Printer Share Problem on Windows XP Computer

swingarm

My Dad has a HP All-In-One Printer Scanner Copier hooked up to His Windows XP Computer(USB connection). I've installed Cups and Samba on my computer(Gentoo and KDE 3.1.1), started them, and used KDE's automated add printer dialog on. I could find and install the printer just fine earlier this evening but I had to reinstall the printer drivers on my Dad's computer(unrelated problem) and now my computer can't find that printer anywhere on the network. I can communicate(ping) with His computer just fine but I can't figure our why it won't see it, nothing changed I just reinstalled the drivers on His computer. Heck I don't even know if this is a Gentoo or Windows problem, I hope someone else has run into this problem and fixed it because I'm really out of ideas. All I want to use is the printer not the scanner.

davidl · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2003 3:16 pm Post subject:

Where shall we start? It could be any of a number of things.

First check the Windows XP machine and ensure that Windows networking is OK (can you see it with another Windows machine or your Linux machine?) and that your printer is actually shared. This may have changed when you reinstalled the drivers. Windows printer drivers can be crap. Are you still in the correct workgroup?

A problem I have had printer sharing with Windows XP is that I have had to supply a dummy username and password because XP in it's wisdom for some reason expects one. I, like yourself I can imagine, don't want to arse around with the vagueries of Windows networking. However, you should at least be able to SEE the printer through your KDE utility.

It may be worth going through the network setup again. Scrap Windows networking on your XP machine and go through again setting up your workgroup and sharing your printer. Then make sure your Linux settings are synchronised and try and see your printer again.

Good Luck,

David

swingarm · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2003 7:25 pm Post subject:

Well, it's fixed. I rebooted my Gentoo box and what do you know the KDE add printer dialog actually found the printer on the network this time, I don't know why(Windows XP?). My problem wasn't over though as I would try to print a test page and nothing would happen, finally figured out that I needed to emerge hpijs as the printer part of the All-in-One was an inkjet so I did that, restarted Samba and Cups and what do you know it works.