Epson wireless printer not working from Windows

Discussion in 'General Questions' started by Sue Moody, Aug 1, 2010.

  1. Sue Moody

    Sue Moody Bit poster

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    Have just installed an Epson wireless printer. I installed the drivers, etc. from the printer CD on the MAC side. Printing works fine from MAC. I cannot print from Windows XP. I have not installed the drivers on the CD for Windows. I wasn't sure from something else I read if that was the right thing to do.

    From a posting on this forum, I chose the HP laser 8500 PS as the default printer in Windows. No luck. I have read the instructions for Bonjour but was not sure installing that software was necessary. Do I need the EPSON drivers loaded for Windows?

    What is the best way to print to the wireless printer from Windows XP? I am using Parallels 5. I had no trouble printing with USB.
     
  2. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

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    1,207
    Configure... -> Hardware -> Printer Port 1. Select Connected and select your Mac printer or Default printer in the Source menu. There is also a printer icon at the bottom of the VM window.

    Parallels Tools automatically connects a HP Color LaserJet 8500 PS printer to your VM. When you print to that printer, it should go to your Mac's printer.

    The Parallels Desktop Help "Sharing a Mac Printer" says that you shouldn't install the driver for the printer in the VM.
     
  3. Sue Moody

    Sue Moody Bit poster

    Messages:
    4
    Thanks....followed your instructions....

    I had to learn how to add a device, but once I added the printer port, I could select the Epson printer. However, nothing printed until I closed out of Windows. I didn't have time to reboot, but I will do that later today. Hoping that solves the issue. (if you know of any other variable, please let me know.)

    Thanks again.
     
  4. Sue Moody

    Sue Moody Bit poster

    Messages:
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    Now getting error message: pstopdffilter/pstocupsraster failed with err number -31000. The print job prints after I exit Windows.

    Any ideas? I will also search the forum.
     
  5. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

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    1,207
    Are you sure you didn't install the driver in Windows?

    Also make sure the VM hasn't taken over the USB device (though if it's wireless then it's probably Wi-Fi and not USB...).

    If it's a network printer and not owned by a computer (i.e. any computer on the network can access it without any other computer being turned on) then I suppose you could install Windows drivers in that case and try to connect to it like the VM was a normal PC.

    Another option is to install cups-pdf on your Mac and print to that. It creates a pdf file in a folder which you can then open on the Mac side and print.
     
  6. Sue Moody

    Sue Moody Bit poster

    Messages:
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    Definitely did not load the driver to Windows. We were using USB before we bought another laptop, so I know about VM and USB devices. We just bought this wireless printer for convenience in our home office.

    However, I have a fix at least for now. I quit Coherence view, rebooted everything (including unplugging the printer) and now it is working as long as I stay in the Windows view. However, I would love to use Coherence.

    Should I look at the driver for the generic printer? (HP 8500 PS) Could it be that it needs to be upgraded? I am running XP.
     
  7. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

    Messages:
    1,207
    I think the HP 8500 PS printer is installed by Parallels Tools so you could try the Reinstall Parallels Tools menu option.

    Have you tried looking for the printer from Windows? If it's a network printer then you should be able to find it from Windows after you install the Windows drivers.

    If the printer supports Bonjour (Rendezvous, zeroconf, mDNS), you could try installing Bonjour Print Services for Windows. My printer (HP Officejet 6310 All in One) supports Bonjour but I could not see it in the Bonjour Printer Wizard unless I set Network Adapter 1 in the Parallels Desktop Devices menu to Bridged Networking on the default adapter. My printer is connected to a router. My Mac is connected to a switch that is connected to the router.

    Are you using a wireless router or are you using your Mac's Airport to connect to the printer?
     
  8. LesO

    LesO Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    I have this problem using Windows 7 on OSX

    The printer (an Epson CX6600) works from the Mac and is USB connected. When I print from windows, the print gets into the printers queue but errors with the error message identified in this thread.

    I tried reinstalling Parallels tools but no change. I also reinstalled the default HP 8500 ps printer.

    Desperately in need of some advice.
     
  9. LesO

    LesO Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    A quick update:

    Moving the printer from a powered USB hub to a directly connected USB port seems to have fixed it.

    L.O.
     

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