[mitch8]

Hello,

I just built a new computer that has Windows 7 64 bit on it. I'm using my old XP machine as a file and print server. An old printer is connected to it and other XP machines are able to print wireless, just not windows 7. I do have the drivers installed correctly, I used the vista 64 bit drivers and it will print if I connect the printer directly to the windows 7 machine. When I use the "add a printer" wizard in windows 7 it finds the printer and when I click on it, it says "finishing the installation" and then a message pops up that says "Cannot connect to the printer." The error code is 0x0000000d. So I tired creating the local port "\\Printer-Computer\Printer" It works, I select the drivers and print a test page, but nothing happens. A minute later the printer software pops up and says "problems communicating with the printer."

So, is there any way to print using a 64 bit machine when a 32 bit machine is hosting the printer? All I can find online is adding it as a local port but that did not work.

Thanks,
Mitch8

[Advertisements]

Hello,

You will need to add the 64-bit driver to the Print Server Driver cache on the XP machine that is sharing the printers.

Cheers

[Troy]

Hello,

You will need to add the 64-bit driver to the Print Server Driver cache on the XP machine that is sharing the printers.

Cheers

[mitch8]

Hi,

If I select add additional drivers in XP it will only let me add drivers for older versions of windows.

Thanks,
Mitch

[Troy]

Are you able to find a 64-bit driver that is compatible with XP x64 for your printer? If so, add that and then see if the Windows 7 machine can use it. I've done this once before and it worked.

[mitch8]

Hi,

Sorry, it's been a few days, thanks for the reply. I downloaded the correct drivers and unzipped them to my desktop. The drivers included both 32 and 64 bit. When I selected the location of the 64 bit drivers it copied them to the system folders and then an error message said something about it being the wrong architecture, I guess it copied the 32 bit ones.

I did some more searching on the internet, yet I still can't it fix. There was a post here and the person has the exact same problem as me with the same printer but no one was able to find a solution.

I might have to use google cloud print or something else like that, anything you suggest?

Thanks,
Mitch

[Troy]

You are trying to add them into the Print Server Properties, Driver tab, right?

[mitch8]

Yes, that was how I tried it.

[Troy]

Try and add the printer through Networking instead of the Add Printer option.

Open up networking, open up the name of the XP computer and as long as it is set to be shared it should be listed. Double click to install. Any joy?

[mitch8]

Nope, it says "Cannot connect to the printer."

[Troy]

Hhhmmm

You know I have this exact setup at home, it wouldn't be hard for me to swap around/install and test what you are doing. Only problem is time... when I get to it I'll let you know how I go.

[Troy]

Managed to have some sort of problem that I needed to fix today, so it was easy to do a two minute test for you.

With printer plugged into XP Pro 32-bit desktop and set to be shared. I added it as a shared printer on my Win 7 x64 desktop and it printed instantly.

Normally the printer is connected directly to Win 7 x64 desktop so it already had the drivers installed. But this proves it is purely a driver issue I think. Might be the long way around but get the printer physically installed and working on both machines, then it should work by sharing over network as well.

Cheers

[mitch8]

That's weird, I was able to print directly to the printer when I first tired to fix this a month ago. I will try uninstalling the drivers and then installing them with the printer connected. I also want to see if I print from xp to windows 7. It might take me a few days, I'm busy right now. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for your help so far!

-Mitch

[Troy]

No worries, keep me informed.

[mitch8]

Hi,

I am able to print fine with the printer connected directly to windows 7, same goes for xp. But I can't print from xp to 7 or 7 to xp. Also when researching the problem I see that other people have the same problem with my printer, so I just decided to give up. I set up google cloud print and it works just fine, so at least I can print now.

Thanks for your help.