C Deskjet printer. I
| set that printer up as “shared†so that the laptop could send documents to it
| and I wouldn’t need a second printer. In essence, I wanted the desktop to be
| the printer server for the network. The set-up worked fine when I made the
| default printer for the laptop the shared HP 890C. I had no trouble printing
| to it from the laptop.
|
| Recently I bought a new laptop, a Dell Inspiron 9300 running Windows XP Pro.
| I retired the older laptop.
|
| Once again, I sought to enable the Dell to see the HP as its default
| printer. THIS HAS NOT WORKED AT ALL. Here’s what happens:
|
| I start with the “Add a Printer†icon under Printers and Faxes. This starts
| the printer wizard. I specify that I want to use a printer that is attached
| to another computer, then I identify that computer by its network name. As
| soon as I hit Next after that step, I get the following message:
|
| “The server for the ‘HP Deskjet 890C Series’ printer does not have the
| correct printer driver installed. If you want to search for the proper
| driver, click OK. Otherwise click Cancel and contact your network
| administrator or original equipment manufacturer for the correct printer
| driver.â€
|
| When I click OK, I am taken to the list of available printer drivers. I then
| select the driver for the HP Deskjet 890C. I install it and select it as the
| default printer.
|
| When I try to print a test page, I get the following message:
|
| “Test page failed to print. Would you like to view the print troubleshooter
| for assistance? Unable to create a print job.â€
|
| The troubleshooter doesn’t seem to help. If I try to print anything else to
| the printer, I get a message that tells me that there was an error, to make
| sure the printer is plugged in and to reinstall the printer driver.
|
| I have tried reinstalling the 98 printer driver on the 98 machine, using a
| download from HP. I have also tried to get a new driver from HP for the XP
| machine, but the HP website won’t let me download one, telling me that XP
| comes with all the right drivers. The Dell support people say it is a
| Microsoft problem and they, Dell, don’t do software.
|
| HELP!!!!!!
|
| --
| WER
 
G

Guest

Casey --

A couple of things...

When I get to your step 6, after the "Use the following port" option, the
default is LPT1. If I follow your instructions from this point, I would be
assigning the printer to LPT1 on the XP machine. Shouldn't I select the
network printer before clicking on NEXT?
 
C

Carey Frisch [MVP]

Yes, you are correct.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Carey --
|
| A couple of things...
|
| When I get to your step 6, after the "Use the following port" option, the
| default is LPT1. If I follow your instructions from this point, I would be
| assigning the printer to LPT1 on the XP machine. Shouldn't I select the
| network printer before clicking on NEXT?
 
G

Guest

Carey --

Still doesn't work. Same error message as before when I try to print a test
page. What next?
 
C

Carey Frisch [MVP]

Troubleshooting File and Printer Sharing in Microsoft Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...8d-6b4a-448e-a632-076f98a351a2&displaylang=en

Troubleshooting Microsoft Windows XP-based Wireless Networks in the Small Office or Home Office
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...ad-59e7-477b-9d27-6a7030e67002&displaylang=en

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Carey --
|
| Still doesn't work. Same error message as before when I try to print a test
| page. What next?
 
G

Guest

Carey --

These are standard guides. This is a problem that has to do with mixed
operating systems. One tech at Dell said that he has seen this problem
before, that it has to do with SP2. He sent me a work-around that would
require me to detach my printer from the computer and connect it direcetly to
the network. I have not tried it yet, since there is no assurance of success
(according to the tech) and because it would involve my buying another piece
of hardware to attach the computer wirelessly to the network. Surely someone
at Microsoft can help with this problem. Can you forward the issue to someone
who works with mixed operating systems?
 

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