Connect to XP Printer from Vista without loggging on to XP..

A frustrating problem. I have a new Vista laptop and am trying to
printer to a printer connected to a an XP pro laptop. Both machines are
on the same workgroup. I can connect to the XP laptop which requests a
log in name and password and can then print. What I would like to do is
set the printer as default on the vista machine and then print without
first having to log on to the XP machine everytime I want to print. How
do I do this/

Cheers


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bullroar
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bullroar wrote:

>
> A frustrating problem. I have a new Vista laptop and am trying to
> printer to a printer connected to a an XP pro laptop. Both machines are
> on the same workgroup. I can connect to the XP laptop which requests a
> log in name and password and can then print. What I would like to do is
> set the printer as default on the vista machine and then print without
> first having to log on to the XP machine everytime I want to print. How
> do I do this/

This is simple but of course the XP machine must be turned on. You just need
to set up file/printer sharing on both your machines. Since you can print
to the XP's printer, I'm going to guess that there is no issue with
firewalls. So:

1. Excellent, thorough, yet easy to understand article about File/Printer
Sharing in Vista. Includes details about sharing printers as well as files
and folders:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

2. Create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You do not
need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the passwords
assigned to each user account can be different; the accounts/passwords just
need to exist and match on all machines. DO NOT NEGLECT TO CREATE
PASSWORDS, EVEN IF ONLY SIMPLE ONES. If you wish a machine to boot directly
to the Desktop (into one particular user's account) for convenience, you
can do this. The instructions at this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center, turn off Simple
File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab).

3. Share out the printer from the XP machine.

4. Install the printer on the laptop using the latest Vista drivers which
you will download from the printer mftr.'s website. The printer should be
seen during the installation routine. If it is not, install the drivers and
then use the Add Printer Wizard. In some instances, certain printers need
to be installed as Local printers but that is outside of this response.

Malke
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MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ