Printer Sharing Problem in Windows Vista

My overall experience with Windows Vista release code has been very favorable. I'm now using it on all of my PCs that are capable of running it successfully. Windows Vista has allowed me to do everything I used to do with Windows XP and much more.  However, I had one lingering problem that I wasn't able to resolve until today - accessing a Windows XP shared printer from a Windows Vista PC. I searched for a solution and tried every recommendation without success but I always got the same message - "Windows cannot connect to the printer.  Access is denied."  In searching for a solution on the Internet, I encountered several users who were just as frustrated as I was.  I knew I wasn't alone.

I give credit to no@email.com who posted the following fix on microsoft.public.windows.vista.networking_sharing.

Here it is:

Problem: A Windows XP PC on the network has a shared printer attached that other PCs running Windows XP can use. However, Windows Vista PCs on the network (even though they can connect to and access files on the Windows XP PC) get an "Access is denied" message when they try to connect to the printer.

Fix: Add the printer to the Windows Vista PC using the Control Panel and set up the printer (the one that you want to access as a network printer) as a local printer - Control Panel/Printers/Add a Printer/Add a Local Printer/Use the existing port LPT1:, etc. Do not set up the new printer as a network printer yet.

After the driver in installed, go to Printers, right click on the new printer and select  Properties/Ports/Add Port. Make sure that Local Port is selected from the list and then select New Port. When the Enter a Port Name field comes up,  manually add a new Local Port as follows: \\computer_name\shared_printer_name as the port name. For example, if the computer name for the Windows XP PC sharing the printer is "johnPC" and the shared printer is "HP LaserJet" enter \\johnPC\HP_LaserJet then select OK. Now return to the port list and select the newly created post as the active port for the printer. To test the printer, open Word and print to the newly created printer. Hopefully, you will be as happy as I was. Now you can Consider It Fixed!

Please post a comment if this has been helpful to you.

Contact Info: info@consideritfixed.com
                     860-985-7300

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Comments

[used computers]

I searched for a solution and tried every recommendation without success but I always got the same problem.

[ridza]

My word 2007 operate in windows 7 hang immediately as i click print. Your method work flawlessly. Thanks alot

[Fatdoc]

Fantastic! After 2 days of messing with this your solution worked like a charm! Thanks.

[bulat@yahoo.com]

tak boleh pakai la.....

[Raymond]

BAM!

This is so stupid, but it works! Thanks!

[Samsung ML 1610]

I think I need to read through your comments again, I tried everything you said and I have a feeling my AVG firewall is the problem.. How much of a difference will a firewall make?

[Pio Caesare]

You are a god, thank you.

One note, your instructions worked for me until I needed to enter \\computer_name\shared_printer_name

To make it work, I had to do the following instead.

1) Shut down my firewall program
2) Go to my Windows XP computer
3) Start button
4) Run
5) Type "cmd" in the box
6) Type "ipcong"
7) Write down my IP Address (192.xx.xx.xx)
8) Type "exit"
9) Start button
10) Settings
11) Control Panel
12) Printers and Faxes
13) Click on the Sharing tab
14) Write down the exact name of the printer shown there. (Important note: the printer name was slightly different from what was showing up on my Windows Vista PC after I installed the drivers per the article above.

After this, I was able to go to my Windows Vista machine where I left off and type \\192.xx.xx.xx\HP LaserJet 1300

(Note that where I put 192.xx.xx.xx you will enter the numbers you found in step 7.

Thank you again, I initially tried to connect to the printer by unjoining my domain and joining my home workgroup and this destroyed my User Profile and it took me 10 hours to get it back. DO NOT UNJOIN YOUR DOMAIN AND JOIN YOUR WORKGROUP as you will lose all of your user settings, icons, favorites in IE, etc.

[Rehan]

thanks .. it worked in windows 7 too..

[Bill]

This fix worked for me. This is awesome. I have been attempting for months to get this too work and finally in 5 minutes I had this working. This was exactly what I needed.

[Neil A.]

Why has nobody sorted this out before now. I list myself with the other searchers for answers. A Million thanks!

[Jfenton]

I too must add a SUPER-DUPER thanks for this post. I had a Vista and XP Vmware setup and needed to print from XP to a printer in Vista. It works both ways and should do it on the 1st try as well.

[Mrs. Wilson]

This is so awesome! I have been trying everything possible to get this to work. And just as I was about to give up and buy a print server, I found this article. It worked perfectly on the FIRST try! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

[Kevin G]

After banging my head against the wall for a few hours trying to get a Canon MF4100 working on a network, I found this fix and my problem was solved less than 5 minutes later.

I thought the problem might be Windows Home related but Vista Business and XP Home SP3 network fine together and now I can print from either computer. Thanks.

[Jay]

I have no clue what i am doing, and this did not help me...i get to the point where your susposed to add a local printer, the Lpt1 port thing...and then a screen comes up with a lot of printers. I try looking for my printer but its not even listed. Its a lexmark 730 series, and its not even on the lexmar list. Why is this happening?

[bobby]

Absolutely work for me, Thank you very much! :)

[Jose]

Thanks You. This works for me. I have been trying to fix this problem for at least two months.

Ragards

[ianw]

Liz,

Usually, if your underlying network is configured properly, this fix works fine. I suspect that there is something not configured right on this one PC. Why don't you turn off your firewall (both 3rd party and Windows in case they are both on) and see if it starts to work.

Best,

ianw

[Liz]

I've done everything as suggested above and I'm still unable to print from the Vista laptop. It shows the printer on the laptop and I've shared the printer on the XP wired computer. I'm able to ping the XP computer from the laptop and vice versa, but I still show the documents to print as spooling on the laptop. The biggest frustration is I have another Vista laptop that I've followed the same steps with and it worked. Any suggestions?

[Sandip Shah]

Hello,
I am pretty sure, the way you wrote up things up but I am not very good at computer, could you please email (ssshah_4@yahoo.com)little bit more detail, how to fix sharing printer problem in vista.
I have pc desktop with hp printer and would like to share that printer with vista laptop computer. I installed HP XP cd on desktop computer and vista HP cd on laptop computer, stil did not work,please, please suggest. Thanks a bunch in advance, Sandip

[Petar]

Thank you:-))))))

[shakeb]

priter installed in vista locally when i install that printer from network in another vista computer
it is work only one day for next day i must install that share printer again from network

[shakeb]

Dear I instaalled the printer in windows xp locally
when i install that printer in windows vista from network it is work for few time or one or print after some time it is not working

[mark mchugh]

WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!

This has been driving me freaking crazy for months!!!!

Thanks a million. Wishing only good things for you!

[naveen]

Its just excellent tip .

Guys just try this its usefull.
Before doing it just make sure that you have downloaded the win vista drivers of that particular printer model.

I was getting problems with connection to a Samsung printer on a XP box. Vista was complaining about insufficient memory but now its fixed.

[Patrick]

Thank you for this most helpful post!

[Amir]

Thank you so much. I've had the problem for a while and now it's fixed.

NOTE: Don't use CAPS when typing the port name because it gave me an error each time a tried it.

[Aaron]

It kept wanting me to install the vista drivers on my XP machine that was sharing the printer, but this worked - THANKS!!

[kimson]

Thank you! this really solve my problem. Finally my Vista can print at Xp. Thank you!

[Will]

Todd: Your suggestion to change the name of the XP PC to its IP address has solved the 'network path not found' problem for me. Thanks to you and the original poster for the help!

[Ralh Alcala]

Thank God for people like you all.
The Fix works great and please keep up the good work.
Thanks again for your help.

[Artzy]

This was wonderful, I am 67 yrs. old and was able to follow all the directions. Thank you very very much.

[Zolex]

Thanks so much for this! I've been trying to fix this for my son's computer for quite some time and school starts tomorrow so I'm thrilled that it is working! Excellent advice!

[Paul]

Yes! Finally the bluming thing prints!!!! Thank you so much!!!!

[Mark Ochigue]

works on 98 machines with shared printers too!

thanks!!!

[Chris]

Sir, I salute your Vista-mongering skills. Hurrah!

[Supergrov]

This worked great, thank you!

[ivorf]

This worked for me (some other work-arounds didn't). Many thanks

[omg it works]

That did it! Thanks a bunch!

[printer problem guy]

It worked! Thank you!

[David Gray]

Printer Sharing Problem in Windows Vista - worked like a charm! We are not worthy..

[David]

THANK YOU!

[Simon Atkinson]

Worked fine once I set printer online. thanks

[Jim]

Careful with printer name. My new laptop renamed my hp deskjet to Printer3. Once I typed that in rather than hp deskjet, it FINALLY worked.

[EugeneYeap]

Yes! I can consider it fixed! The name fitting!
Thank you for the solution.

[Todd]

now answering my previous problem above I was able to fix this by typing in the IP adress of my Windows XP PC.

So I added a port that basically looks like this and it worked!

\\156.187.1.105\hp

[Todd]

I've tried all of this and still get "The network path was not found."

WTF over?

[Harold]

I spent lot of time fixing printing on XP HP from shared Vista and solution given here was able to print the document.
thanks

[Steve Hammerman]

After trying for hours & hours and following others' posted "fixes" I found this through a Google search. Quick, simple AND.....It Works!!!
THANKS!!!

[Charles]

Thank you so much. I HATE MS for making me switch to Vista just to replace a busted laptop!

I am going to Linux.

But thanx again for a great solution, well presented - good detail.

[ThunderLight]

FANTASTIC!!!

Many thanks for posting this information that helped me to resolve my problem.

Cheers guys
Laurent