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Ok. I've hit a wall and I am completely frustrated at this point.

I've got a printer directly connected to my main Vista machine and I'm trying to share it with the laptop which has Vista Home Premium. I did have this set up and working at one point, then it suddenly stopped working without warning. I tried deleting and reinstalling the printer, but I get the dreaded "Windows cannot connect to the printer. Make sure the name is typed correctly and the printer is connected to the network." message. So, I try the huge solution that everyone claims works (Add the printer as a local printer on LPT1, then go in and try adding a new local port with this convention: \\Computer name\printer name as the new port name.) Now, the problem that is frustrating me to no end is I get "Access denied" when I attempt to create the port. Adding to this frustration is the fact that no one seems to have had the same issue... and I've been Googling like mad trying to find someone that has. I only get "Oh yeah.. that worked!!!".

Well it doesn't work... not for me. So in one of my rare calls for help I ask if anyone knows of a possible solution. Most of the people with this issue are sharing the printer off an XP machine... but I have no XP machines. I'm extremely frustrated since this was working flawlessly a couple of months ago. The only explanation I can think of is some Vista update must have broken the printer sharing somehow... problem is I don't know which one... and I don't feel like uninstalling a pile of updates to troubleshoot.
 
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Hi Zoron,

My wife recently renewed her machine from XP into Vista 64, and I had been suffering from exactly the same situation in trying to share the printer on my Vista 32.
As you did, I have found the "local port solution" in the Internet, but when I typed \\Computername\Printername, the reply was always "Access is denied." Since then, I tried almost most of the suggestions on the Web, including firewall issues, UAC ON/OFF, trying to install a 32-bit printer driver into Vista 64, etc, only unsuccessfully. Yes, it really frustrated me to see many "Oh yeah, that worked!!!"

But today, I have finally worked it out. I was not able to figure out maybe because I am not familiar with the "permissions" system on Vista.

In order to share the...
Yeah, the driver is installed on both computers... as I said, the laptop was printing to the printer flawlessly a while ago. Somehow, it stopped working without warning and I'm at a loss as to explain why. I wish I could find someone having the exact same issue... but I haven't been able to.
 
Well, some of my printers work over my network through Vista and others don't. I don't know really. Is it possible you have a firewall or your ISP is blocking something that now prevents printer connection? Have you installed any new anti virus or spyware since the setup worked. I really don't know. I've beem trying to get my Home Server trial to set up from a remote location. I think my ISP is blocking some ports. Just an idea, wish I could give more solid advice. Somehow you lost the connection that worked before. Call your ISP? Maybe not... 8)
 
My ISP wouldn't have anything to do with it... since this is all on the local network and not over the internet. I have considered that Trend Micro Internet Security may be the culprit... but file sharing works just fine and the firewall is set to it's lowest possible setting. I'll try disabling it just for the sake of trying it... but I don't believe it to be the source of my problem.
 

pat mcgroin

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I had a problem somewhat similar.
My Computer it set up for a network but is currently the only computer with no router involved.
My printer stopped responding and after fooling around for a while with things like sharing files and printers I ended up creating another printer connection (with the same settings) to the same printer.
I know it sounds stupid and it is really but after doing that I was able to print.
Not sure if this is/was a factor but my printer is hooked with a parralell to usb adapter, and the printer is a HP Laser Jet 4P so the drivers are internal to Vista.
Hopefully this will be of some help at least to the point that you can print until a better suggestion comes along.
 
Well I solved the issue by purchasing a new laptop with 64-bit Home Premium. So the issue is sharing from a 64-bit OS to a 32-bit one. This worked just fine for a few months before it decided to quit... so there is a Windows update that breaks the sharing. I tried loading the 32-bit drivers on my 64-bit OS, but it complained it needed a 32-bit version of NT Print in order to be able to do so. Absolutely no luck with that either... although I do blame Kodak a bit on this one... if they would just allow you to download the actual driver files you need instead of that damn EasyShare software download... it might be easier.

I just wonder why Microsoft hasn't had anything to say on this issue thus far. I know I'm not the only one having issues sharing from Vista x64 to a 32-bit OS. It obviously has to do with some sort of update, because as I said before, when I first got the laptop set up, it could print just fine using the shared printer. I don't know what happened, but I sure would like to know.
 

GaryCW

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I don't think the problem is associated with going from 64 bits to 32 bits. My printer is connected to a 32-bit Vista desktop and my laptop is also 32-bit Vista. The printer sharing worked fine until a few months ago so the problem was apparently introduced by a Windows update. I tried connecting the printer to the laptop and accessing it from the desktop and had the same problem. An XP desktop doesn't have any problem accessing the printer when it's connected to either Vista machine.

I have seen the same problem reported with Vista 64 machines on other web sites.


 
I'd say it has something to do with it... as both computers now have all the same Windows updates and it still works. XP wouldn't be affected since it doesn't have the same set of patches that Vista does. I wish I knew which update caused the issue and how to work around it... but I don't. I do know that with both computers running 64-bit Vista, my printer sharing works. Right now, that is my only concern.
 

Drompa

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Hi Zoron,

My wife recently renewed her machine from XP into Vista 64, and I had been suffering from exactly the same situation in trying to share the printer on my Vista 32.
As you did, I have found the "local port solution" in the Internet, but when I typed \\Computername\Printername, the reply was always "Access is denied." Since then, I tried almost most of the suggestions on the Web, including firewall issues, UAC ON/OFF, trying to install a 32-bit printer driver into Vista 64, etc, only unsuccessfully. Yes, it really frustrated me to see many "Oh yeah, that worked!!!"

But today, I have finally worked it out. I was not able to figure out maybe because I am not familiar with the "permissions" system on Vista.

In order to share the printer on a Vista 32 server with a Vista 64 client, we have to share the "spooler printer directory" of Vista 32 server. And here is the point, Vista has two different sets of permissions: "Share Permissions" and "NTFS Permissions". We have to set up both, separately.
Geeks would skip this explanation.

Here is the step-by-step description on what I did.

1) Share Permissions
1. On explorer, go to C:\windows\system32\spool\PRINTERS
2. Right click, Properties
3. Sharing tab
4. Advanced Sharing
5. Check "Share this folder"
6. Permissions
7. Grant everyone Full Control

2) NTFS Permissions
1. On explorer, go to C:\windows\system32\spool\printers
2. Right click, Properties
3. Security tab
4. Edit
5. Add
6. Advanced
7. Find Now
8. Choose "NETWORK"
9. OK
10. Grant NETWORK Full Control

In my case, it worked. I hope it helps you.

Best,
Drompa
 
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btbud16

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Finally stumbled upon this thread and thought i may have found some hope. However, my issue actually came when I upgraded my two systems to 64 bit Vista. Never had a problem sharing XP to XP, or XP to Vista 64. Then my wife got a new laptop with 64 Vista, and I have not been able to successfully share our printer. I even went out and bought a new printer with Vista 64 specific drivers after fighting with anything else as a solution.

However, I guess I should add that it doesn't not completely work. On occasion, after literally about 10 minutes, a page will be printed from the computer not directly connected. I also decided to go out and purchase a USB switcher and install the drivers individually on both computers. However, this makes both my computers lose print functionality. It will print once on one machine, but then not again.

Any ideas on why Vista 64 to Vista 64 doesn't work for me?

And yes, I too read all the "Worked for me!" messages and was left frustrated in regards to the install as local printer options (Access denied for me). Any help or thoughts would be much appreciated!

Thank you.
 

taylorrace

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bootysmaka

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Damn, thanks Drompa....this has been driving me crazy for months! Your solution worked for me (64bit to 64bit vista ultimate). This issue was causing my system to hang even when printing to my xp print server, and now it's all good.

I can't believe this is such a problem this late in the game....anyone know if this is resolved in Windows 7?
 

otherdreams

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Hey all,

We had this same problem..

We had to follow the procedure suggested by Drompa. . .

>>1) Share Permissions
>>1. On explorer, go to C:\windows\system32\spool\PRINTERS
>>2. Right click, Properties
>>3. Sharing tab
>>4. Advanced Sharing
>>5. Check "Share this folder"
>>6. Permissions
>>7. Grant everyone Full Control
>>
>>2) NTFS Permissions
>>1. On explorer, go to C:\windows\system32\spool\printers
>>2. Right click, Properties
>>3. Security tab
>>4. Edit
>>5. Add
>>6. Advanced
>>7. Find Now
>>8. Choose "NETWORK"
>>9. OK
>>10. Grant NETWORK Full Control


AND THEN we had to install as local printers, using the port trick. . .

1. Go to "Printers"
2. click "Add Printer"
3. "Add a Local Printer"
4. "Create a New Port"
5. use the "Local Port" option
6. at "Enter a Port Name" enter: "\\Computername\Printername"


And Hopefully that should do it!

Good Luck!
 
I'm curious to know if SP2 fixes this issue. I've updated the laptop to SP2... but the desktop is still on SP1. It still works as it did before... but I'd like to know from people that have had similar problems and haven't yet tried Drompa's fix.
 

od46

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Drompa,

This worked flawlessly. Its funny the details you forget. and the devil is in the details.
This took 8 seconds to fix remotely, no restart needed.
I allowed the share and on the 2nd computer retried immediately after receiving access denied.
I had previously installed the drivers so the ink was dry on a test page before I could make the printer the new default :)

--admin

od46.com




 

ejcook

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I just read the above discussion and specific instructions on enabling printing from a laptop with Vista 64 to a network printer. This is probably obvious to most, but I was wondering if the two permissions needed are to be changed on the computer the printer is connected to, or to the laptop that is not yet able to print? As far as adding drivers for my Vista Business 64 bit laptop, do I need to install them on the laptop or the network computer with printer?
I appreciate your help, as you really seem to understand the specifics of this.
Thanks,
ej
 

EvileYe

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I added the permissions to the client (32 bit Vista SP1) first and still got the access denied error, so I then added the permissions to the Windows 7 64 bit server and Voila! Problem solved. I just left it at that, but I would assume that only the server needs to have the permissions changed?

This was driving me crazy, as I had XP 32bit clients that worked with just the Local Port Trick but kept getting the access denied error on the Vista 32 bit machine. I knew it was permissions somewhere but didn't have a clue where to look.

Anyway, thanks for the fix, a good workaround to allow 32 bit Vista clients to print to shared printers on 64 bit Vista/Windows 7 servers or vice/versa I believe.
 
Well thank you Drompa... your suggestion worked perfectly. Eventually the sharing did stop working... so I was forced to try your fix. After setting up the sharing, I was able to create the local port I needed to install the printer... as I still couldn't connect directly to the printer. It's undoubtedly a Windows update that somehow breaks the sharing... I just wish I knew which update it was.
 

tms

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THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!!!! Drompa and otherdreams. I cannot believe that finally our printing issues have been resolved. Three printers, two 32-bit machines. They all played together beautifully until a couple of months ago and then suddenly printing from a client machine became a nightmare. We had despaired of ever being able to use network printers again. Did I say THANK YOU???

Teresa
 
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