Virtual USB Printer Drivers Keep on Installing

Discussion in 'Windows Virtual Machine' started by KPOM, Jun 25, 2012.

  1. KPOM

    KPOM Member

    Messages:
    50
    Every time I open Parallels Desktop, it attempts to install drivers for a virtual USB printer, as well as an HP Laserjet printer, even though I have told Windows Update to stop looking for drivers. This started with a recent build of Parallels Desktop 7. Is there a way to stop this?
     
  2. mschwax

    mschwax Bit poster

    Messages:
    3
    Me too

    any solution?
     
  3. YanaYana

    YanaYana

    Messages:
    1,666
    This might happen when you often change your local printers (e.g. use your Mac in office and at home). I suggest to open Virtual Machine configuration --> Hardware --> Printers --> Uncheck "Share all Mac printers"
     
  4. KathleenS

    KathleenS Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Not!!!

    Not the answer! I have only one iMac at home and it is doing this constant reinstall of virtual USB printing and the HP Color Laser 2820 which I do not have.
     
  5. YanaYana

    YanaYana

    Messages:
    1,666
    HP is a default driver for all printers in PD virtual machines. I still suggest you either reinstall Parallels Tools or disable this function in order to get rid of the issue
     
  6. HasnainM

    HasnainM Bit poster

    Messages:
    1
    Issues printing

    Hi,

    I have 2 printers connected via my mac - one is a standard HP Laserjet printer and the other is an HP Photosmart all-in-one printer.

    I am running windows XP as a guest OS on Parallels Build 7.0.15107.

    The issue i'm having is when trying to print using either of the printer via the Guest OS on MS word or other, I can't seem to use more than the basic print functions as the default driver - HP Laserjet 8500PS - doesn't seem to support it.

    An example of this is when trying to print on A5 paper using a page setup on MS Word as A5 prints on the laserjet 1015 as if the paper loaded was A4. On the photosmart c309a printer, I get an error on the printer saying paper mismatch.

    There are also a bunch of features on the standard print drivers available on windows that dont seem to be supported when using the guest OS print function which only works with the 8500PS driver.

    When trying to install the standard print drivers provided by the manufacturer on the Guest OS, i get a en error saying that 'unable to convert postscript file' and fails to print.

    Can you please help as this is a real issue when trying to use applications from the Guest OS to print important documents.
     
  7. YanaYana

    YanaYana

    Messages:
    1,666
    did you try to connect printer directly to VM using native drivers?
     
  8. BayardC

    BayardC Member

    Messages:
    21
    I'd like to point out that whomever thinks that the default HP driver is the correct one is sadly mistaken.

    The HP Laserjet printer driver that either Parallels or W7 is jamming down my throat does not
    work correctly for my HP Photosmart C410A printer - it fails to recognize, nevermind configure,
    the duplexer (to permit double-sided printing) nor the photocard tray, etc.

    Attempting to rectify the situation under Windows 7 by deleting the Laserjet driver and installing the
    HP driver specific to the Photosmart Premium was frustrated by the constant unwanted/unbidden
    reinstallation of the Laserjet driver.

    I will try to connect it directly to the VM, but this appears to be the same sort of issue that I'm having
    with serial/USB lines not working under Build 8.0.18435 - the inability to tell Windows 7 what I want installed
    without interference from Parallels or other software objects. I hate to think what might be in store
    for us if we were to "upgrade" to Windows 8, but frankly I don't see why I should have to jump through
    all these hoops, particularly since the printer DID work under Parallels 7 until a recent "upgrade" to Parallels 8,
    and still works under Mac OS X (Mountain Lion).
     
  9. imacken

    imacken Hunter

    Messages:
    121
    I had this problem a while back, and nothing Parallels support could do solved it. In the end I switched off shared printers because I couldn't stand it any longer.
    Funnily enough, I don't have the problem any more. Running PD8 and Windows 8. Printers share OK, and don't go through that painful installation each time.
     
  10. YanaYana

    YanaYana

    Messages:
    1,666
    HP driver is a default one, but it is not universal. It might not work correctly if you printer has some extra features and you might have to connect it directly to the vm and install native drivers
     
  11. BayardC

    BayardC Member

    Messages:
    21
    "HP driver is a default one"

    Yana - WHICH ONE?

    I'm trying to install - and in fact, I think I have - PS_AIO_07_C410_FSW_Basic_Win_enu_140_222.exe
    which is the driver available off of HP's website and supposedly the correct driver for my
    HP Photosmart Premium C410a. How a driver for a Laserjet could be considered "universal"
    defies all logic, at least to me - the C410a is an inkjet printer, and it's connected via Ethernet, has
    its own IP address on our in-house LAN and is logically connected by my iMac and my wife's.

    At least it's no longer trying to download and install new drivers on every boot-up. But, then again,
    I'm running Build 7.0.15107 (Revision 796624; September 3, 2012) and the sound still isn't configured
    properly - Parallels thinks it has to use my external USB sound card for the Windows 7 default sound stuff,
    and I won't let it, since it should be routing back to the normal iMac hardware and I'm reserving the USB
    sound card for a couple of particular applications.

    So, one problem temporarily worked around - now to see if/when P8 gets fixed.
     
  12. mrDesman

    mrDesman Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Oh but you've it easy – at least your printer's from HP. It kept trying to install that HP LaserJet driver for my Epson inkjet MFC. Turning off "Synchronize default printer" in the VM configuration (under Hardware -> Print) seems to have solved the issue. Thу point is moot, however, as the network on the VM rolled over and died, rendering the printer inaccessible anyway...
     
  13. YanaYana

    YanaYana

    Messages:
    1,666
    don't force cancel it - give HP LaserJet a try - it should work with all printers. This is the way PD configures printer sharing.
     

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