In the past with XP, you could install a pc from your pc on another pc by going to start-run- \\pc-name or \\ip-address and then you could install printers via printers and faxes. It doesn't seem to be possible anymore in Windows 7 or am I mistaking?
Jvuz
You can still do it that way, if you must, but the printer has to be shared, and you have to have the proper drivers ready for the install.
It's a networkprinter. The problem is I don't see the icon printers and faxes. Or is there another way to install remote printers?
When you say it is a network printer, do you mean it has its own IP address, as opposed to being shared off another printer?
If so, you'll have to follow the instructions within the driver software. Some network printers can be install by choosing local printer, and then using a Standard TCP/IP Port for the printer's IP address. It well then ask for a driver, which you can provide. The standard \\computer\share method won't work because it isn't shared off of any computer/server.
If it isn't a true network printer, and it is just shared, try pinging the computer. If that returns, it is either a sharing, permissions, or firewall issue.
If the printer is shared properly on your network and you have the proper Windows 7 drivers available it should only be a couple of clicks to set up. Make sure the printer is Win 7 compatible and download the driver setup and run it before you begin. Some older printers won't have a Win 7 setup but Win 7 should be able to find the drivers for it through Windows Update. If there is absolutely no Win 7 support for the printer then all of this is moot.
What you are looking for is Devices and Printers, there should be a link on your start menu and if not it's in the control panel. Click Add a printer at the top and then click Add a netowrk, wireless or Bluetooth printer. Windows 7 should see the printer and once you choose it , will install it. Its actually a very simple procedure.
If the Win 7 machine cannot see the printer then the networks is not setup correctly and/or the printer is not shared properly, ie:sharing permissions. Both computers need to be in same network and/or workgroup.
I think I'm not clear on this. I'm using Windows 7, when I want to install network printers on this pc it is indeed no problem at all. But I want to connect to another pc (with xp) via \\pc-name. When I did this from a xp machine, I got the icon printers and faxes, but when I do this from a Windows 7 machine, I don't get it anymore. therefore I was hoping that there was a way to get this back, because it's easy and fast. Faster than contactiçng the other person, taking control over his /her pc and installing the printer. But I guess there is no way to get this back?
jvuz
It should be the same as it was. So what you are saying the "Shared Printer" is attached t the Windows 7 machine. In this case from the start menu or from control panel on the Win 7 Machine choose Devices and Printers, your printer should show up there, right click it and choose "Printer Properties" from about halfway down the list, not the bottom "Properties". The screen that shows should be the same old printer properties window you are used to, click on the Sharing Tab and check the box that says Share this Printer and give it a shared Name. Once it is shared and both this computer and the Win XP machine are setup correctly on the same Network/Workgroup it should be just like you are used to. On the XP machine choose ad printer just like always and it should be found.
Worse case on the XP machine in a File Explorer window address bar type \\Win7_Machine_Name and hit enter and the printer should show up, just right click and choose connect.
I hope you understand because what you want to do is very much doable as long as the network is setup correctly.
I have to agree with you on this one. So you are doing remote support for a person, and you want the network printer to be installed on their computer. Got it.
If you are giving them a link to click on through e-mail, or even just verbally giving it to them correctly, it should open just fine. In my office, we have three network printers hanging off a server queue. Whenever anyone needs to install them, I forward a saved e-mail to them containing the links to all the printers, so they can decide which they want. They are in the standard path:
\\printserver\printername
Once they click the link, it asks if they want to install the drivers. They say yes, and it is done. The other person should also be able to go to \\printerserver and see a list of the printers, and then double click on the one they want as well. If that doesn't work, they either have a permission issue, or aren't connected to the network properly. Windows 7 doesn't have anything in it that would block this feature.
The problem is we don't use print servers (yet, I hope it will be in the future). On an xp machine you could go to start-run- \\ip-address - there you'd get all shared folders and the icon printers and faxes. And like this way you could install a printer for that pc. Apparantly this isn't possible anymore on Windows 7, or I'm missing something.
If the printer is shared off of another computer, that is technically a print server. You have something wrong, as mentioned above, with permissions or share settings, because, again, as mentioned above, it works just fine in Windows 7 to use the \\computername\printername if configured properly. I'm using this method in my corporate network, and as I'm rolling out Windows 7, each user can go to the server name as you described, \\servername, and then double-click the printer they want to install.
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