Printing through Vista?

aangel · Sep 30, 2006

Hi, all.

Has anyone been able to figure out how to print through Vista RC1?

Using build 5600 of Vista (RC) and Parallels build 1898 (RC) and 10.4.7, I've tried:

1. Installing Bonjour 1.03. The good news is that it installs with no trouble and sees the printers I have shared through OS X. The bad news is that the only drivers available are "Microsoft Shared Fax Driver" and "Microsoft XPS Document Driver." Not knowing what the XPS Document driver was, I tried it and it only gives me the option to save the printout to a file.

2. I've tried the directions for printing to OS X through Windows XP here http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/3012.html but I'm stymied at exactly the same spot: no generic postscript driver. The only printer manufacturer in the proffered printer driver list that starts with an A is Apollo -- no Apple Laserwriter available.

3. Direct USB printing through Vista does not seem implement yet.

Any suggestions on where to look next? Do I have to wait for a generic postscript or Apple laserwriter to be made (which is my hunch)? I don't have bootcamp...could that have a generic printer driver for Vista?

-Andre'

kosh · Oct 18, 2006

I don't know if this is the *best* way to do it but what I did was to first add the printer I wanted (in my case an HP LaserJet 1200) using Vista's regular "add printer" process and telling it to install it as a local printer (connected to LPT1). What I was really after there was to get Vista to load the drivers into the proper place so that when I then used Bonjour's Printer Setup Wizard the driver I'd installed would be visible in the driver list. After installing this fake local printer, I then went into Bonjour's printer wizard and installed it as usual (the HP driver showed up in the list along with the two MS drivers you mention). After installing the printer in Bonjour I then deleted the printer connected to LPT1 (mostly just being a bit of a neat freak).

All worked fine and I could print to the shared printer.

What I was really doing was a substitute for knowing exactly where in Vista's filesystem hierarchy the proper .inf files could be found. I think a cleaner solution would be to know where to browse to in the "Have disk..." option when Bonjour Printer Wizard asks for the driver.

ronaldbegg · Feb 5, 2007

Vista Printing

kosh said:
I don't know if this is the *best* way to do it but what I did was to first add the printer I wanted (in my case an HP LaserJet 1200) using Vista's regular "add printer" process and telling it to install it as a local printer (connected to LPT1). What I was really after there was to get Vista to load the drivers into the proper place so that when I then used Bonjour's Printer Setup Wizard the driver I'd installed would be visible in the driver list. After installing this fake local printer, I then went into Bonjour's printer wizard and installed it as usual (the HP driver showed up in the list along with the two MS drivers you mention). After installing the printer in Bonjour I then deleted the printer connected to LPT1 (mostly just being a bit of a neat freak).

All worked fine and I could print to the shared printer.

What I was really doing was a substitute for knowing exactly where in Vista's filesystem hierarchy the proper .inf files could be found. I think a cleaner solution would be to know where to browse to in the "Have disk..." option when Bonjour Printer Wizard asks for the driver.

You make a good point, will try your method with my Epson, I fiddled around with Bonjour before in XP but like all things, have forgotten the sequence now, I will rev my brain up and have a go.
As I recall you have to set the Mac up for shared printing and enable Bonjour, the rest I forget.

ronaldbegg · Feb 6, 2007

Hi there, is it possible to get a definitive answer from Parallels or some other member with specific experience in relation to a simple question......Is it possible to print in Vista Home Basic under the latest Parallels beta? I have tried all methods ( I think) including using Bonjour for Windows. Nothing seems to work at present. Makes Parallels a bit pointless.

Any comment please, the method proposed by kosh, just failed to work with me!

Thanks

ksenks · Feb 6, 2007

I need to know some answer on the question:

1) Did you install RC2 and Vista RTM?

2)Did your VM detect printer?

3)Did you install any driver to it?

ejparsons · Feb 6, 2007

This is the same Issue I posted yesterday. I have tried the work-a-round that Kosh mentions, which works. But it is not very user friendly is it? i don't knwo if it is becuase Bonjour has not yet been updated to work with Vista or the fact that Parallels blocks some communication with the printers? I do know that i can see the devices, I just can't connect to them via Bonjour out of the box. edward

iduff · Feb 6, 2007

I have Parallels 3150 and Vista RTM and can install printers and print with no problem. I just installed an HP 8640 that is on wifi; Vista discovered it fine and installed drivers for it fine.

Have you tried upgrading both Vista and Parallels to the latest of each?

-Ian Duff.

ronaldbegg · Feb 6, 2007

ksenks said:
I need to know some answer on the question:

1) Did you install RC2 and Vista RTM?

2)Did your VM detect printer?

3)Did you install any driver to it?

Thanks for your feedback. I have Vista Home Basic running but cannot print at all. Have tried Bonjour to no avail. When you say does VM detect printer, how does one establish that? The printer certainly shows in Control Panel. Tried to install Epson driver via Epson disk and via Vista inbuit drivers...no luck at all......yet I was able to print under Vista RC1!!!

ronaldbegg · Feb 6, 2007

ronaldbegg said:
Thanks for your feedback. I have Vista Home Basic running but cannot print at all. Have tried Bonjour to no avail. When you say does VM detect printer, how does one establish that? The printer certainly shows in Control Panel. Tried to install Epson driver via Epson disk and via Vista inbuit drivers...no luck at all......yet I was able to print under Vista RC1!!!

Hi, thanks for your feedback, I must be doing something terribly wrong as I am running the latest beta from Parallels and a full newly acquired version of Vista Home Basic.......how much more upgrading can I do? Funnily enough, I could print just fine with Vista RC1!! No problems in printing from XP Home under Parallels.

ronaldbegg · Feb 6, 2007

ronaldbegg said:
Thanks for your feedback. I have Vista Home Basic running but cannot print at all. Have tried Bonjour to no avail. When you say does VM detect printer, how does one establish that? The printer certainly shows in Control Panel. Tried to install Epson driver via Epson disk and via Vista inbuit drivers...no luck at all......yet I was able to print under Vista RC1!!!

Just to provide a bit more info. Firstly I must say I got a bit carried away last night and I do think Parallels is quite something, and here to stay. Having said that, I have had my frustrations. The printing under Parallels Vista Home Basic is annoying and very time consuming. Especially when printing under XP is fine. I have used Bonjour and tried to visit the Epson website for info, no luck with Vista drivers at all. Others seem to have no problem, but are they using the full release of a previous beta build of Vista? Does it make a difference?? My Parallels is the latest beta version, just downloaded a few days back. What is Vista RTM?? Sorry, unfamiliar with that suffix.

Any further amplification would be appreciated.

ronaldbegg · Feb 7, 2007

ronaldbegg said:
Just to provide a bit more info. Firstly I must say I got a bit carried away last night and I do think Parallels is quite something, and here to stay. Having said that, I have had my frustrations. The printing under Parallels Vista Home Basic is annoying and very time consuming. Especially when printing under XP is fine. I have used Bonjour and tried to visit the Epson website for info, no luck with Vista drivers at all. Others seem to have no problem, but are they using the full release of a previous beta build of Vista? Does it make a difference?? My Parallels is the latest beta version, just downloaded a few days back. What is Vista RTM?? Sorry, unfamiliar with that suffix.

Any further amplification would be appreciated.

Well I must report back after solving my print problems. It was simplicity itself (isn't this often the case?) I simply booted up Vista, minimised it so I could see the task bar, went to Devices, clicked usb/printer (I think that was the sequence) and voila, it all happened. I can now print in Vista...to quote Gilbert and Sullivan ....."joy and rapture"...or something like that!!!

Feel a bit foolish. Thanks to all that submitted help.

iduff · Feb 7, 2007

Just a quick note: "RTM" is geek code for "Release To Manufacturing", i.e. the end of the beta process. You might take note of www.acronymfinder.com to aid in answering future questions.