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#1
can see networked XP printer but can't print
My Win7 computer is part of a home network that also has an XP machine. (Win7 Home Premium, 64 bit, SP 1; XP Home Edition 2002, SP 3). I want to print from the Win7 machine to a printer connected to the XP machine (an HP DeskJet 832C, with sharing enabled). This used to work fine when I had two XP machines, but doesn't now that one's been replaced with a Win7 machine.
The Win7 machine prints properly on a printer connected directly to it, and the XP machine has no trouble printing on the HP, so each computer does have the proper driver for the printer that's connected to it. The Win7 "Devices and Printers" list includes the HP printer, which suggests that the Win7 machine can see it. The "Additional drivers" button under "Sharing" on the HP's Printer Properties is grayed out, which I thought meant that the Win7 machine has a driver for this printer. Print Preferences look the way I expect them to for this printer, which also led me to think that the Win7 machine has the correct driver.
But -- I get a print error when I attempt to print on it from the Win7 machine. The document appears to spool properly from the Win7 machine, but the HP printer doesn't show any sign that it's been contacted or is trying to print. The document doesn't show up on the HP's print list on the XP computer (Settings / Printers and Faxes / etc...) and the printer's operating lights don't flash.
Win7's Troubleshooter suggested that I make the HP the Win7 machine's default printer. That won't do for everyday, but I tried it to see if it resolved the problem. It didn't. Now I'm wondering whether the Win7 machine does need an XP driver for the HP printer. Might that be the problem? What else might be going on?
Thanks for any ideas.