One common problem I have run into with clients is trying to share a printer connected to a Windows XP machine with Windows 7. There are lots of people out there that have USB connected printers attached to one computer, usually a Windows XP machine.
If you get a new laptop running Windows 7, it makes sense to share that printer so that any computer can print to it. Unfortunately, trying to print to an shared printer on XP from Windows 7 is not as simple as it should be!
In this article I will walk you through the steps for XP to Windows 7 printer sharing. I am assuming your printer is directly attached to a Windows XP machine and you want to print from a Windows 7 machine.
Step 1: First make sure that the printer on the XP machine is shared. You can do this by right-clicking on the printer and choosing Sharing.
Click the Share this printer radio button and give your printer a share name. Make sure is less than 8 characters and does not contain any symbols.
Step 2: Make sure you can see the printer share from the network browsing area in Windows 7. You can do this by going to Control Panel and clicking on Network and Internet.
Then click on View network computers and devices under Network and Sharing Center.
At this point, you should see the name of your XP computer in the list of computers. Mine XP machine is called Aseem.
Double-click on the computer name and you should see your shared printer in the list. Here you can try to add the printer by right-clicking on it and choosing Connect.
If everything goes perfectly, Windows 7 should automatically add the printer to your set of printers. However, if you get a message like “Cannot connect to printer”, follow the next steps.
Step 3: Click on Start and then click on Devices and Printers. At the top, click on the Add a printer link.
Step 4: Next choose Add a local printer. Yes, that sounds counter-intuitive, but this is what you have to do!
Step 5: Next, click Create a new port and choose Local port from the list of options.
Step 6: Click Next and in the Port name box, type in the path to the shared printer. It should be something like \\Aseem\HPXP, where Aseem is the name of your XP machine and HPXP is the shared name of the printer.
Step 7: Now choose the printer driver from the list or download the latest driver for the printer and choose Have Disk. Note that if you printer is a little older, it’s a good idea to download the Windows 7 driver for the printer and click Have Disk.
That’s it! Windows 7 will load the driver and you’ll be able to print to the XP machine from Windows 7! The main things to remember are sharing the XP printer and downloading the latest driver for the printer on the Windows 7 machine.
If you have any problems sharing your printer on XP and printing from Windows 7, post a comment here and I will try to help! Enjoy!
I have an iR1018 connected to Windows XP SP3 32-bit and tried to solve the problem as above. But when I try to print from Windows 7 64-bit it goes through XP SP3 32-bit and comes to the printer. But then printer shows an error saying something like “change reg’d size common settings” (on the printer).
Please help because my boss will kill me since I advised to purchase a more expensive PC and now I am dead unless I resolve this issue!!! Please, please, please.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Your solution worked perfectly.
Thanks you. :-)
I am trying to print to a HP Photosmart C4600 that's connected to an XP desktop from a Windows 7 notebook. I am able to see the printer from the notebook; however, when I print, I get an error message saying an unknown error occurred while printing.
Please help.
I had the same problem. Then, I went to the Printer manufacturer support and they emailed me with the proper way to do it. I would list it here, but we all have different printers. I followed their direction and it worked the first time.
Good luck.
Wow. Counter-intuitive was quite a diplomatic way of putting it.
Thanks so much. I spent a couple of hours fighting with this yesterday.
Hello.
I have a Lexmark printer connected to a Windows XP machine and I want to use the printer form Windows 7 machine.
The problem is that the printer is very old and there are no drivers available for Windows 7 still. So, I cannot connect to the printer.
Is there any way by which I can use the printer from my Windows 7 machine? Can I create some virtual printer so that I am able to use the printer?
Thanks. This worked great. Kodak was no help.
Your reward if not on Earth will surely be in Heaven.I have toiled on and off for weeks with this problem and hundreds of dud web advice.All seemed to work,but didn't.Your advice worked like a charm.My XP printer was 'seen' but that was all.I neede to run through your beatifully succinct instructions.Thanks Aseem.
Just a thought,your advice would be better headed 'windows-7-to-xp-printer-sharing' the way it is : 'xp-to-windows-7-printer-sharing' is the wrong way around for this problem.
great – ive been struggling with this problem for 2 weeks. sorted, VMT.
Cannot get past the step where I am supposed to see the XP computer through the Network Sharing on the 7 computer. Help.
Thanks you now i can connect it with window 7.
Thank You So Much!!!!
I worked on this thing all day, and got nothing. Did your steps and was working in minutes.
been searching for this for a week already.Works great!Thanks!
THANK YOU!!!! I tried different methods over several days and this one was the only one to work. I did each step as I read your instructions and when I got to the last line I was printer sharing. THANK YOU!!!THANK YOU!!!THANK YOU!!!THANK YOU!!!
Thanks a lot..I spend a lot of time on trying to share a printer before I found your website on the net……a great help….thanks heaps again!
I’ve seen this similar solution posted other places, But no one goes the other way.What if i my W7 DOESN’T ‘see’ my XP?
I have been aggravating myself for a few sundays now, as thats the only serious time i get to sort this out! I go through the entire setup process, but i can’t see XP on W7.HELP!
I have read the intruction and I will try all my best to follow it. and I will see the if it will work. but one question? The printer have to be conected in one cumputer were i will to all this steps???? because I have 3 cunmputer and I have the printer conected in one and now I want to share my printer with the other two.
please ansawer me in my mail
thank best reggards
I also got to the end of the step when is seems to just stay at installing printer and nothing happens.
Wonderful! Worked like a charm! Thank you! The counter-intuitive step that you mention was something I never thought I would select because well, like you said it was counter-intuitive. Who knew it was the trick that worked!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been trying for 3 months to get my XP printer working from Windows 7 laptop. You guys are great! Keep up the good work!
Had similar problem. The Win7 machine could see and ping the XP machine that had the printer connected directly to it, but the Win7 machine could never find/install the printer. I used the alternate method shown in the article, but when I used the text address to the printer (\{xpmachinename}SamsungC), I got an error message like “Network path not found.” So, I tried using the XP machine’s IP address followed by the text printer shared-name: \ 192.168.1.103SamsungC. This worked. Win7 even offered the latest driver, and the test page printed fine.
Hi,
I have been at this problem for hours… and found your site.. I still can't get my XP computer showing up on the windows 7 screen. I have a Vista laptop, and it sees the XP just fine.. The windows 7 sees the Vista, but we have the printer on the XP and that 7 just won't see the XP>> The XP is hooked up wirelessly to system using wireless adapter, but its shows as hooked up as local, not wireless. What do you suggdest
Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's been so many years of running up and down stairs from one computer to another to print things out. Your instructions were clear and easy to follow and it works perfectly! Now I'll have to find another way to get my exercise;-)
Thank you so much, your method worked like a charm :)
Spend three weeks trying to figure out how to get the printers to work!
Thank you your steps worked perfectly – I was trying on and off again for two weeks trying to resolve
I called Okidata tech support and they told me it couldn't be done, XP 32bit share, Windows 7 64bit client. Your instructions (steps 3-7) just proved them wrong. The built-in Windows 7 drivers for ML420's works fine if you connect them directly, but connecting to an XP shared one, all I could get was a long Windows Update search, followed by a prompt to find an missing INF file. Your method gets you to the driver list, just what I needed.
THANK YOU.
Thanks. Kept tryng to connect as a network printer – kept failing. Your steps worked. Hallelujah.
Thank you very much.
Best help I have ever got!
I followed your directions and everything goes through but doesnt actually print. It says it does but it doesnt. What can I do?
Hi..
I’ve read your instructions and I think it really helped. I have a different problem. What if the printer was not on the list? mine is hp laserjet 1015.. thanks a lot in advance.
check HPs website for alternative drivers thats what i had to use for my old Photosmart7350, hope that helps
THANK YOU!! My husband and I have been trying to set this up for HOURS!! This was soooo much easier than what HP was directing me to do. You’d think they would just give the exact instructions you did. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!
I have a Dell AIO 942 connected to my XP machine. The printer is shared on the XP machine. I can view the printer on the windows 7 machine but I needed to manually add the printer. I have had the printer working when it is connected directly to the 7 machine I used the same driver file and I get to the “Installing printer…” screen with the green bar but I do not get any further. Any thoughts?
Thank you over and over. I have two desktop dells ( xps600 and dimension8250) running winxp with an HP Photosmart 7350 connected to the 8250 in a wired network. HP has no win7 driver for this yet so had to use the deskjet 5550 driver. connected directly to the laptop and was printing this afternoon, but for the life of me could not get it to configure to do wirelessly. IT SEEMS COUNTER INTUITIVE TO DO IT THIS WAY BUT THATS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO was the key to my problems. This was my first negative experience with win 7 hopefully there wont be many more. thanks again
PS about 7 hours into this I found your directions amid many others and was done in about a half hour!
Thank you SO MUCH! I struggled with this for two days before I found your page!!
I am trying to share an “hp LaserJet 1200 series” printer from a Windows XP computer to a Windows 7 computer. I followed your steps and I get a message that says that my address is incorrect. I don’t see how it would be wrong. Please help.
This worked! Love it when that happens. Thanks!
Thanks bunches! If someone does not have the cd that came with the printer (like me)…just plug the printer directly into the windows 7 before you start with the instructions and the drivers will download :)
Oh…and then plug printer back up to xp computer and start with the directions…I also had to use \\192.168.1.2\printername….where the ip address is address of xp computer…would not accept computer name
Fantastic solution. Thank you very much.
Best regards from Vietnam.
Bao Nguyen.
i connected the printer but if i click print in my laptop its not printing…
Please help me in this process…
Worked like a champ! I have been pulling my hair out with this issue. Never would have thought to add it as a local printer.