Printer Sharing Driver Issues - 32bit vs. 64bit

Howdy,

I have read on this forum a few people with printer sharing issues, but my problem seems to be a bit different, heres my problem:

I have a HP Server that is running XP Pro 32bit, & has a HP Laserjet 1220 printer shared across the network on a parallel port, all machines running XP (32bit & 64bit) connect with no problems, no drivers needed. I then installed Windows 7 32bit on a old laptop of mine, this also connects to printer over network, no drivers needed. I then installed 64bit 7 on my PC & another laptop, both of these machine could not connect to the printer, they can see the printer with no problems, but when I go connect, it says something like loading driver, then connecting to windows update, then comes up with an error & says driver not found.

It gives me an option to load the correct drivers myself, which I have been unable to do, the drivers for the printer are part of the XP & Vista & Windows 7 CD\DVD, HP says the printer will work with 32 & 64bit, no Windows 7 drivers (32 or 64bit) or Vista(32 or 64bit) are on the HP site for this printer.

As a test I tried the following:

I then tried something else, I got an old Dell PC i had around & installed 32bit 7 on this & connected the HP printer, then shared across the network & within a few minutes had all computers working with printer fine, XP & 7 (32 & 64bit) machines.

I then connected the printer to my PC & booted up in XP 64bit & shared printer, yet again had all machines working fine.

Even renamed Dell machine(32bit 7) network name same as the HP Server(32bit XP) network name, got all machines working on printer on dell 32bit 7 PC, then swapped printer back to HP server & shared again, 64bit 7 machines went straight back to the first issue "loading driver, then connecting to windows update, then comes up with an error & says driver not found".

From these problems it seems that the HP Server(32bit XP) is trying to hand out 32bit drivers over the network to the 64bit 7 machines & the 64bit 7 seems to get a bit lost on loading the right drivers which it has as part of the OS as when connecting to the dell machine which is running 32bit 7 the 64bit 7 machines have no problem loading the right driver.

I have tried to install x64 printer drivers on the HP Server to hand out over the network, but cannot find any to download that work.

One strange thing happened I was not going to say as it makes me more confused, when i removed the printer from Dell PC & reconnected it back to the HP Server, I then jumped on the laptop with 64bit 7 & tried to connected to the printer on the xp server & a screen popped up with a window 'installing drivers' only sore it for a second & it worked I was able to print to from the 64bit 7 laptop to the 32bit xp server...lol. Jumped straight back on my PC(64bit 7) but back to the old error 'connecting to windows update this may take sometime'...then error no driver found...

Sorry for the speech, any help would be great

Farley.

I have tried to connect to the printer by using the '\\computername\printername' way this just brings up an error 'Cannot connect to printer' box, but have not tried to add a new port, what port would i use? to connect overa network to a parallel printer?....LTP1 or something like that?

Many thanks worked great, now printing from PC running 64bit 7 to 32bit xp server over the network....cheers

Farley

How did you solved it?
I tried the same but when I reconnect it to port \\server\sharedprinter or \\ipaddress\sharedprinter I always get the error that I haven't got the rights...
Thanks

kano1 said:

How did you solved it?
I tried the same but when I reconnect it to port \\server\sharedprinter or \\ipaddress\sharedprinter I always get the error that I haven't got the rights...
Thanks

How is your network setup?

You have to make sure that your security settings for the username you are using to log in are set correctly to access the printer.

Hi there
I've posted on this many times on how to share printers between 32 and 64 bit systems.

Just search - it was a while back and I can't remember the thread --look under my username.

It explains in steps what you have to do and seems to work in 99.99% of cases.

Cheers
jimbo

Jimbo45, Of course I tried your "step-by-step manual". But I didn't win. Maybee I am 0,01% of users. But I searched forum well, and found that I am not alone, many users have "Access dennied" message when try to add local port \\server\sharedprinter ... Unfortunatelly, I didn't find any solution. ..

To Acurasd: my network is simple: no domains, just workgroup (set the same on all computers). On VistaB32 there is a shared printer and it can be easilly access on other Vistas or XPs. But not on W7. But it is interesting that on other computer with VistaB32, there is a shared folder and it is accessible easily from W7. I also see shared printer from W7, but I can't attach it...

Is a Windows 64 bit or Windows 32 bit computer being the host for the computer?

either or you may have to install additional drivers to accomidate the different versions.


The way that you have your printers set up. Are they connected by USB to the REMOTE computer and you connect your hosts compute to that computer or as I have my printers set up I have networked printers and I connect to my printers by IP addresses.

Could you please identify your computers for instance:

What is the version computer supporting your printers.
what are the model numbers and makes of your printers
and how are they being attached..UsB or networked to the remote computer.

server: Vista Business 32bit
client: Windows 7 Pro 64 bit

additional 64bit drivers on 32bit server- as I already wrote, I tried it several times, Vista always say that those drivers are not for selected architecture

printer is connected to server via USB, printer is installed via install SW, then shared for everyone (I have no problem to print on it from XP home, XP pro, Vista Business - but all 32bit), all clients are connected through \\server\printer sharing

printer is Sharp AR-M160